In this episode of Sales Talk Radio, hosts Dr. Haley Hardman and John Ney from Idaho State University's College of Business spotlight the winners of their annual student sales contest, sponsored by Aflac. The conversation features Natalie Ori, who took first place in the individual competition, and Richard Barnes and Hannah Westbrook, who won the team category—with Hannah also recognized as best buyer and Richard placing third individually.
Natalie shares her experience selling supplemental insurance to real Aflac employees, emphasizing how the high-stakes, real-world scenario pushed her outside her comfort zone and offered valuable networking with industry professionals. Richard and Hannah recount their creative team sales scenario, role-playing an engagement ring sale to a challenging buyer persona, “Bridezilla,” and discuss the importance of handling objections and adapting to customer personalities.
Throughout the episode, the hosts and guests highlight the contest’s value as both a learning experience and a recruiting opportunity, with industry judges actively seeking new talent. The episode offers insights into experiential sales education and celebrates the achievements of ISU’s standout students.
