Purdue center offers online course for ag sales professionals

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A new online course from Purdue University's Center for Food and Agricultural Business will help sales managers and advanced salespeople better understand opportunities within their sales territories and maximize leadership and coaching skills.

The Value of Evidence-Based Sales Decisions is an interactive course taught by Scott Downey, associate professor of agricultural economics and associate director of the center. The course is designed to help participants effectively use data to drive better sales and marketing decisions.

"The business world is changing, so sales professionals need to properly use data to make decisions," Downey said. "When used effectively, data creates knowledge and generates insights that, ultimately, lead to better strategy and long-term success."

Some key benefits of the course include:

* Learning to identify the potential impacts of using data.

* Understanding how a focus on profitability is more valuable than total sales volume.

* Understanding the sales equation drivers that impact profitability.

Participants will complete a customer profitability analysis tool for a single customer account. They also will use the tool to generate a heat map for five current or potential customer accounts.

Another benefit is the distance-learning format that allows participants to complete the course at their own convenience and pace - typically less than three hours.

"We want to give sales professionals the tools they need to be successful in a format that is easy to access," Downey said.

Enrollment in the course costs $350 per person. Learn more and access the course at http://agribusiness.purdue.edu/SalesDecisions. 

Writer: Jennifer Stewart-Burton, 765-496-6032, jsstewar@purdue.edu

Sources: Scott Downey, 765-494-4247, downeyws@purdue.edu

Betty Jones-Bliss, associate director, 217-549-2883, bettyso@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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