Journal of Selling
The UniversitySalesCup Competition –
Engaging & Motivating Sales Students
By Terry W. Loe
Engaging and motivating students is a challenge for faculty. Sales faculty also struggle with engaging our millennial
students. Embryonic, emerging and mature sales programs strive to gain the attention of students to consider
matriculating into their programs and attract more high quality students. Mature sales programs with a critical mass
of students must also continually engage them by promoting the program and sales classes to matriculate new
students replace those that are graduating. This paper introduces a points competition modeled after the Professional
Golf Association’s FedExCup designed to encourage students to engage more in their sales related classes, engage
more in sales program activities, better prepare for a career in sales, and provide a promotional tool that has the
potential to gain the attention of and attract additional students to a sales program.
The Challenge
Engaging and motivating students is a challenge for
faculty. Sales faculty also struggle with engaging our
millennial students. As faculty continually attempt
to both engage students and integrate relevant sales
concepts, activities and skills they have explored
methods to accomplish this through varying experiential
assignments and activities in and outside of their
classes. At the same time, faculty with embryonic and
emerging sales programs strive to gain the attention of
students to consider matriculating into their programs
and attract more high quality students. Mature sales
programs with a critical mass of students must also
continually engage them by promoting the program
and sales classes to matriculate new students replace
those that are graduating. In short, sales faculty fight
for the attention of millennials who are distracted by
active social lives and short attention spans and work to
engage students with families, jobs and busy schedules.
We all battle to light the spark or “flip the switch” that
will inspire students and give them a vision to fully
engage in their studies and career preparations.
This paper introduces a program designed to encourage
students to engage more in their studies, especially
sales related classes, engage more in sales program
activities, better prepare for a career in sales, and
provide a promotional tool that has the potential to gain
Terry W. Loe (Ph.D., University of Memphis), Professor
of Marketing and Director, Center for Professional Selling,
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, [email protected]
36
the attention of and attract additional students to a sales
program. The article will first outline the inspiration
for the innovation, briefly detail the university setting
in which this program was first launched, then detail
the FedEx Cup style points competition that has been
implemented at the university.
Promoting the Sales Program and
Engaging and Teaching Sales Students
The FedExCup Playoffs determine the season-long
champion of the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour introduced
the FedExCup, a season-long point competition in 2007.
The competition offers $35 million in bonus money for
those competing on the PGA Tour and includes 43 events
plus a four-event playoff. The inaugural FedExCup
in 2007 awarded $10-million as its top prize to Tiger
Woods. During the season Tour members earn points
based upon their performance during FedExCup events
with an emphasis placed upon winning and high finishes
during these golf tournaments. At the conclusion of the
PGA Tour Season the top 125 players advance to a
four tournament playoff that offer quadruple the points
earned relative to the regular season events. During the
four-event playoff the points are reset and the events
leading up to the Tour Championship implement a
progressive cut or elimination tournament that narrows
the competitors from the top 125 players down to the
final 30 players who play in the Tour Championship.
Information about the FedExCup can be found on the
PGA Tour web site (http://www.pgatour.com/fedexcup/
fedexcup-overview.html).
Northern Illinois University
Volume 15, Number 2
The University Setting
The university utilizing this innovation is a mid to large
state university with an enrollment of 35,000 plus) in
the southeast United States. The average student age
is 23 ½ and typically students come from middle-class
socioeconomic backgrounds, which means that many
are paying for their own tuition through part-time or
full-time work and supplement with student loans. A
small percentage is married with families. The business
school launched a sales major in 1989 and created an
active Sales Center program in 1996. The program grew
from 23 sales majors in 2003 to 111 sales majors and
more than 150 other non-major students involved in the
program as minors or a sales emphasis in spring 2015.
The (University)SalesCup
The university sales program provides a number of
incentives for students to become involved in the
sales program and strongly consider the opportunities
associated with pursuing a degree in Professional
Sales. The incentives, among other activities, include
scholarships or cash awards to sales majors. These cash
incentives were originally awarded based upon the
submission of applications, with a review and feedback
by sales faculty and staff. There were at least 10 awards
available each year, but in many years there were fewer
than 10 applications for the awards. This failure to
engage the students even with the allure of monetary
awards of up to $1000, was the initial stimulus for
instituting a competitive points system.
