MBA Research

When it comes to convincing customers of their need for products, “seeing is believing.” In this LAP, students will gain hands-on experience planning and executing a product demonstration. They will learn how to select the right product to demonstrate, how to choose the appropriate product features to highlight, and how to handle interruptions during the demonstration. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented...

Just as your students would never write a text message without hitting send, a salesperson should never interact with a customer without attempting to close the sale. In Wrap It Up (Closing Sales), students will discover the importance and benefits of closing sales effectively—and they will learn how to prepare for any sales situation by mastering several closing techniques. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a...

A successful salesperson assists customers with all the "mini” decisions that add up to the final purchase decision. Teach your students how they can help their customers make them. LAPs are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. Each LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about helping customers make buying decisions, a (So What?) discussion of why it's important to learn, and a short...

Do you remember the last thing you bought? More specifically, do you remember why you bought it? This LAP explores the concept of buying motives⁠—what they are and how they affect everyday life. Students will also learn effective techniques for identifying a prospect’s buying motives that will help them succeed both as a salesperson and a business owner. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan....

It’s one thing to make a sale – but satisfying a customer’s needs and earning his/her trust can turn a normal sale into a win for everyone involved. In this LAP, students will discover the skill of suggestion selling and how it benefits customers, businesses, and salespeople. They will learn how to successfully suggest products based on customer needs and wants, as well as how to suggest products respectfully. In the accompanying activities, students will role-play different suggestion selling...

Part of being a salesperson involves recommending specific products to customers based on their needs and wants. Sounds easy – but it can be more complicated than it seems! In this LAP, students will learn how to recommend products in various tricky situations, such as when the product that a customer requests is out of stock, or doesn’t suit his/her unique needs. In the Gray Zone, students will examine the ethicality of “trading up,” or recommending a product that is more expensive than...

Make sure you know your customers! Successful salespeople know that in order to sell, they need to identify customer personality types and use appropriate sales techniques. Teach your students how to develop this important selling skill by exploring how to identify and handle different customer personality types. Together, master the power of personality! LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan....

Customers have lots of choices in today's competitive market, so how can your students make their products stand out? With this LAP, your students can learn to use feature-benefit selling to translate their product features into benefits. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about feature-benefit selling,...

Finding customers can be hard, but keeping them is even harder! Use this LAP to show your students why businesses and salespeople need to do more than just attract customers—they must turn them into a loyal clientele. Keep Them Loyal will show your students the many ways that building a clientele can benefit businesses and salespeople. In the Gray Zone, students will consider the ethicality of several unfair tactics used to gain customers’ business. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are...

Prospecting for customers is a vital component of successful selling. In this LAP, students will learn why prospecting is so important and how they can demonstrate this necessary skill. In the activities, students will practice prospecting by identifying potential customers for a product they are selling. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT!...

Your students might not think selling has much to do with their lives. But good sales skills can help them at home, at school, and on the job, even if they don't work in sales! Help your students learn the traits of successful salespeople with Sell Away. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about the...

It's not over until it's over! Follow-up is an important part of selling. With your students, explore topics like why follow-up is important, what follow-up looks like, and how successful salespeople determine which follow-up strategies to use. By delving into the ‘who, what, when, where, why, and how’ of follow-up, your students can add this beneficial skill to their selling toolboxes in no time! LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all...

A company’s selling policies are essential components of its sales practice. In this LAP, students will discover the importance of selling guidelines as well as the various kinds of policies that businesses use to help salespeople succeed. Students will also learn about federal regulations that shape company selling policies such as the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Sherman Act. LAPs are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson...

The selling process is a complex procedure that varies across industries, products, and customers. In this LAP, students will gain valuable insight into the selling process that will help them in their current or future roles as salespeople. They’ll learn what steps are involved, how those steps are implemented differently across different situations, and why the sales process matters to salespeople, companies, and customers. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional...

Sponsorships provide a wealth of benefits to both sponsors and sports/event organizations. Make the Match (Selling Sponsorships) explains the profitable nature of sponsorship agreements and teaches students the step-by-step method for selling sponsorships successfully. This LAP includes examples, activities, video links, and more—all focused on the dynamics of selling sponsorships in sports/event marketing. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include...

Your students don't want to break the law when it comes to selling—but how do they know what's right and what's wrong? Help them learn about legal and ethical considerations in selling with Keep It Real—In Sales! LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about legal and ethical considerations in selling, a (So...

Quality customer service is a lot more than just a department. In this informative LAP, students will learn what salespeople can do to go above and beyond while serving customers—increasing their sales and benefitting their business along the way! In the Gray Zone, students will examine the ethicality of a common sales practice—making false promises to a customer to close a sale. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a...

To be successful, salespeople must be well-prepared. They must know as much as possible about the products they sell – but salespeople have some important questions to answer first. Why is knowing product information so important? What types of information are customers looking for? Where can salespeople find this information? Learn the answers to these questions and more with your students as you all get informed! LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that...

Teach your students what a business plan is, what goes into its different components, and how it benefits startup and existing businesses. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about nature of business plans, a (So What?) discussion of why it's important to learn, ideas (Make it Pay!) for immediate...

Teach your students how to create a business plan that gets results, regardless of the business’s product, size, or stage of development. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about creating a business plan, a (So What?) discussion of why it's important to learn, and a short (Gray Zone) case addressing...

This LAP walks students through the basics of management—what managers do, what skills they need, and what types of resources they manage—as well as what levels of management most companies have. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about management, a (So What?) discussion of why it's important to learn,...

Staffing is one of the five functions of management that are essential for organizational success. This LAP explores the staffing process and takes a deeper look at how managers develop human resources management strategies. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about staffing, a (So What?) discussion of...

Trust matters! Teach your students about the importance of ethics in customer relationship management—why customer trust is important, how businesses can build it, and why it’s crucial to protect customers’ personal information. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about ethics in customer relationship...

Creativity is important in all aspects of life! Teach your students how they can enhance and develop their own creative skills. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about demonstrating creativity, a (So What?) discussion of why it's important to learn, and a short (Gray Zone) case addressing ethical...