In the dynamic world of professional sales, emerging talents are a beacon of inspiration. Among these rising stars is Talia Siefker, a Florida State University junior who recently won first place in the Stukent® Sales Competition. Double majoring in IT and professional sales, Talia’s victory is a personal triumph and a testament to her dedication and skill.
“This was my first experience using Stukent,” Talia shared. “I thought it was super cool that there was a simulation like this online. With sales, it can be hard to learn if you’re not engaging well with the material, so I thought that the simulation was cool because it gave me an in-person experience while being online.”
Students who registered for the competition were challenged to put their pitching skills to the test by using select parts of Stukent’s Professional Selling Simternship™. They received a scenario from the “competition client.” Then, they submitted a video email pitch using their best sales skills and the resources provided.
Talia shared that this was her first-ever sales competition and that her professor challenged everyone in her sales management class to enter as an assignment. She explained that the competition was an immersive experience for her that helped her connect theoretical knowledge to real-world applications.
At Florida State University, Talia’s academic pursuits in IT and professional sales have shaped her career trajectory. Her sister’s role at Google in tech sales sparked Talia’s interest in the tech sector, a field she’s passionate about. This summer, she’s poised to intern at Dell Technologies and delve deeper into tech sales, aligning her academic interests with her career goals.
Prior to the competition, Talia’s sales experience included roles as a sales rep and campus manager for various companies. She shared that the Stukent competition presented new challenges, particularly in delivering pitches without a script and creating a genuine, engaging presence on screen.
Talia attributes her success in the competition to her attention to detail and personalized strategy: “I think I did well because I paid attention to the details in the email and watched the examples thoroughly,” she said. “I used a personalized sign with the person’s name in the email rather than using a basic template. That is what helped [my email] stand out.”
For those considering participation in future competitions, Talia advises focusing on the finer details and personalizing your approach. Success, she believes, comes from not just understanding the task at hand but also connecting with the person on the other side.
Winning the Stukent Sales Competition has been a significant confidence booster for Talia. It has reaffirmed her decision to pursue sales professionally and has become a talking point in her career journey.
Stukent’s Professional Selling Bundle is a comprehensive educational tool designed to equip students with real-world professional selling skills. It combines the “Professional Selling: A Guide for the Modern Sales Professional” digital courseware with the Professional Selling Simternship to provide an immersive learning experience. Students are challenged to create pitches, conduct discovery calls, practice active listening, manage a weekly planner, and more.
For the competition, students accessed the simulation, complete with essential background information, scenario details, and resources for crafting a compelling video email pitch. They explored chapters from the courseware, delving into best practices for video email pitches. This included mastering the length, crafting cold call introduction videos, personalizing greetings, developing standout value propositions, and inviting next steps. These skills, pivotal for the competition, proved invaluable for any aspiring professional in the field of sales.
To learn about Stukent’s first-in-the-world Simternships and courseware and to get FREE instructor access to Stukent materials, visit our website.