Using the FedExCup as a model, the (University)
SalesCup was created in 2011. Originally the
competition was conducted over a calendar year but
was adapted to a semester long competition in 2013.
Overview of the (University)SalesCup
The University Sales Program encourages students to
excel in their classes, especially their sales related classes
and learn specific sales related skills. The program also
encourages students to engage with Corporate Partners
of the program regularly. Therefore, points are broken
into three categories: Sales Practice Activities, Academic
Activities, and Sales Competition Activities. Examples
of Sales Practice Activities include Pi Sigma Epsilon
(or Sales Club) membership with higher points going
to leadership positions, attendance at Lunch-N-Learns,
Corporate Partner Office Tours, sales related lectures or
speakers, job interview sessions, and other networking
events. The Academic Activity points are awarded
progressively for A or B level grades in sales related
classes and internships or cooperative studies, as well
as overall GPA. Finally, students earn points in the Sales
Competition Activities, by (you guessed it) competing in
local, regional and national sales competitions. Points
for Sales Practice and Sales Competition activity are
cleared each semester. Academic Activity points are
carried forward each semester. This progressive award
system rewards both effort and performance, which, not
surprisingly, is the basis for most sales organizations’
compensation systems.
The described competition rewards academic
achievement, effort and higher levels of performance
in specific sales skills. The categories and activities
rewarded can be designed based upon what behaviors and
activities any given sales program or university wishes
to encourage. Awarding points to certain behaviors and
activities motivate students to engage in activities that
are beneficial to them as well as to the program.
The Mechanics: Point System, Point
Maintenance and Policies
The Point System policies or rules are clearly defined
and published for students, faculty and Corporate
Partners. The Point System includes a full description
of how points are earned, for what activities, and the
exact number of points awarded for each event or
activity. Also included are the penalties that result from
misconduct or unprofessional behavior (e.g., failing
to attend an event for which the student registered).
Additionally, the rules include who is eligible to
participate, the process for determining tiebreakers, and
stipulate the final arbiter of the rules. The final arbiter
rules on any new or additional activities that might be
included and determines misconduct or unprofessional
behavior. In most cases the reward and penalty points
are fully delineated, but in some circumstances a ruling
is necessary. The points system can be as complicated
or simple as desired. Each activity or behavior rewarded
and the level of points rewarded should be carefully
37
Journal of Selling
considered, but these decisions ultimately should be determined according to what behaviors, skills or attitudes are
most beneficial for the students and which should be emphasized. Figure 1 is a full description of the (University)
SalesCup Point System.
Figure 1
(University)SalesCup
Point System
Rules/Stipulations
1. Eligibility
a. Full-time University Student
b. Sales Major at the time of the Awards Ceremony (awarded every December and May)
2. The CPS Director is the final arbiter on awarding SalesCup Points
3. There cannot be a tie for 1st, 2nd or 3rd places in the final outcome; therefore, there is a tiebreaker protocol to
ensure no such situation may arise
a. Tiebreaker 1: Goes to the student with the most number of Sales Competition wins (or highest
rankings) in the semester – 100 extra points in final standings
b. Tiebreaker 2: If Tiebreaker 1 is even, Tiebreaker 2 goes to the student with the highest GPA – 100
extra points in final standings
4. Loss of Points
a. Sales Competitions: A Student will lose points equal to the number of participation points if he/she
fails to attend the event and fails to notify staff ahead of time (24 hours)
b. Volunteering: A student will lose 100 points if he/she fails to work volunteer shift(s) to which he/she
has committed
Points Breakdown
Appx. Max Points: 10,700
Sales Practice – Appx. Max Points: 1500
Pi Sigma Epsilon
Officer – 500 Points/Semester
Active Members – (Keep points from the time you join
as long as you continuously renew membership)
Join as a Freshmen – 400 Points/Semester
Join as a Sophomore – 350 Points/Semester
Join as a Junior – 300 Points/Semester
Join as a Senior – 250 Points/Semester
Sales-Related Events
Networking Events – 50 Points each
Partner Facilities Tours – 100 Points each
CPS-Sponsored Career Dev. Events – 50 Points each
CPS Student Advisory Board Member – 200 Pts./Sem.
