USI Sales Team competed at the National College Sales Competition last month and placed 46th out of 65 universities.

The National College Sales Competition (NCSC) takes place annually at Kennesaw State University.

The sales team consists of a few business majors that have an interest in sales. Each year the university sends two representatives with two alternates to make a deal with a potential buyer, a simulation that each school practices months before the competition.

The goal of the competition is to satisfy the buyer’s needs and adequately sell the product. In a 20-minute span the representatives are graded on building rapport with the buyer, uncovering their needs and selling the product.

USI Sales Team formed October 2012, and began practicing February 2013 for NCSC, the largest and oldest sales competition in existence.

“It’s a good time, and it’s a good opportunity,” said Adam Kaps, Sales Team member.

The team practice role-plays two to three times, every day until the competition.

“You go into a room as an individual and talk to what they call a buyer,” the sophomore marketing major said.

The practice room is complete with a desk and cameras so students can watch their own presentations.

“Not only can you watch yourself which can be incredibly nerve-racking,” Kaps said. “But you can also make improvements based on your observations.”

Representatives are ranked individually and as a team.

Kaps ranked 55th out of 130 competitors.

“Last year, we took three people, and I was the alternate,” he said. “This year we took four people with two alternates, but I was a competitor this time.”

The competition isn’t only a sales competition, but it is also a large career fair.

“Through the competition, I was offered five different internships through four companies,” Kaps said. “A couple of them I decided not to do because I wasn’t as big of a fan of the companies.”

USI has sent students to NCSC for a few years now.

“This is the sixth year USI was represented,” said Chad Milewicz, the Sales Team faculty adviser.

USI’s Sales Team beat Indiana University at the this year’s competition by a single point.

Milewicz has coached students for the past four years, and he said he is always looking for new students across campus. The sales team is not restricted to business majors, any student who has an interest in sales can join, practice and compete.

“All we ask is they have an interest in sales,” Milewicz said.

The Sales Team will compete in international competitions when they will leave today for the International Undergraduate Case Competition at Royal Roads University in British Columbia, Canada.