This program is available at the following locations:

• Corvallis
• Ecampus

The Professional Sales minor provides students with skills necessary for success in a sales career, and more broadly, skills useful for building mutually beneficial professional relationships. The ability to sell—that is, the ability to effectively communicate the value of an idea, product, service, or person, and to create win-win situations—is vital to success in a wide variety of positions and career options, including for-profit industry, non-profit organizations, government, and more. Further, many high-level executives and organization leaders start their careers as salespeople and rise to the top of their professions by effectively using sales skills.

Professional selling is the process of initiating, developing, and enhancing customer relationships, and meeting needs by creating, communicating, and delivering value. It consists of a sequence of activities, including: prospecting for potential customers, gaining an understanding of customer needs, communicating the value of an offering as a means of satisfying those needs, earning commitment from a customer, and maintaining and enhancing long-term customer relationships.

Minor Code: 817

Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:

• Explain the place and contribution of personal selling in an organization’s integrated marketing communications plan and in the marketing mix.
• Describe major bases for segmenting consumer and business markets; define and be able to apply the three steps of target marketing: market segmentation, target marketing and market positioning; understand how different situations in the competitive environment will affect choices in target marketing.
• Describe the stages in the consumer decision process, the business buying process, and the sales process; outline how the sales process aligns with the consumer decision process and the business buying process.
• Analyze consumer behavior and influence processes using a variety of concepts and theories; explain the importance of understanding consumer behavior to the development of sales strategies and tactics.
• Demonstrate effective questioning techniques and active listening to discover stakeholders’ needs, motivations, and values.
• Create and effectively communicate logically organized and persuasive presentations.
• Assess and choose personal selling tools and skills appropriate for various sales situations, and use these tools and skills in sales situations.
• List the steps in an effective negotiation process; Demonstrate knowledge of influence and negotiation skills orally and in writing.

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Courses require a grade of C or higher

Minor Code: 817