Samford University’s Brock School of Business has been recognized by the Sales Education Foundation (SEF) as one of the Top Universities for Professional Sales Education. SEF recognized the Brock School for preparing students for successful careers in professional selling and helping to elevate the sales profession. The recognition is featured in the 10th edition of the SEF Annual magazine.

According to the Florida State University Sales Institute, as many as 60 percent of all business majors and 88 percent of all marketing majors start their career in a sales-related role. Further, studies show that students with a sales education do the following:

• ramp up 50 percent faster and turn over 30 percent less than their nonsales educated peers
• report their career satisfaction at 77 percent
• have starting salaries averaging over $60,000
• average 2.8 job offers before graduation (Baylor University findings)

“We formally began our sales program in the fall of 2015, and it has been tremendously popular with students,” said Clif Eason, assistant professor of marketing and director of the program. “In addition, the interest and support of the business community has been huge, with many individuals and firms offering mentoring, program guidance, and — of particular importance — jobs.”

“The professional sales program provides students the opportunity for acquiring and refining interpersonal skills critical for business success,” said Brock School of Business Dean Howard Finch.   “We are proud of this external recognition that validates this important new component of our business curriculum.”

Sally Stevens, executive director of the SEF, noted that companies should have an increased focus on partnering with university sales programs.

“Top sales organizations should take note of the programs featured in our listing and consider developing partnerships with these innovators, who are educating the next generation of professional sales people,” she said in the 2016 Annual Letter from the Editor.