This October, DU will open a Sales Leadership Center for students and later host a launch party during the winter quarter. Additionally, students can take advantage of DU’s new Sales Leadership Minor that they can receive after completing 24 hours of coursework.
So, what’s this recent sales buzz about?
Since 1985, more than 100 universities, including DU, have opened sales centers or similar programs in an attempt to bridge the gap between sales scholarship and the industry demand for qualified salespeople.
The Sales Leadership Center is located on the third floor of the Joy Burns Center and will be open starting in October from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. It will give students the opportunity to practice multimedia presentations, explore the sales role and participate in things such as sales competitions and interviews. Students will learn how to brand themselves and positively influence others, engage with global sales leaders and gain real-world experience leading sales teams.
The foundation of the Sales Leadership Minor and Sales Leadership Center was a collaboration between the directors (Professors Cunningham and Atefi), the Department of Marketing and the leadership of the Daniels College of Business.
Professor Cunningham says while she “didn’t have the opportunity to take sales classes in college, [her] father is an entrepreneur and [she] lived sales every day. [She] also held sales positions in several organizations including Equifax and Georgia Pacific.” Professor Atefi was a research director at the Professional Sales Institute at Louisiana State University and was deeply involved with the Sales Excellence Institute in Houston where he received his doctorate. Atefi has helped several sales organizations initiate sales force training, negotiations, sales leadership and implementing strategies.
Students who want to receive the Sales Leadership Minor must take Intro to Marketing, the Power of Professional Selling, Selling in a Digital World, Sales Management and Leadership and two more sales and marketing courses from a select list.
When asked if non-business students could participate in the Sales Center and Sales Leadership Minor, Professor Cunningham said, “Emphatically yes! We currently have non-business students in the Sales Leadership program. These students are very successful in the program and we encourage students of all majors to join the program.”
For more information about the Sales Leadership Center or Sales Minor, students can go to the Daniels College of Business website or talk with their academic advisor.
