On October 14th and 15th 2022, Cleveland State University’s Bernie Moreno Center for Sales Excellence hosted the second running of Ohio Collegiate Sales Competition. Top sales students from seven Ohio schools competed for bragging rights in the Buckeye State. Students from Cleveland State were joined by students from Kent State University, Youngstown State University, the University of Akron, University of Dayton, University of Cincinnati and Hocking College.
The competition was sponsored by Ohio-based E.W. Scripps Corporation and their local ABC affiliate, WEWS TV5. “We were so impressed by the caliber of students and the organization of this competition” said Peter Gunn, Director of Sales for WEWS.
Students pitted their skills against each other in 3-round, single-elimination role playing scenarios in which Scripps personnel posed as buyers for students who took on the role of selling digital media and commercial television advertising.
Student competitors and alternates along with coaches, faculty and local business leaders also had the opportunity to network at the event which featured a Friday evening social mixer.
Prizes included generous $1000, $500 and $250 cash awards and custom-tailored professional attire supplied by Tom James Clothiers.
The Bernie Moreno Sales Center, opened in 2019, allowed the student role plays to be watched remotely by panels of judges in nearby classrooms. Students also competed in a speed-selling elevator-pitch competition which showed off their ability to present themselves to prospective employers.
“Ohio is one of the leading states for professional selling” explained Dr. Paul Mills, Assistant Professor of Marketing and the creator of the event, “so the Bernie Moreno Center is a the leading edge of sales training and our technology makes CSU a perfect place to hold this competition.” “We expect the competition to grow so the eventually almost every school joins in” says Mills. The inaugural competition, held in 2019 included only 3 local schools.
Photos of the competition can be found here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAbzA9