Sales 101: The B2B Sales Classroom

A student can know how to cold call, write an email, and run through a sales pitch. But would a sales manager actually want to hire them? In this episode Dr. BJ Allen and I compare notes from our experience working with sales teams, recruiters, and college students. Why Grit Matters More Than Sales Tactics Sales is hard, and students need to know that before they enter the profession. Recruiters w...

What if “no” is actually where the sale begins? Chris Stevens spent almost 50 years in sales, including time at Procter & Gamble, Keurig, and Anheuser-Busch. Now, he brings those lessons into the classroom, where he teaches future salespeople that selling is less about pushing a product and more about understanding people, building trust, and learning how to keep going when things do not work...

A sales pipeline with seven stages sounds thorough until a new rep is staring at it, unsure what to actually do next. This episode breaks down a framework used with an enterprise client that cuts the whole thing down to three buckets, changing how a new seller thinks about their entire pipeline. Why a Long Pipeline Overwhelms New Sellers The framework came out of watching an enterprise sales team...

What started with students bringing VHS tapes to class has now become AI-powered sales practice. Mike Martin has been teaching sales for about 24 years, and he has watched technology change almost every part of how students practice. But the goal has stayed the same: give students a chance to practice sales conversations before they have to handle them with a real buyer. In this episode, Mike shar...

Every year, I hear from professors who've got students ready to compete and no way to get them there. Dr. Scott Hachey stopped waiting on a bigger budget and rebuilt the competition itself, and now schools that never had a shot at this are showing up to play. Episode Breakdown Ten Years Selling Before He Ever Taught a Class Scott spent close to a decade in sales across agriculture, hospitality, an...

show notes

Have you ever tried to create a courseware for a sales class and just felt like you had no clue what to do? We've both been there. Knowing sales is one thing. Taking years of experience with prospecting, discovery, objections, and closing and turning all of that into a course students can actually follow is a completely different challenge. In this episode, Dr. BJ Allen and I sit down and work thr...

Have you ever reached the middle of a sales call and realized you spent most of the meeting just trying to figure out what the buyer actually wanted? If the buyer isn't clear on why they're there, or the salesperson doesn't take control of the conversation, valuable time can disappear fast. And on a cold call, you may not even get enough time for a second sentence. In this episode, Dr. BJ Allen an...

You believe your students need a sales program. Your dean needs a different reason to say yes. That's the gap we dug into with Dr. Travis Simkins, Department Chair of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sales & Analytics at Southern Utah University. Travis took his department from two and a half faculty members to sixteen in under three years, and he walked us through exactly how he got administratio...

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What’s the real difference between B2C and B2B sales? Do students need to go into B2B to build a successful career? And are we teaching the right principles for both? These are the kinds of questions sales professors face in the classroom, especially when many students start their careers in B2C roles. We invited Patrick Carter, a retail sales leader, to break it down. He shares how he’s building...

I’m sure you’ve realized by now that the real sales world and classroom sales are nowhere near the same. So, how can you help your students bridge that gap and prepare them to succeed in the field? To help answer this, we invited Kim Ruggerio, sales professor at Arizona State University (ASU). She’s here to share insights on transforming sales education and better equipping your students for the r...

In this video, we sit down with Rich Kuzmeski to discuss his passion for sales and teaching. As a seasoned sales professional, Rich shares insights from his extensive experience in the field, offering valuable perspectives on how to sell effectively. This discussion is a must-watch for anyone interested in a sales career, providing foundational knowledge for sales success. We delve into how educat...

show notes

show notes

Sales is not just about closing deals. At its core, it is about building genuine connections and lasting relationships. Joining us is Tammy Katuin, a sales professor at Valley City State University, to share how she is helping students develop networking skills, build authentic relationships, and create a strong foundation for long-term success in sales. Meet Tammy Katuin Tammy Katuin is an educat...

How can you get companies genuinely excited about partnering with your sales program? Rob Hammond, Director of the Center for Marketing and Sales Innovation at the University of South Florida, joins us to share how he builds meaningful partnerships between universities and businesses. Instead of treating companies as sponsors or one-time recruiters, he encourages educators to see them as long-term...

What if success in sales starts long before your first prospect call? Before mastering sales techniques, Cheryl Parks believes professionals must first understand who they are. She joins us to explore how self-awareness, personal strengths, and identity influence long-term success in sales. Meet Cheryl Parks Cheryl Parks is a revenue growth advisor, sales leader, and strategic operator who helps f...

Salesforce found that 80% of customers feel salespeople don’t bring enough value to the buying process. At the same time, most sellers think the deal keeps moving forward once the discovery call ends. What many fail to realize is that the real conversations are often happening behind the scenes. That’s why Dr. BJ Allen and I are breaking down the concept of the “shadow discovery” and how professor...

What actually makes a sales class effective? Is it the lectures, the role plays, the assignments, or the real-world experience students walk away with? We’re breaking down how sales professors can better prepare for the next semester by creating a more practical and engaging learning experience for students. We also share how professors can better understand which lessons actually prepare students...

How do you teach students to actually use AI effectively instead of just relying on random tools and prompts? We invited Cherilynn Castleman, a sales consultant and professor at Harvard University, to discuss how AI is reshaping sales education. She explains why professors should focus less on specific platforms and more on helping students develop true AI fluency. Meet Cherilynn Castleman Cherily...

Over the last few years, AI has made its way into everything. So how do you actually bring it into your sales classroom in a way that prepares students for the real world? We partnered with Stukent to show you how to use it for roleplay in the classroom. Why AI Is Changing Sales Education AI is not just a trend. It is already shaping how sales professionals work every day. The challenge for profes...

Buyers are making decisions before they ever talk to a seller. If your students are not part of that process, they are already out of the running. How do you teach them to become the go-to seller in today’s buyer journey? We’re breaking down three strategies to help them stand out and stay top of mind. The Modern Sales Problem Thanks to technology, buyers now have a world of information at their f...

What’s the real difference between B2C and B2B sales? Do students need to go into B2B to build a successful career? And are we teaching the right principles for both? These are the kinds of questions sales professors face in the classroom, especially when many students start their careers in B2C roles. We invited Patrick Carter, a retail sales leader, to break it down. He shares how he’s building...

What does it take to turn classroom learning into real sales results? Joseph Wood shares how the BYU sales program helped launch his career at Gong.io, where he quickly moved from BDR to Account Executive. He shows how the right mix of education and experience can help you scale in B2B sales. Meet Joseph Wood Joseph is a former Sales Society collegiate competition winner and President, now a full-...