UniversitySalesCup
Logo
Sales Center
Logo
38
Northern Illinois University
Volume 15, Number 2
Sales Competitions – Appx. Max Points: 7950
End-of-Semester Sales Competitions:
1st Place – 2000 Points
2nd Place – 1500 Points
3rd Place – 1000 Points
4th Place – 500 Points
Semifinalists – 425 Points
Participant – 350 Points
Volunteer – 50 Points per 2 Hours
Local Sales Competitions (Awarded per Competition)
1st Place – 750 Points
2nd Place – 625 Points
3rd Place – 500 Points
4th Place – 375 Points
5th Place – 250 Points
6th Place – 175 Points
Semifinalist – 200 Points (if 3-round tourney)
Participant – 125 Points
Volunteer – 50 Points per 2 Hours
Competitions Held at Other Universities
1st Place – 1000 Points
2nd Place – 800 Points
3rd Place – 675 Points
4th Place – 550 Points
Semi-Finalists – 425 Points
Quarter Finalist – 300 Points
Participant – 175 Points
PSE Regional & National Pro-Am Sales
Competition
1st Place – 600 Points
2nd Place – 500 Points
3rd Place – 400 Points
4th Place – 300 Points
Participant – 175 Points
National Collegiate Sales Competition
1st Place – 3000 Points
2nd Place – 2000 Points
3rd Place – 1750 Points
4th Place – 1500 Points
Semi-Finalists – 1000 Points
Quarter Finalist – 750 Points
Participant – 500 Points
Large Event Volunteer Points
50+ Hours – 600 Points
45-49.99 Hours – 500 Points
40-44.99 Hours – 475 Points
35-39.99 Hours – 400 Points
30-34.99 Hours – 375 Hours
25-29.99 Hours – 300 Points
20-24.99 Hours – 275 Points
15-19.99 Hours – 200 Points
10-14.99 Hours – 150 Points
5-9.99 Hours – 75 Points
Less than 5 Hours – 50 Points
Academic Perform. – Appx. Max Points: 1250
Professional Selling Major Courses
MKTG 4410: Professional Selling – A=125, B=100
MKTG 4430: Market Analysis – A=100, B=75
MKTG 4450: Sales Management – A=125, B=100
MKTG 4750: Advanced Selling – A=150, B=125
MKTG 4820: International Marketing – A=100, B=75
MKTG 4850: Business-to-Business Mktg – A=100, B=75
Marketing Elective Courses (Choose 3)
SA 4490: Marketing Study Abroad – A=75, B=50
SA 4490: Marketing Study Abroad – A=75, B=50
MKTG 3396: Cooperative Study – A=200, F=0
MKTG 3398: Internship – A=200, F=0
MKTG 3800: Entertainment Marketing – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4100: Marketing Research – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4150: Consumer Behavior – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4300: Basic Retailing – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4350: Retail Management – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4400: Directed Study – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4476: Cont. Global Bus. Practices – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4490: Special Topics in Marketing – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4500: Internet Mktg. & Global Bus. – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4520: Social Media Marketing – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4620: Services Marketing – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4630: Direct Response Marketing – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4650: Advertising – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4666: Marketing for Entrepreneurs – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4670: Promotional Strategy – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4870: Sports Marketing – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4880: Hospitality & Tourism Mktg. – A=50, B=25
MKTG 4990: Marketing Management – A=50, B=25
Adjusted GPA
4.00 – 200 Points
3.5-3.99 – 175 Points
3.0-3.49 – 150 Points
Sales Center
Logo
39
Journal of Selling
An excel spreadsheet is maintained by the system coordinator to account for points earned by students in each category
each semester. Sign-up or sign-in sheets are utilized, along with access to student records (for grades, if grades are
used) and reporting by faculty. An example of the spreadsheet is provided in Figure 2.
Figure 2
Example of Excel Points Spreadsheet
Sales Practice
Student
Name
Running
Sales
Sales
Total
Practice Comp.
