Undergraduate Coursework

The Center for Sales Leadership focuses on preparing students to work for some of the most exclusive companies with long term career potential. Courses are taught through a variety of lecture, group projects, in class presentations by business partners, role plays, selling activities, case studies, coaching, technology tools, simulation software, field trips and other teaching methods. An outline and weekly topics for each of the courses follows.

All faculty members have excellent academic credentials and significant business experience in sales and marketing. At the present time, our instructors teach seven different classes in multiple sections to accommodate the programs rapid growth. The faculty has deep expertise in marketing, sales, finance, communications, sales technology, leadership, organization development, strategic planning, consulting and general management.

Required Courses

Any non business school student is required to take MKT 301 Principles of Marketing and MKT 276 Effective Business Communications

  • MKT 377 Sales Fundamentals
  • MKT 378 Sales Strategy & Technology
  • MKT 383 Analytical Sales

Elective Courses

Students can choose two elective to complete their concentration/minor in Sales Leadership.

  • MKT 380 Science of Retailing
  • MKT 384 Cases in Category Management
  • MKT 385 Sports Sales
  • MKT 386 Social Impact Sales
  • MKT 387 Shopper Insights & Marketing

Category Management

Any student who would like a career in Category Management should take the following classes: MKT 380 Science of Retailing, MKT 384 Cases in Category Management and MKT 387 Shopper Insights & Marketing.

Business Development

If any student is interested in a career in Business Development should take MKT 385 Sports Sales and MKT 386 Social Impact Sales

Course Guide

MKT 276 - Effective Business Communications

This fast-paced class teaches participants the essential corporate communication skills needed for leadership success. It was created especially to boost DePaul students’ communication prowess and positive presentation of themselves to others.

The advanced skills taught are science-based. Psychology, neurobiology and modern business practices form the foundation of this professional workshop-style course. Skills taught include: Business presentations, eMail and brief writing, networking, designing effective PowerPoint and presentations, persuasion, managing conflict with authority, controlling anxiety and managing shyness.

Participants build mastery-level oral and written communication capabilities via both classroom and distance learning. Students learn by doing. Excellence is attained as students iterate their learning experiences until they achieve maximum skills—a distinctive approach to learning. Experienced instructors create a friendly learning atmosphere that is filled with an abundance of demonstrations, videos and participant exercises.

This class is particularly useful to those who want to build practical skills that lead to comfort and capability in the US business culture through superior communication.

MKT 377 - Sales Fundamentals

In the current business environment, companies are focusing their efforts on recruiting well-trained and refined sales professionals to generate substantial revenue. This course is designed to expose students to the energy, decorum, techniques and methods of superior selling sought after by companies. Coursework examines networking techniques and ways to identify high-potential opportunities. Students are given the opportunity to implement learned techniques through real world selling of fundraising for The Sid Feldman Legacy Fund.

MKT 378 - Sales Strategy & Technology

The key to the development of superior customer sales strategy is detailed intelligence. This course investigates sources of customer data, the state of data management technology and the contribution that current and accurate customer information can make in changing sales strategy. Students gain an appreciation of data leveraging, or the use of customer insight to produce winning selling strategies.

Students work with the technical tools of selling, including on demand segmentation and research systems from the ACNielsen Company, the Pipeliner CRM system and a variety of on demand CRM applications. Upon completion of this course, students have acquired significant skill in using technology to resolve sales cases.

MKT 380 - Science of Retailing

This class is a collaborative process that is category management and focuses on the partnership formed between retailers and manufactures in order to optimize the performance of retail categories. It is separated into two segments:

· During the first 4 weeks our retail partners help us to teach retail strategy, aisle and store management, supply chain, logistics, and to address the evolution of retail.

· The second segment of the class is supported in large part by our manufacturing partners as we address the subjects of assortment, shelf management and merchandising as we develop a category review for one of our retail partners.

Learning outcomes for this class are:

· Development of shelf management skills by learning with JDA Pro-Space.

· Development of total store management skills by learning and using Kantar Virtual Reality.

· Awareness of consumer-packaged goods trade and consumer promotion disciplines and terminology.

· Improved capability in business analytics and shopper understanding through the use of Nielsen, IRI, Shopper Intelligence, Dunn Humby and Tabs Analytics technologies and systems used to develop category reviews (live data – real time application).

· Improved category management storytelling skills via in class instruction.

· Improved understanding of PowerPoint presentation, use of pivot tables, data mining, and assortment management through in class instruction and the use of industry training modules provided by our partner CMKG.

MKT 383 - Analytical Sales

The Analytical Sales course is a strategic sales course which emphasizes the psychology of selling in complex selling situations, identifying the decision maker among multiple contacts, quantifying the value proposition to the customer, and presenting a compelling sales proposal. Business activities are focused on identifying customer needs and values (tangible, intangible, behavioral) and delivering products and services to increase customer profit margins, cash flow, or the efficiency of the customer’s business. Goals are achieved by use of mathematical analytical techniques, understanding of emotional drivers, and utilization of behavioral influence techniques in a research based selling model.

MKT 384 - Cases in Category Management

This course focuses on category management strategy and will provide students with an opportunity to solve actual category management problems for retailers like Walgreen's and Circle K. Students will work on solutions to real category problems in these retail environments to support companies such as Colgate, Topco, Red Bull, and Pepsi. Our students will have the opportunity to learn for mentors from both retail and manufacturing partners. During the term, students will learn via lecture and a comprehensive case study.

In this course, students will learn to master the following technologies: Blue Yonder, Spaceman, and Spectra. They will also be exposed to IRI technologies and other space management systems. Students successfully completing this course will be properly prepared for careers in category management and for sales assignments in consumer packaged goods companies.

MKT 385 - Sports Sales

This course in professional selling will introduce students to the essentials of effective selling in the context of professional and collegiate sports. Topics include the sales process, persuasion, handling objections, finding solutions, building customer relationships, and understanding the competitive sports marketing/selling environment.

    MKT 386 - Social Impact Sales

    The ability to understand and conduct business in a socially responsible manner in today's economy is not only desirable, but also mandatory in an increasingly competitive environment. Further, some non-profits seek to solve a social problem by using traditional business methods, including the selling of goods or services.

    This course engages a non-profit to provide them with a long-term sales strategy. Students develop a sales and marketing plan that ultimately benefits a social good. This plan is evaluated by 3M executives, DePaul Faculty and the non-profit executives. (Autumn term only)

    MKT 387 Shopper Insights & Marketing

    In this course students to learn to use big data and research to provide marketing programs that motivate shoppers to purchase action. During the class students will explore several venues to deliver shopper marketing.

    Learning outcomes for this class will be:

    · Understanding of the state of shopper marketing directly from retailers.

    · Learn about insight development from instructors involved at agencies and companies leading the initiative globally.

    · Understand marketing innovation as a best practice in real time.

    · An excellent understanding of marketing as it relates to leveraging trade companies and the need to be sensitive to customer importance.