About the Sales Academy (Virtual Cohort)
The Sales Academy is a unique sales training and certification program from the University of Houston’s Stephen Stagner Sales Excellence Institute. It was created in order to support the booming technology industry in Houston by providing a source of highly-qualified candidates trained in digital sales and marketing.
The Stephen Stagner Sales Excellence Institute
Established in 1996, the mission of the institute is to make an impact in the world of ideas, students, and communities through our innovative sales research and education, creating opportunities for career and personal success by solving problems related to Research, Executive Education, and Recruiting.
At the Stephen Stagner Sales Excellence Institute, we advance sales education and develop sales leaders through Research, Executive Education, and Degree Programs. Through these pillars, we are able to offer the expertise of executive professors with real-world experience and Ph.D. research professors who are today’s leading, most widely published authors in the sales discipline.
Space is limited!
RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW!
$250 reserves your seat – we’re here to make sure you land the job you’re looking for – and companies are waiting!
Academics
Students accepted into the 8-week, part-time sales certification course receive specialized training on the art and science of sales as a Business Development Representative. This includes in-class presentations, live-selling experientials, exclusive face-time with leading tech-industry executives, and instruction from the award-winning faculty at the Bauer College of Business.
Admissions
The course offers a unique deferred tuition model that hinges on job placement, and it is the latest example of Bauer’s commitment to creating and providing coursework to fill voids in the sprawling ecosystem of technology and innovation. Graduates of the program will leave equipped to take on a sales role as a Business Development Representative (BDR) for emerging startups.
- No prerequisites — we will train you
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Any school, any major
PART-TIME
8-WEEK CERTIFICATION COURSE
Specialized training on the art and science of sales!
Upcoming Cohorts
Cohort Sessions begin each year, with at least one cohort every two months.
Signups for cohorts will continue until a specific cohort reaches maximum occupancy. Individuals should consider their scheduling preferences before applying to a cohort.
Curriculum
| Navigating the Tech Ecosystem in Houston |
| Account-Based Marketing Strategies |
| Building Buyer Personas |
| Playbooks and Cadences |
| Salesforce.com/HVS Training |
| Inbound/Outbound Prospecting |
| Social Selling |
| SPIN Selling |
| Presentation Skills |
| Understanding Decision Centers |
| Sales Enablement Tech Stack |
Course Objectives
Sales Process
Develop sales skills and techniques needed to be an effective salesperson.
Career Development
Learn the effective use of communication and listening skills.
Communication
Learn about leveraging information technology while effectively communicating with clients.
Customer Experience
Help develop critical thinking skills that can be applied to various selling situations.
Technology
Gain broad exposure to the technology industry and to explore the ramifications of various solutions to typical sales problems experienced by small to medium size technology companies.
A Closer Look at the Numbers
Nearly 1 in 8 of all jobs in the US are
FULL TIME
SALES POSITIONS
source: skilledup research
Inside sales is growing 15 times
FASTER THAN
OUTSIDE SALES
source: salesloft.com
Sales improve by 17% with a
SALES PROCESS
like SPIN SELLING
source: SPIN Selling, Neil Rackham
| Over 50% | of college grads regardless of their major take their |
FIRST JOB
IN A SALES ROLE
source: sales education foundation
SALES POSITION
SALARY COMPARISON
| JOB TITLE | EDUCATIONAL LEVEL | MEDIAN SALARY |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Worker | High School | $27,600 |
| Sales Rep – non technical | Bachelor’s Degree | $59,930 |
| Sales Engineer | Bachelor’s Degree | $103,900 |
| Sales Manager | Bachelor’s Degree | $126,640 |
| source: www.bls.gov |
Student Spotlight
CARLOS PEREZ ABREU
The Sales Academy taught me the fundamentals of selling to different kinds of buyers, the stages of the sales process, and how to identify and hunt down key decision-makers to ultimately attain my desired results… I also gained some insight into the proper way of working my way into organizations in order to get to key decision-makers. The Sales Academy will ultimately serve as a foundation to continue developing myself into the successful professional that I aspire to be.
BABY RODRIGUEZ
When I was accepted into the Sales Academy I was pumped and worked during the day and attended the Sales Academy virtually at night. We learned about different selling techniques and how to communicate. I asked the SA team to introduce me to the CEO of the GoCo and before I knew it I was on my third interview, was being offered a role as an Account Executive and putting in my two weeks at my current role. I was in this role for about 4 months before they offered me the role of the first ever Training Specialist at GoCo, to create material to train and educate our clients on how to use our product! I am now in charge of my own department.