Points Term Points Points
Academic
ATT Kavo
MKTG MKTG Related
Pi Sig Pi Sig L-N- L-N4410 4750 Sales
Acad Officer Member L
L
A=125 A=150 A=50
Points 500
250
50
50 NCSC Local Other B=100 B=125 B=25
Adams,
John
850
Spr
250
475
275
Bart, Tim
825
Spr
600
0
225
Cook,
Monica
275
Spr
50
0
225
250
500
Promoting the (University)SalesCup
The Official Rules of the (University)SalesCup are
emailed to all sales majors and displayed with 2’x 3’
posters around the Sales Center Facilities, as well as
printed on fliers. Official Rules are also published in
the Center for Professional Selling Newsletter that
is distributed digitally on the Center website and in
hardcopy in sales classes. Similar to the FedExCup,
the standings are updated on a regular basis, with all
participants included in the standings regardless of their
current engagement or academic year. In this instance,
all 105 sales majors are included and published.
The published standings include the current rank order
of the participants, the number of total accumulated
points, the number of points behind the leader, and the
projected earnings. Figure 3 provides a sample of the
published standings.
Promotion of the competition engages more students
in the program and raises awareness of the sales
program to students outside of the program. The
college or university newspaper and the business school
monthly newsletter are great mediums to promote the
program to students, as well as inform faculty within
the business school and across campus. Additionally,
these promotional efforts raise awareness of the sales
program to business school alumni and the business
community. Feedback most often heard from the
40
Sales Comp
250 175
50
100
Ovrall
GPA
4.0=200
3.50-3.99=175
3.0-3.49=150
25
150
50
50
175
50
50
175
business community is, “That’s cool.” Announcing the
launch of the points competition is a good story across
all news mediums.
Depending upon who is included as participants, the
promotion of the competition attracts attention to the
program, business partners and potential students. The
university described includes only officially declared
sales majors in the competition. Many lower classmen
who are declared majors, are not as involved as the
upper classmen, if at all. If or when the freshmen and
sophomores see their names in the competition some
begin asking questions and visit the sales program
facilities to find out more about the competition. Any
sales program without an official sales major must
determine those who will be allowed to participate, but
obviously the rationale should be to target the set of
students that are desirable for the program. The earlier
students are involved, the faster they begin seeing the
benefits of the sales program. When excitement is built
around the sales program, more students who are not
familiar with the sales program become interested and
involved.
Awards
The (University)SalesCup provides progressive
monetary awards from 1st to 10th place. First through
third place receives $2500, $1250, $500 respectively
and fourth through tenth place receive $250 each
Northern Illinois University
Volume 15, Number 2
Figure 3
Name
Points
Rank
UniversitySalesCup Example of Published Current Standings
Points
from
Leader
Projected
Earnings
1 Qaqish, Alyse Anwar
4625
0
$2,500
2 Gaul, Michele Lynn
4275
350
$1,250
3 Corbin, Jonathan Douglas
2650
1975
$500
4 Monaghan, Joseph
2475
2150
$250
5 Fetzer, Charlene Marion
1925
2700
$250
6 Morrison, Dylan John
1900
2725
$250
7 Roth, Jessica Lea
1825
2800
$250
8 McCormack, Nathaniel C.
1500
3125
$250
9 Byrd, Karen
1325
3300
$250
1100
1090
1075
1075
1050
975
925
900
900
850
850
3525
3525
3550
3550
3575
3650
3700
3725
3725
3775
3775
$250
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
10
11
11
13
14
14
16
16
18
19
20
Baradine, Michael Edward
Bush, Zachary Kenneth
Baldwin, Adam Jeffrey
Polazzo, Danielle Nicole
Hirsch, Jessica
Baldwin, Lindsay Ann
Stephens, Andrew Weldon
Brooker, James Kyle
Ludwick, Aaron Jonathan
Buckley, Jessica Jane
Mackey, Marion Rose
semester, with a budget for awards provided by the
Corporate Partners of the Sales Program. While the
competition described offers monetary awards, it is
not required, and the excitement of the competition
and the recognition from winning or placing in the
top 10 seems to be the primary motivator for student
engagement. Those just outside of the top ten or outside
the “money” become very interested in finding ways to
earn additional points, and students in the top ten are
constantly looking for events and activities that earn
them points to move up into the top four.
