The Prospect Pitching case challenges a team of two student participants to think both creatively and strategically in a time-constrained situation. The judges for this event will assume the role of the prospect in the case study scenario, and will evaluate how effectively each student team presents its sales pitch.
The Case Scenario
The students will know nothing about what they are selling, or who they are selling to, before they enter the prep room. They will have 30 minutes to familiarize themselves with the product or service, anticipate what the prospect’s needs are, and develop a sales presentation accordingly. Given the limited time frame, the scenario will not be complicated; the customer’s needs will be fairly simple, and it is expected that the presentation will be straightforward.
The case scenario will assume that the sales team has already met with the client briefly during a discovery meeting.
General Judging Considerations
The students’ task in this event is to present an effective sales pitch. They should be able to identify the needs of the customer, communicate the features and benefits of their product, attempt to close the sale and effectively handle any objections. Students are expected to use industry-standard business and marketing terminology during their presentation.
Event Objectives
To demonstrate the students’ ability to:
- Quickly analyze a sales opportunity
- Develop an appropriate sales presentation
- Present the solution in a convincing manner
Eligibility
All participating students must be from diploma-level marketing or marketing-related programs. Post-diploma, graduate certificate or degree program students are not eligible for this event. Repeat OCMC students cannot enter an event in which they have previously participated.
Student Preparation
- Participants should familiarize themselves with the evaluation criteria. Please refer to the case evaluation form below for details.
- Please refer to the case schedules in the program. No changes will be made unless a conflict situation exists.
- Participants will be escorted to a secure preparation room as per the case schedule. Cell phones are not permitted.
- Paper, pens and highlighters will be supplied along with printed copies of the case.
- A Windows laptop with wired 2 button mouse and current version of Microsoft PowerPoint will be provided in the preparation and presentation rooms. A clicker will be provided in the presentation room.
- A maximum of 7 slides are permitted in the presentation deck.
- Students may bring a prepared PowerPoint template into the preparation room on a USB thumb drive (USB A Style). Team branding is permitted.
- Internet access will NOT be available.
- Presentations must be saved on a supplied USB thumb drive which will be retained but the judges.
- Participants have 30 minutes to prepare their solution. Participants will be advised when five minutes remain.At the end of 30 minutes, the team will be moved to their presentation room.
Presentation
- Presentations must not exceed 15 minutes. There will be a five-minute question period following the presentation with judges.
- Participants are responsible for managing their time during the presentation (judges will ask the team to stop, if necessary, once the 15-minute timeframe has been reached). Judges will ask questions only during the 5-minute Q&A following the presentation. Students will leave the room following the Q&A while judges complete the evaluation form.
Evaluation by Judges
- At the end of the presentation, after the students have attempted to close the sale, the judges will challenge them with objections.
- Judges will not provide any verbal feedback to the participants during the competition.
- Judges will complete an evaluation form with numerical scores and appropriate summary comments.
- Judges will rank each team from top to bottom. In the case of a tie between any of the top 5 teams, judges will re-evaluate those teams to break the tie. There cannot be a tie among teams ranked one to five.
- Judges’ decisions are final!
Feedback
Each team will receive feedback from the host College approximately three weeks following the competition.