Sales and Negotiation Skills (4cr)

Objectives (course unit)

During the course students will get to know different sales processes and negotiation situations. Students will plan and practice different sales approaches and improve their personal sales skills. During the course the students will plan and organize a sales event.

After completing the course the students will be able to
• Describe an effective sales process
• Prepare for different sales and negotiation situations
• Listen to the customer and identify the customer needs during a sales meeting
• Communicate key messages to the customer
• Plan and organize a sales event

Content (course unit)

• What is a sales process and how to apply it in practice?
• Which factors affect successful sales negotiation?
• What are the differences between b-to-c and b-to-b sales?
• How to listen to the customer and ask good questions?
• How to show empathy and address difficult situations in a customer oriented way?
• How to plan and organize a sales event?

Exam schedules

No exam. Students will participate in an authentic Sales Event and also hold a sales negotiation meeting. In addition there are class projects that count for the final grade.

Assessment methods and criteria

Evaluation of learning will include assessment by self, peer and teacher. Grading criteria rubrics will be provided for all assessed tasks and will be based on the principles of authentic learning and assessment and use the SOLO framework – “Structural Observation of Learning Outcomes” (Biggs and Collis, 1982, Biggs 1999). See generic criteria provided below.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Teaching strategies will include lectures, discussion, facilitation, group and individual work. Active participation and collaboration will be essential. Flipped classroom strategies will be also employed for some activities. Students will be expected to demonstrate their learning by presenting work in writing, visually, orally and in presentations.
The class will fully support the business simulation project and link tasks directly to activities in the simulation to provide an authentic learning experience.

Learning materials

Materials will be provided online in the LMS and are expected to be supplemented by the student’s own research and enquiry based learning.

Student workload

Time and effort as required 4 ECTS credit course = Approx 106 hours. This is subdivided into 2 ECTS for the Sales Event and 2 ECTS for the class based tasks and preparation.

Content scheduling

A learning plan of contents will be provided for students at the beginning of the course and to support the work of the business simulation and Sales Event.

Completion alternatives

Not applicable.

Practical training and working life cooperation

The course is fully supportive of the business simulation project the students are undertaking and is based on real life experience of working business and commerce.

International connections

The course will examine international organizational communication. Students will consider and reflect upon the impact and diversity of culture to organizational communications, using examples from the instructors and student’s experiences.

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

(0) = No recognition of appropriate concept or relevant processing of information. Students’ works under this category have poor structure, irrelevant detail and some misinterpretation of the question, showing little logical relationship to the topic and poor use of examples.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

(1) = Preliminary processing but task is not approached appropriately. Students’ works under this category have poor structure. Dogmatic presentation of a single solution to the set task. This idea may be restated in different ways. Little support from the literature.
(2) = Some aspects of task addressed but no relationship of facts or concepts. Students’ works under this category are poorly structured. A range of material has been selected and most of the material selected is appropriate.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

(3) = Several concepts are integrated so coherent whole has meaning. Students’ works under this category are fairly well-structured. Some issues identified. Attempt at a limited framework. Most of the material selected is appropriate.
(4) = Work is well-structured with a clear introduction and conclusion. Framework exists which is well-developed. Appropriate material. Content has logical flow, with ideas clearly expressed. Clearly identifiable structure to the argument with discussion of differing views.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

(5) = Coherent whole is generalized to a higher level of abstraction. Students’ works under this category are well-structured with clear introduction and conclusion. Issues clearly identified; clear framework for organizing discussion or stages of problem solving; appropriate material selected. Evidence of wide reading from many sources. Clear evidence of sophisticated analysis or innovative thinking.