Sales & Customer Relationship Strategy Competition

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CENTER FOR SALES & CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP EXCELLENCE Regardless of their majors, more than 50% of college graduates will work in a sales related position, but of the over 4,000 colleges in the United States, less than 100 have sales programs or sales courses1. The Center for Sales & Customer Relationship Excellence at Texas Tech University’s Rawls College is designed to prepare and develop future sales and customer relationship management leaders through academic programming, research opportunities, and corporate partnerships.

MISSION To advance the knowledge and professional practice of sales and customer relationship management by providing educational and research opportunities to students, faculty, and corporate professionals.

CENTER OBJECTIVES Advance Research & Creative Endeavours

Best Practice Studies, Sales Effectiveness Measures

Enhance Educational Opportunities

Courses, Certificates, Executive Education, Doctoral Studies

Facilitate Action Learning

Experiential Projects, Internships, Competitions, Clinics

Learning Laboratories

Customer Relationship Management & Virtual Reality Tools, Analytics & Simulation, Behavior Lab, Design Lab

Scholarly Outreach & Regional Development

Conferences, Seminars, Faculty Development, Business Advisory Council, Awards

Alliances & Partnerships

Industry and Professional Associations, Other Universities, Government and Economic Development Centers

1. “More universities need to teach sales.” - Harvard Business Review, April 2016

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Our programs provide students with the knowledge and skills required to succeed as sales and customer relationship professionals. Through intensive, analytical, and experiential learning programs, we teach students the concepts, processes, tools, and technologies modern organizations utilize to be efficient and effective. In addition to helping our students secure internship and entrylevel positions, our innovative curriculum prepares them for future career advancement into leadership roles.

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Sales and Customer Relationship Undergraduate Certificate Case analysis and simulation workshops Go-to-market projects with accelerator companies through Texas Tech’s Innovation Hub Learning laboratories using sales, CRM and marketing automation tools Executive education on sales leadership and global customer management

SALES AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE

This certificate is specifically designed to prepare students with the critical skills required to develop successful sales strategies, implement new technologies, and build and maintain business relationships. All undergraduate students at Rawls College, regardless of their major, can choose to pursue this certificate.

COURSES Alongside their undergraduate core curriculum, students can complete four courses to earn a certificate in sales and customer relationship management.

MKT 4350 MKT 4351 MKT 4352 MKT 4359 MKT 4381 MKT 4383

- Personal/Professional Selling - Customer Relationship Management - Sales Analytics and Data-Driven Sales Strategies - Sales Management - Individual Problems in Marketing | Sales Competition - International Sales and Sourcing | Study Abroad in Europe

BEST PRACTICE RESEARCH & LEARNING FORUMS We strive to be the world’s premier hub for applied research and collaborative learning focused on sales and customer relationship excellence. In an effort to achieve this goal, we created three specialized forums designed to bring corporate leaders and faculty together for collaborative research and discussion.

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Women in Sales Leadership: Transformers and Trailblazers International Sales and Global Customer Relationships Sales Capabilities and Practice Excellence

HIGH-IMPACT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING The Sales & Customer Relationship Strategy Competition allows student teams to work in a consultative and collaborative setting to develop strategic solutions for partner organizations. Students are advised by accomplished faculty who have decades of experience in consulting and project work for Fortune 500 and entrepreneurial companies.

SEEKING S R E N T R A P

Do you have a sales-related challenge? Let our students help you solve it! We’ll draw on our students’ enthusiasm and our faculty’s expertise to deliver innovative and impactful recommendations to solve even your biggest challenges.

HOW DO PROJECTS WORK? Designed to connect theory to practice, the Sales & Customer Relationship Strategy Competition exposes students to real-world challenges and provides hands-on learning experiences, while at the same time delivering impactful solutions to your strategic challenges. To participate, you provide us with a sales strategy challenge and over the course of four months our students will utilize proven frameworks, tools, and strategies to solve and make actionable recommendations on your problem.

WHAT KINDS OF CHALLENGES CAN WE HELP YOU SOLVE? Rawls College students are prepared to tackle a broad array of organizational challenges such as: • go-to-market strategy • target market definition & selection • demand & sales forecasting • customer segmentation • CRM & key account strategies • loyalty programs • sales promotion • sales lead generation • sales process & systems • sales & marketing analytics • sales policies & programs • sales force motivation • sales performance measurement • responsible selling • customer relationship development

HOW DO OUR PARTNERS BENEFIT? AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS: We take the time to analyze your challenge and use the most advanced tools, extensive research and techniques to develop practical recommendations ready for implementation. Your financial contribution, which is only a fraction of what you would pay at any reputable consulting firm, funds scholarships, activelearning, exposure, and answers through our competition.

EXPERTISE: Rawls College is home to a diverse pool of some of the brightest business minds. In addition, student teams will be guided by exceptional faculty and successful alumni, leveraging their academic and practical experience to ensure that you get tangible solutions that will positively impact your business.

EXPOSURE: Liaising with your assigned team over the course of four months, you will build relationships with potential employees and customers and generate significant exposure for your company within Rawls College. This exposure is extremely helpful in recruiting top talent for your organization.

& S N O I T U SOL S P I H S R A L SCHO

In addition to receiving solutions to your challenges, your investment will help fund the education of future business leaders through scholarships. At the conclusion of the semester, each student team will prepare a final report and present their findings and recommendations to the sponsoring companies and a team of judges comprised of industry leaders. The competition culminates with a banquet at which the winning teams will be presented with significant scholarship prizes ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 per successful team.

