Published on November 30, 2021

Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Business students are bursting at the seams with talent! Many of these students participate in national competitions and seminars and see great gains in professional development within these experiences. Two of these nationwide events are the RainMakers Sales Role Play and SpeedSell competitions.

Baylee Lanter, a general business major here at EKU, saw success as a regional champion of the RolePlay competition. In this event, students are presented with a pre-determined case study regarding a new product. The students are given background about the product and taken through a demonstration of how to deliver a sales pitch to a potential customer (in this case, an online bot programmed to discuss business). This pitch would include how to build customer rapport, discover customer needs, present the product, overcome objections, and close the conversation. Students enter this simulation with the bot, and upon completion, submit their highest score for review and comparison to other students across the nation.

Alexandra Stewart, another general business major here at EKU, also saw success as a regional champion, but in the SpeedSell competition. This competition focuses on teaching students how to accurately and efficiently “pitch their value” to potential employers, customers, and even professors to help further their careers. The SpeedSell software helps students develop the necessary skills to develop what they’ve termed an “Elevator Pitch,” or a quick spiel discussing students’ attributes, skill sets, and accomplishments. The software takes them through a demonstration of how to persuade others to their cause, and then allows them to practice online with a bot in an elevator. Students then submit a short video to demonstrate competency and sell their own pitches to a panel of judges.

Congratulations, Baylee and Alexandra! EKU is extremely proud of you and is looking forward to witnessing your future successes!