The hard truth about professional selling
KENNESAW‚ Ga. (Sept. 5‚ 2006) – Is there a place in the future for salespeople? Or will they go the…
Georgia (Sep 5, 2006) — The hard truth about professional selling
Terri Thornton
Abstract
Contacts:
Terri Thornton‚ 404−932−4347 or territhornton@mindspring.com
C.J. Jackson‚ 254−710−7628 or Cynthia_Jackson@baylor.edu
KENNESAW‚ Ga. (Sept. 5‚ 2006) – Is there a place in the future for salespeople? Or
will they go the way of the streetcar conductor‚ the iceman‚ and other obsolete service
positions? Research recently conducted by The Centers for Professional Selling at
Kennesaw State University and Baylor University has addressed the future of selling‚
and the hard truth is that selling is changing.
“The sales profession is dramatically changing‚” states Dr. Jeff Tanner‚ author and
Associate Dean at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. “Many organizations
have cut their vendors by half in the hopes of increasing productivity and decreasing
costs. Sales professionals need to adapt to these changing realities.”
To address these changing realities‚ the Centers for Professional Selling at Baylor
University and Kennesaw State have partnered with BPT Partners to present “The Hard
Truth about Professional Selling‚“ a conference based on academic research and decades
of real world experience.
This one−day seminar will be hosted in San Antonio‚ Atlanta and Dallas this fall and
will show sales professionals what and how to use the five trends that are shaping
the future of selling. David Dubrof‚ Executive VP of sales at Cypress Care states‚
“This program offers sales executives an opportunity to hear the latest about our
profession from the leading researchers and sales leaders.”
“This opportunity to team with BPT and the Center for Professional Selling at Kennesaw
State University is the best match for sales professionals and our alumni‚” says Tanner.
“When George Dudley and I wrote our book The Hard Truth About Soft Selling‚ we identified
a number of factors that have diminished the sales profession over the past two decades.
But our research has led to many best practices that separate the best from the rest.
Make no mistake‚ sales professionals are critical to the success of many businesses.
We will show them how to adapt to the new realities of the customer−centric business
ecosystem.”
“This seminar hones in on the future elements sales executives need to continue to
grow their business and be more successful‚” states Dr. Terry Loe‚ Director for the
Center for Professional Selling at Kennesaw State University. BPT Partners co−founder
and internationally−known business strategist Bruce Culbert‚ and executive coach and
consultant‚ Dr. Patrick Schul will join Tanner and Dudley in leading the conference.
Sponsors of the seminar series include: the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw
State University and the Center for Professional Selling at Baylor University’s Hankamer
School of Business. For more information about the “The Hard Truth about Professional
Selling” one−day seminar‚ and to register for the program in a city near you‚ please
visit http://www.bptpartners.com/sales.aspx.
About Baylor University:
The Hankamer School of Business holds to a visionary standard of excellence whereby
integrity stands shoulder to shoulder with analytic and strategic strengths to build
leaders‚ not simply careers. The undergraduate program is ranked 22nd among private
business schools by U.S. News and World Report. The Executive MBA program is ranked
25th in the nation among private schools by Financial Times. Baylor’s Entrepreneurship
program is ranked 14th by U.S. News and its Accounting program is ranked 24th by Public
Accounting Report. Visit www.baylor.edu/business for more information.
About the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University :
The Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University offers a vibrant‚
high quality‚ real−world learning experience unlike any other. Its diverse programs‚
international experience‚ technological focus‚ centers of academic excellence‚ thriving
corporate partnerships and adventurous curriculum prepare students for today's rapidly
changing business world. The Coles College is nationally recognized in a number of
areas‚ including its study of family business‚ accounting‚ and entrepreneurship. Visit
http://coles.kennesaw.edu for more information.
Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population approaching 20‚000 from 132 countries. The third largest state
university out of 35 institutions in the University System of Georgia‚ Kennesaw State
offers more than 60 graduate and undergraduate degrees‚ including a brand new Doctorate
of Education in Leadership.
About BPT Partners‚ LLC
BPT Partners (www.bptpartners.com) is a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) training‚ education‚
research and consulting. With offices in Atlanta‚ Dallas and Washington‚ D.C.‚ and
partnerships that span the globe‚ BPT Partners offers full−service training from executive
education on CRM strategy to “Best Practices” training in the areas of sales‚ marketing
and customer support. BPT Partners provides both the cutting edge and the classic
strategies and processes that made CRM one of the most successful business approaches
in decades. The trainers and subject matter experts are notable professionals who
have won awards for their industry leading thinking and practices. Contact BPT Partners
at 404−460−8454 or tara@bptparnters.com.
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MORE NEWS…
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
