Entries in this event will be limited to the first 20 teams.	Andrea Brossad-Martin amartin@wmmb.org

Winner of the event will participate in the National Ag Sales and Marketing contest, which will be held at the National FFA Convention.

1. A team should consist of four members. The highest three individual scores for a team will be the official total for the school. Schools may compete with three member teams.
   
2. Team members are REQUIRED to wear official FFA dress.
   
3. The highest sum of three individual scores will determine the contest winner.

The contest consists of two parts. All team members will complete a 20 question multiple choice written test and make a sales presentation. The contest will consist of a total of 120 points (20 points from written test and 100 points from sales presentations). Should a tie occur in the team score, the tie will be broken by the highest sales presentation score.

1. WRITTEN TEST
   
   The Sales Contest written test is designed to test team members' understanding of the professional sales process and role that selling plays in the marketing of agricultural products.
   
   1. Team members will work individually.
      
   2. The test will consist of 20 multiple choice questions with 20 minutes allowed for completion of this section of the contest.
      
   3. Ten points are allowed for this section of the contest. One-half point per question.
      
   4. The written test will be based on the reference Ditzenberger and Kidney, Selling: Helping Customers Buy.  International Thomson Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1992 (to order: 1-800-543-7972 Stock Number 0538605316; Cost $24.50)

Please note sample question:

An effective sales person translates ___________ into buyer benefits.

a. product features ***
b. buyer needs
c. buyer expectations
d. buyer wishes

*** correct answer

2. SALES PRESENTATION:

1. Each student will make a sales presentation.
   
   1. Contestants will have seven minutes to make a sales presentation to a customer (agri-business judge), plus three minutes to answer customer questions.
      
   2. Use of note cards is permitted.
      
   3. A timekeeper will provide a standing warning at the five minute mark.
      
   4. No overtime penalty will be assessed. However, if the individual uses the maximum 10 minutes, he/she will be stopped.
      
      
2. Contestants will select an agricultural product representing one of these instructional areas:

1. Agricultural Mechanics
   
2. Agricultural Production
   
3. Agricultural Products and Processing
   
4. Agricultural Supplies and Services
   
5. Forestry
   
6. Natural Resources and Rural Recreation
   
7. Ornamental Horticulture -- Contestants from a school may select their own product or they may all present the same product. Ideal products for this contest are small ticket items (under $500) that a customer could logically decide to buy within a seven minute presentation.

3. Each contestant will present three copies of their one page product summary sheet at the registration desk. The Product Summary Sheet items include:

1. Contestant name/FFA Chapter
   
2. Name of company you represent
   
3. Product to be sold
   
4. Statement of marketing situation:  Who is the customer?
   Why would the customer want product?  Who are the major competitors selling a similar product to the customer?
   
5. Features of the product
   
6. Benefits of the product for the customer
   
7. Warranty for your product (if any)
   
8. Services available (if applies to product)
   
9. Price per unit, price discount for volume purchases

 

4. Each contestant will make their sales presentation to a panel of two agri-business judges.
   
   One of the judges plays the role of customer for the student's presentation. The other judge scores the student's performance. The contest will operate with four sets of judges. No two team members will be judged by the same set of judges. 

The customer judge uses the product summary sheet to prepare for the presentation conversation with the contestant. The more complete the product summary sheet, the better prepared the customer judge will be for the sales presentation.

5. Students should plan to accomplish the following tasks during the seven minute sales presentation. 
   
   • Introduce themselves to the customer in the opening of their sales presentation.
   • Introduce their produce to the customer.
   • Point out several features of the product.
   • Explain how the feature could be a benefit to the customer. Ask the customer for their reaction to the sales benefits.
   • The customer judge will object to some element of the sales presentation. Student should try to overcome the objection (price, size, color, etc.) with a positive solution to the customer's objection.
   • The customers will also give the student a chance to close the sale during the presentation. Ask for the business and be ready to write up the order.
     
     REMEMBER: The sales presentation is a conversation with a customer, not a seven minute speech.
     
     
6. Sales Presentation Criteria

1. Pre-approach (30 points)
   
   • Product summary sheet
     
   • Preparation for sale
     
   • Product knowledge
     
2. Sales approach (10 points)
   
   • First impression
     
   • Create customer attention
     
   • Determine customer needs
     
   • Establish rapport
     
3. Demonstration (30 points)
   
   • Relating feature to customer benefits
     
   • Allow customer to participate
     
   • Attempt trial closes
     
4. Handling customer objections (10 points)
   
   • Identify customer objections
     
   • Handle customer objections
     
5. Closing the sale (20 points)
   
   • Ask for the order
     
   • Recognize closing opportunities

    

Ditzenberger and Kidney, Selling-Helping Customers Buy
International Thomson Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1992
(To order: 1-800-543-7972, Stock number 0538605316. Cost: $24.50)

Schomisch, Tom, "Preparing Students for Sales Presentation," 
WAVAI Summer Conference, Madison, WI July, 1997
(To order: 1-608-262-7791, UW Agricultural Journalism)