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The Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales

Internal Sales Competition (ISC) - October 23, 2026

Sales competition where the top available students compete (24) and serve as ambassadors (approx 15-30). Companies act as judges, coaches, sales process analysts, and buyers. 

 

isc role play

 

Agenda

8:00-8:15          Check-in
8:15-8:45          Welcome and Orientation
9:00-10:00        Real Deal, Real Choices
10:15-11:15          Open Networking Brunch
11:30-12:00       Play-by-Play: The Analyst Table
12:15-12:45        Coaching/Interviewing Session (only ISC students remain here and for the rest of the event)
1:00-3:05           Role Play Competition
3:30-4:00           Awards

...Sales Connection is the first part of the day



Information for Sponsors and Students

 

Launchpad

Login for ESSPS and PSLS students and corporate partners; must be registered or a key contact.  You will receive an email from Microsoft Teams that you have been granted access to the team (ie: Launchpad). 

Launchpad Countdown

  • Competitor preparation, buyer preparation, judge preparation, real deal scenarios, play-by-play rookie and all star videos - August
  • Assignment schedule (individual and comprehensive), role play schedule, resumes, corporate partner contact information - 1-2 weeks before
    • Individual Assignment Schedule is a pdf with a personalized schedule of your roles, topics/tracks, and rooms
    • Comprehensive Assignment Schedule is an Excel with tabs for Student Groups for real deal real choices, play-by-play, and coaching/interviewing session; Judge Room Groups; real deal real choices Corporate Summary, and roles overall
  • Worker materials - 1 week before 

 

Corporate Information



General

    • Corporate attendees will provide coverage on the real deal real choices*, networking brunch*, play-by-play: the analyst table*, coaching/interviewing session*, judging*, and buying*.  We recommend a blend of Sales and HR professionals with more on the sales side to better connect with these top sales students.
    • Corporate attendees will be scheduled for an entire round at a time to ensure fairness in the competition.  The students are competing within their role play rooms with the top students in each room being recognized, so it is critical that the same judges evaluate each of the students and that the same person plays buyer for each of the students. 
    • Register your license plate before you arrive using the event specific parking registration link that was emailed in advance.  Once your permit has been entered, you may park in the approved lot (1N).  License plates that are not registered or don't have their license plate visible to the drive aisle so it can be scanned by parking patrol as well as parking in unapproved lots will be ticketed; appeals are unlikely to be approved.  Please see our Event Parking page for further details.

    • Priority registration deadline for ESSPS Corporate Partners is October 2.  Registration is then offered to select support club members, alumni, friends of the program, and prospective corporate partners.

Company Registration ISC + Sales Connection

 

Real Deal, Real Choices Facilitator*

    • Discussions exploring real sales and career decisions and tradeoffs
    • Led by corporate attendees
    • Prompts to facilitate the discussion will be provided and are available in Launchpad
    • Scenario possibilities include champion who left, price increase communication, friendly but non-committed buyer, winning back a lost customer, lateral move opportunity, prospecting vs account management, etc
    • Companies have 1 to 2, 30 minute sessions.  The number of sessions will be determined based on student headcount and corporate partner level.  Higher level corporate partners will be more likely to have 2 sessions.  When the number of students cannot be evenly distributed within the same corporate partner level, those ESSPS Corporate Partners who are also UTISC Sponsors will be given priority.
    • Topics and students will be preassigned; refer to the Assignment Schedule in Launchpad (see General channel)
    • Typically have 5-9 students in each 30 minute session.  This includes the student worker who is helping to oversee the session and will also be participating in the session. 

Open Networking Brunch*

    • Each company will have their own table in a classroom.  Branding is provided via a company logo embedded into the QR code check-in.
    • Each corporate attendee gets a set number of brunch tickets to pass out to students.  Tickets may be passed out during event check-in and Real Deal, Real Choices.  Remaining tickets will be given to the student worker for that company who will stand in the hallway and pass out tickets to students who are still looking for a table to join.
    • Participants will go up to the brunch buffet together once all tickets for that company have been passed out or if one of the faculty has released the room
    • Network with students based on your company, general relationship, and/or common interests
    • Common interests (pets, travel, cooking, volunteering, fitness, etc) will be communicated using a series of colored dots that guests place on their name badges during check-in.  Select the dot that has the color that matches your personal interest so it is easy to find people who share your interests. 
    • Companies may bring corporate brochures/flyers, job descriptions, business cards, and promotional items.

