AB 15 - Agricultural Communication and Sales

Transfer Status

CSU

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: The study of principles and practices of the selling process: selling strategies and approaches, why and how people buy, prospecting, territory management, and customer service. Self-management, communication, and interpersonal skills necessary in developing managerial abilities, leadership qualities, and facilitating teamwork within the agribusiness sector will be explored. Students will gain experience through role-play, formal sales presentations, and job shadowing. The course content is organized to give students an in-depth understanding of the factors and influences that affect the agribusiness industry on a day-to-day basis. Application of these concepts and methods will be through hands-on projects developing solutions for agriculture business. (C-ID AG-AB 112).

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Recognize and understand the characteristics needed for successful agribusiness sales.
2. Analyze and apply the component parts and dynamics of the sales process.
3. Explain the benefits of providing post-sales customer service for agricultural customers.
4. Demonstrate characteristics of a good public speaker through role-play situations, using computer presentation software, and delivering formal sales presentations.
5. Define leadership and the characteristics of successful leadership.
6. Demonstrate interpersonal and organizational communication skills.
7. Become familiar with principles of good listening, overcoming communication barriers, and effective verbal and non-verbal communication.
8. Become familiar with social responsibility and ethics.
9. Evaluate factors affecting ethical choices, criteria for ethical decision-making, managing company ethics.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Class Activities
2. Collaborative Group Work
3. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
4. Lecture
5. Reading Assignments

1. Exams/Tests
2. Papers
3. Projects
4. Homework

Reading Assignments

1. Analyze assigned articles describing selling strategies used in the agriculture industry. Share discoveries of successful strategies during a class discussion.
2. Read assigned chapters from the course textbook on communicating effectively in agriculture. Based off the readings, design a class session where students rank the top communication skills needed in agriculture.

Writing Assignments

1. Write a cover page to an annual financial report that will be sent to shareholders of an agribusiness.
2. Write a 1-page mock press release detailing the benefits of a new agricultural product.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Create a multi-media advertisement that can be streamed on a social media platform. Share the project in class.
2. Select an agricultural commodity and develop a presentation detailing the current sales and communication methods utilized for that commodity group. Present the discoveries in class.

Ahearne, M. & Manning, G. (2023). Selling Today: Partnering to Create Value. Pearson, 15th. 9780137962907.

Zero Cost Textbook

Anonymous. The Power of Selling. (OER). https://biz.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Marketing/The_Power_of_Selling

Ag Business And Related Serv.

Agriculture (Masters Required)