Competition motivates engagement and more active
participation (Loe 2004, Widmier et al. 2007). There
is a substantial amount of research in the healthcare
discipline about the chemicals in our bodies that
encourage competition and the seeking of rewards and
recognition (dopamine and endorphins specifically).
Dopamine makes us a goal-oriented species with a bias
for progress and when we have expectations of rewards,
get closer to goals or reach a goal our bodies receive a
hit of dopamine, a biological reward (Sinek 2014, www.
psychologistworld.com/psychology_articles.php) The
scope of this paper does not allow for a full treatment
of this topic, but this is certainly a worthwhile topic to
research and understand.
Plaques or trophies can be substituted or some other
form of recognition. Additionally, the local business
community can be solicited to provide funding of
awards if the sales program does not have the budget
or would prefer the competition be funded otherwise.
41
Journal of Selling
This also provides the benefit of raising awareness of
a program to the business community and engaging
businesses in a program.
Materials and Budget
Resources Required: Launching the (University)
SalesCup or similar program requires a delineation of the
rules and policies of the program, a system coordinator
to maintain the points and someone to promote the
competition. Depending upon the size of the school, sales
program or the number of participants one wishes to include
in the competition, the competition can be instituted by a
single individual. However, the utilization of a staff person
to maintain and promote the program and results spreads
the responsibilities and time required of everyone. Once
the program is promoted or communicated, students begin
asking questions, which is the primary reason for carefully
considering the rules and policies of the program. The
greater detail included in the published rules, the fewer
questions asked by the participants.
Budget: Other than time and the cost of any promotional
materials, and the awards, the program can be instituted
with very little budget. This particular (University)
SalesCup provides monetary rewards, but the amounts
can obviously be determined by each individual school.
The monetary rewards are not required, but some type
of recognition is essential, whether the recognition
comes in the form of awards, plaques or trophies or
simply a listing of the winners in a prominent location.
Results
The primary goals of the points competition are to
increase the number of declared sales majors in the
sales program and improve the engagement of students
in the activities of the sales program. By these standards
we have had some success. The sales program has
realized a 23.5% increase in the number of majors since
launching the competition, but has engaged in other
promotional efforts to attract students so the increase
probably cannot be ascribed solely to the (University)
SalesCup. Additionally, the number of students
engaged in other activities of the Sales Program has
noticeably increased, though not as much as desired.
Typical activities which previously attracted between
15 to 20 students are currently attracting from 25 to 30
or 40 students.
42
The students in and around the top 20 on the leader
board are highly engaged and usually the final standings
come down to the final sales role-play competition of
the semester. There is a bit of “smack” talk among the
leaders, so a competitive but friendly culture appears
to have been propagated. A partial explanation of
the good but not great results may be attributed to
an inconsistent and non-strategic promotion of the
competition. There has been a change in staff and the
promotions coordinator to remedy that and we expect to
substantially exceed our goals for the program.
Obstacles and Remedies
The only real obstacle is the amount of time required
to consistently promote the competition and also
to maintain the points. Simplification of the points
system or gradually adding complexity after launching
can make instituting the points competition feasible.
Promotion of the competition can also be simplified to a
manageable load. The marketing or public relations staff
for the department or college might also be solicited
for help. Securing resources to provide meaningful
rewards might be a concern, but, as suggested
previously, business partners of the sales program can
be encouraged to supply the “prize money” or awards.
Finding a “naming” sponsor for the competition is
another alternative, however, FedEx already has their
own Cup.
References
Sinek, Simon (2014), Leaders Eat Last: Why Some
Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, Penguin Group,
New York, New York. ISBN: 978-1-101-62303-9
Psychologist World (www.psychologistworld.com/
psychology_articles.php)
Loe, Terry W. (2004), The Instructor’s Role-Play
Guide, Thomson, Southwestern Publishing, Mason,
Ohio (ISBN 0-324-20550-3); web site.
Widmier, Scott, Terry Loe, and Gary Selden (2007),
“Using Role-Play Competition to Teach Selling Skills
and Teamwork,” Marketing Education Review, 17,
(Spring), 69-78.
Northern Illinois University