CSU, Chico News

California State University, Chico Finance and Marketing students placed second out of six other California State Universities in the first CSU Collegiate Sales Competition held on April 1 at CSU, Sacramento.

Chico student Dan Cox placed second in the overall student competition, losing out to the first place winner by only eight tenths of a point. Cox received $1,000 for his achievement.

Aspiring sales students from CSU campuses in Bakersfield, Chico, Fresno, Sacramento, Northridge and San Luis Obispo competed in the event. The students were required to complete two 15-minute role-plays, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. A panel of three judges viewed these presentations from another room on live video feed. The judges evaluated the students on approach, needs identification, presentation, overcoming objections, closing and overall presentation.

In the morning session, the students were given a profile of a businessman planning on expanding, to whom they were to sell Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) payroll services. ADP had trained the students in their product and provided them with a packet about the product. In the afternoon session, the students had to sell a Northwestern Mutual Financial Network insurance policy to the same hypothetical businessman.

CSU, Bakersfield received first place, with CSU, Chico second, and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo third.

“I’m extremely satisfied with our second place finish,” said Professor Bill McGowan, advisor to the team. “I want to commend Kyle Nichols, Dave

Coulombe and Dan Cox for all the effort and time they devoted to this first annual event. Dan Cox should be especially pleased with his strong second-place finish. All three of these students are involved in a variety of groups and/or work considerable hours off campus each week.”

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This entry was posted on Sunday, December 4th, 2005 at 8:30 am and is filed under 2005 Spring.