LET’S GET STARTED PARTICIPATE IN THE SALES & CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP STRATEGY COMPETITION - $15,000 As a sponsoring company, you will have the opportunity to share a sales-related problem. Under expert faculty guidance, a student team will conduct research and provide strategic recommendations to your organization.

DECEMBER 2020 Let us know that you intend to participate.

DECEMBER - JANUARY 2021

We will work with you to establish the scope of your project and assemble a team that meets your specific needs.

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Kick off event. Company representatives present their project details to student teams at TTU.

FEBRUARY - APRIL 2021

Teams will develop methodologies, conduct research and analyze data. You will receive a private preliminary report and presentation delivered by your team.

MAY 3, 2021

Final presentations and awards dinner. The Center for Sales & Customer Relationship Excellence will host all clients and guests, assess each team’s work and award prizes.

Over the last two years, through the Sales and Customer Relationship Strategy Competition, we have awarded more than $75,000 in scholarships and helped 11 companies solve major sales challenges.

2020 COMPETITION Originally scheduled as an in-person event, the 2020 competition was held virtually through Zoom due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The virtual format allowed 65 judges from around the world, some as far away as India, to participate in the competition. Judges came from a wide variety of sectors and represented major companies such as Dell, H-E-B, USAA, The Home Depot and the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena. The change also pushed students to learn new technologies and shift their communication strategies in order to accomplish their goals.

2019 COMPETITION The inaugural competition provided an opportunity for students to develop complex problem-solving skills, learn consulting and teamwork skills, conduct marketing research and analysis, create actionable plans and practice presentation skills. The student teams presented their strategies and solutions before about 25 judges.

2020 FIRST PLACE TEAM: TOWNNORTH CLOTHING Students created go-to market and sales strategies for the brand new lifestyle brand focused on men’s premium clothing. The team conducted an extensive competitive analysis, held focus groups, interviewed retailers and executed a survey to gather insight. After analyzing the data they gathered, the team developed a three-prong sales strategy comprised of promotional, online and channel recommendations.

“This was the first time I really experienced the challenges of a real life consulting project and something so real with a real company, real products, a real market to understand. This project gave me and my team an amazing opportunity to apply our marketing skills and everything that we had actually learned in our undergraduate career and piece it together in order to yield real results for our sponsoring company.”

Maryellen Weiser | Marketing Student

2019 FIRST PLACE TEAM: TELEOS MARKETING/EMIST Students developed a sales strategy for the company’s disinfecting device and solution, EMist, which leverages technology to help prevent the spread of disease and infection. The team focused on evaluating the strategic market opportunity of selling EMist to the foodservice and hospitality industry and developed a quick go-to-market and sales strategy for this target segment.

“Aligning marketing initiatives with quality sales strategies is key to driving consistent growth for a company or even a nonprofit organization.

This competition provides that valuable experience and will only get better over time.”

Joshua Robertson | EMist Operating Partner

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES We are actively seeking corporate sponsors who are committed to collaborative and experiential learning, both for our students and for their own executives.

As a corporate sponsor, you will facilitate: • the development of knowledge and skills for both current and future employees • the learning of best practices from other executives and peer organizations • cutting-edge, relevant research on sales and customer relationship excellence Corporate sponsorship fees correspond with chosen levels of engagement with the center.

2019 & 2020 COMPETITION SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORSHIP - $10,000

• Registration for up to three company executives in one on-campus or virtual best practice research and learning forum. After the event, attendees will have access to a special online platform for ongoing discussions.

• Exclusive invitations to a variety of Texas Tech lectures and speaker series events.

• Access to research papers and engagement in faculty research initiatives.

• Public recognition for your corporate sponsorship.

• Opportunities to engage with and mentor students.

GOLD SPONSORSHIP - $20,000

• All the benefits of silver sponsorship.

• Registration for up to six company executives in two on-campus or virtual best practice research and learning forums (maximum four executives per forum). After the event, attendees will also have access to a special online platform for ongoing discussions.

• Participation in the Sales & Customer Relationship Strategy Competition.

• Invitation to serve as a guest speaker in a class or at a special center event.

PLATINUM SPONSORSHIP - $30,000+

• All the benefits of gold sponsorship.

• Registration for up to ten company executives in all three on-campus or virtual best practice research and learning forums (maximum four executives per forum). After the event, attendees will also have access to a special online platform for ongoing discussions.

• Customized programs uniquely designed for your organization. Speaking engagements, executive training and research provide unparalleled access to sales knowledge and expertise.

• A seat on the center’s advisory board.

If you are interested in becoming a corporate sponsor, or have questions, contact: Dr. Atul Parvatiyar | 806.834.4087 | Atul.Parvatiyar@ttu.edu Director - Center for Sales and Customer Relationship Excellence Texas Tech University Rawls College of Business

ABOUT RAWLS COLLEGE The Jerry S. Rawls College of Business is home to challenge seekers venturing to change the business world through research, innovation and determination.

Founded in 1942 and originally known as the Division of Commerce, the college has grown exponentially over the last 75 years and has an alumni network of more than 55,000 people worldwide.

Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Rawls College offers undergraduate, graduate and executive education that center on academic rigor, creative thinking, hands-on learning and service opportunities to prepare a diverse student body for successful careers as leaders, managers, executives and innovators in their chosen fields.

Box 42101 | Lubbock, Texas 79409 806.742.1807 | Rawls.SalesCRM.Center@ttu.edu | salescenter.ba.ttu.edu