Strauss Center for Sales Excellence
The Strauss Center for Sales Excellence offers students leading-edge instruction and a unique curriculum, proven to prepare them for successful careers in sales.
To achieve these standards, the Strauss Center for Sales Excellence:
- Provides innovative sales curriculum based on current and relevant business practices — including Professional Selling, Sales Management, and Advanced Professional Selling courses
- Fosters relationships with sales professionals in business, academia and among WSU alumni
- Continually seeks out academic and extracurricular activities that advance the connection of those professionals with our students
- Emphasizes experiential exercises and real sales experiences
- Delivers research and leadership that advance the sales profession and compliment the mission of the Marketing Department, College of Business and Winona State University
This facility includes role-play rooms designed specifically for teaching fundamental communication skills necessary in the sales business.
Currently our sales students have a 100 percent job placement rate, with many students receiving multiple job offers.
Due to the success of the program, WSU has been named one of the Top Universities for Professional Sales Education by the Sales Education Foundation for the last 5 years.
Sales Team
Sales Team students gain real-world sales experience by competing in sales competitions both in-house and across the country providing the students an opportunity to showcase their talents with potential employers.
Complex role play scenarios encourage students to develop essential sales skills and business acumen while interacting with business professionals from a variety of industries.
The Winona State University Sales team competes nationally in several sales competitions.
Events
- Oct. 13-15: Great Northwoods Sales Warm-up, hosted by University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
- Oct. 19-20: National Team Selling Competition hosted by the Indiana University
- Nov. 2-5: International Collegiate Sales Competition hosted by Florida State University
We provide many opportunities for companies to recruit and interact with our sales students.
The Strauss Center for Sales Excellence relies on its partners for support– both financially and through input regarding current and relevant business practices. This assistance assures that our students have a bright future as sales professionals.
We work closely with our partners to create sales curriculum and events that get students excited about careers in professional selling. These events also build corporate brand recognition as well as develop recruitment opportunities.
If you are interested in supporting a student pursuing a career in professional sales, please consider making a donation to WSU.