Play-by-Play: The Analyst Table*

    • Sales process analysts are corporate attendees who will breakdown role play footage play-by-play to a table of students helping them to identify and understand the different stages and elements of a sales call.  Audience questions from the students are encouraged.
    • Two types of tracks, rookie and all star, will run so the students are in sessions with role play footage and analyst insights that are aligned with their experience.  Sales process analysts and students will be preassigned, and sales process analysts will have access to the role play footage in advance in Launchpad to prepare their "game plan".  Refer to the Assignment Schedule in Launchpad (see General channel)  

Coaches/Interviewers*

    • 1, 30 minute block during the ISC to coach and/or interview students that have been selected for them.
    • Coaches/Interviewers are corporate attendees.  The number of students for a corporate attendee will be determined based on overall headcount (student and corporate) and corporate partner level.  Higher level corporate partners will get more coaching/interviewing sessions and more of the competitors than student workers.  When the number of students cannot be evenly distributed within the same corporate partner level, those ESSPS Corporate Partners who are also UTISC Sponsors will be given priority.
    • Best Practices for Coaching/Interviewing (video)

Judges*

    • Will use the following evaluation sheet, and judges will enter their own scores and comments online using CARLOS link in Launchpad (bring a laptop).  Competitors will receive their evaluation sheets at the end of the competition.  For the buyer profile, please see role play details section below. 
    • Online judging is available for partners who have previous ISC/UTISC judging experience and a good track record of being timely and attentive.  Partner must have at least 2 onsite attendees.
    • Role plays for ISC will be in Launchpad's Role Play channel
    • Best Practices for Judges (video)

Buyers*

    • Will have access to the public and private buyer profiles for the round(s) where they play buyer 1-2 weeks prior to the ISC.  Content will be in Launchpad.
    • It is critical that the private buyer profiles remain private at all times
    • Students will receive the public profile 3 weeks or more prior (see role play details section below)
    • Best Practices for Buyers (video)

Student Information

Competing

Sales Competition Team (SCT) Competitor Application - College/UToledo Students

Competitor Application - High School Students

    • Students are eligible to compete as long as they have NOT ACCEPTED a post graduation job offer.  Students with accepted internship offers are allowed to compete
    • To be considered for the ISC as a competitor, students need to submit a competitor application by the September 29 deadline.  Students who submit by the deadline receive invitations to Beyond the Booth to have exclusive networking with VIP Corporate Partners after the college Job Fair.
    • Students will be placed into role play rooms based on similarities with other competitors (freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, high school, PSLS 3440 Sales status, etc).  Each room will have 5 competitors.  Those not selected to compete, will help to run the ISC.  All ISC student workers who submit resumes will have their resume shared with the sponsors, network, and possibly receive a Coaching/Interviewing Session.
    • Coaching/Interviewing Session is a 1-1 for 30 minutes with one of our sponsors.  The coaching is career and sales process focused.  Time should be spent on both coaching and interviewing.  High school students will be in a coaching session with a college student that they can ask questions, seek guidance, and gain valuable perspectives from.
    • Students are expected to participate in the entire ISC and Sales Connection
    • Winners in each room will get a $100 Amazon prize pack of their choosing  (tech toys, book bundles, food frenzy, WFH, and more!)

Peer Coaching

Sales Competition Team (SCT) Peer Coach Application

    • Peer coaching is encouraged to aid in the development of both the role play seller and peer coach
    • Students are eligible to be a peer coach if they have already accepted a post graduation job offer and/or have a proven track record of advanced placement with ISC and/or Sales Competition Team (SCT) 
    • Students may self-select and mutually agree on seller-coach pairings
    • Students who are looking for assistance to be paired up as the seller or coach are asked to indicate that in their Sales Competition Team (SCT) Application so the ESSPS can suggest pairings and facilitate introductions for students who are seeking connections
    • To be considered for the ISC as a peer coach, please complete the Sales Competition Team (SCT) Peer Coach Application.  Students who complete the application by September 29 will receive invitations to Beyond the Booth to have exclusive networking with VIP Corporate Partners after the college Job Fair.
    • Peer coaches who have a seller that wins will receive an Amazon gift card ($25)

Role Play Details

Preparation – Role Play

    • The call is a blend of information gathering and value propositioning.  Use your time wisely.
    • Sales call guides are an excellent way for you to create a road map for your sales call.  Templates (basic, corporate).  The corporate version is better suited for students with PSLS class or sales work experience.  Less experienced students might be more comfortable with the basic version.
    • Sample sales portfolios are available in the Huntington Sales Lab (SB 4200) for use in practice and in the competition.  You can come visit and work with them anytime M-F 10-5.  They are not available for field trips outside the lab.  A sales portfolio checklist is available should you want to create your own. 
    • ESSPS faculty are available for coaching and practice – please just ask
    • ISC Workshop open to all competitors is being hosted by Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) on 10/21 (W) at 8:00p in SB 4140
    • Watching the role plays from the previous ISC's can help set expectations and give you structure.  Past ISC role plays are in the Launchpad for Sales Connection with Internal Sales Competition (General > Competitor Preparation > Role Play Archive).  Doing a keyword search on Round 1, Semi Finals, and Finals will bring them up.  Please request access via Teams if you need it.

Workers

ISC Worker Signup

    • ISC workers are students who we ran out of competition spots for, are looking to get some behind the scenes insights and networking before competing in the future, or are already placed.  
    • All ISC student workers who submit resumes will have their resume shared with the sponsors, network, and possibly receive a Coaching/Interviewing Session
    • ISC student workers will be ESSPS Admins helping to run role play rooms, answer questions, check-in guests, etc

 

Last Updated: 5/14/26