Minor in Professional Sales

About this field

Salespeople are responsible for selling products or services that meet customer needs. People in sales identify prospective customers, establish trust, build relationships, nurture prospects through the company's sales funnel, provide information on offerings, and bring in new customers.

The Valdosta State Difference

Valdosta State is one of some 100 colleges and universities that offer a sales program. In 2016, the Harvard Business Review reported that "More than 50% of US college graduates, regardless of their majors, are likely to work in sales at some point. But of the over 4,000 colleges in this country, less than 100 have a sales program or even sales courses." Students in the VSU Minor in professional sales learn in the classroom and in the field.

What You'll Learn

A minor in professional sales allows students to expand their understanding of professional sales and gives them access to specialized training in a career area that features lucrative salaries and numerous job opportunities. Students will learn the selling and customer relationship management strategies used by today's firms. The 18-hour curriculum includes four required marketing courses (12 hours) and two elective courses (6 hours) designed to expose students to broader topics important to the profession.

Courses

Required courses (12 hours)
MKTG 3050 Introduction to Marketing
MKTG 4130 (was MKTG 3060) Professional Selling
MKTG 4160 Advanced Professional Selling
MKTG 4170 (was MKTG 4060) Sales Management

Elective courses from the following (6 hours)
MKTG 4180, MKTG 4220, MKTG 4670, MKTG 4750
MGNT 4200
COMM 1100, COMM 1110, COMM 2100
PHIL 2030, PHIL 3120
PSYC 3710
SOCI 3710
THEA 1710, THEA 2850

Career Outlook

A minor in professional sales can lead to working as part of a sales team or as a sales force manager. Sales professionals can develop their careers based on their individual interests and ideal lifestyle, thus making sales a smart and exciting career choice.

· Account Manager

· Advertising Sales Executive

· Business development

· Consumer packaged goods sales representative

· Financial Services Sales Agent

· Insurance sales agent

· Manufacturer's representative

· Medical device sales representative

· Pharmaceutical sales representative

· Real Estate Agent

· Retail sales associate

· Sales (Systems) Engineer

· Sales manager

· Software sales representative

Sales Professional Associations & Organizations:

· American Association of Inside Sales Professionals (AA-ISP) - https://www.aa-isp.org/

· National Association of Sales Professionals (NASP) - https://www.nasp.com/

· National Association of Women Sales Professionals (NAWSP) - https://nawsp.org/

· National Sales Network (NSN) - https://www.salesnetwork.org/

· North American Association of Sales Engineers (NAASE) - https://sales-engineering.org/

· Sales Management Association - https://salesmanagement.org/

· Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA) - https://www.strategicaccounts.org

· The Sales Association - https://www.salesassociation.org