BA 171 - Agricultural Sales

3 Credits
Outline Effective Date: 2022 Fall Version 25
Revised: May 2, 2025
Approved: May 6, 2025

Lecture Hours: 42

Course Description:
BA 171 is an examination of the personal qualities and skills required of an agricultural salesperson. The course includes exploration of the motivations underlying the buying decision, the techniques and theory utilized in the preparation of the sales presentation, and a review of the elements of a sales plan. Role-playing and case studies are used to demonstrate sales and leadership techniques.

Rationale:
This is a required course for Agribusiness and Crop Technology students. Almost everyone is engaged in both a selling and a supervisory role … at home, at recreation, at the workplace. Selling is determining another individual’s needs and demonstrating how ones product best satisfies those needs. Salespeople work through other people and demonstrate skills such as communicating, planning, organizing, and evaluating.

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to

apply theoretical and practical communication concepts to build and maintain business relationships with various stakeholders in the agriculture industry.
evaluate client needs and expectations, apply professional selling techniques, and execute the mechanics of the sales cycle to contribute to growth in sales.
implement accurate and effective brand knowledge within a sales role.
demonstrate self-efficacy, motivation, and ethical decision making while developing efficient, bold, and reflective practices within a sales role.
recognize the importance and functions of recruiting, training, organizing, motivating, and evaluating the salesperson.

Required Resource Materials:
Handout materials may be provided throughout the term to clarify or supplement the textbook and simulation exercises.

On-line resource material is available through the D2L course site.

Optional Resource Materials:
None

Conduct of Course:
This course consists of approximately 42 hours of lecture periods. To enhance the experiential setting of this course and to stimulate discussion and thought, this class is composed of both interactive lectures and group sessions. Because most of the sessions are focused around group work, attendance is critical to individual and group success in the course.

Class discussions are conducted on the assumption that each student has adequately prepared the required material in advance.

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports.

Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours will be required to withdraw and will automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade).
An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

NOTE: Any exceptions to the above attendance policy (e.g. timetable conflicts, work-related issues) must be approved in writing by the Department Chair prior to the beginning of the course.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. with the potential for evening courses, exams or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:
Part 1: Why sales and you as a communicator

Part 2: Become the hunter

Part 3: Promoting/becoming the brand

Part 4: Becoming the pro

Part 5: Top performer
Course Assessments:
The final grade is an aggregate of the following components:

Quizzes	20%
Assignments	30%
Project	15%
Sales Scenario	10%
Final Presentation	25%
Total	100%

All assignments must be submitted on time. No grade is assigned for late quizzes or exercises.

Official final grades will be available on My Lakeland. Grades posted in D2L should be considered interim grades.
“Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College policies and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.”

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Letter	F	D	D+	C-	C	C+	B-	B	B+	A-	A	A+
Percent Range	0-49	50-52	53-56	57-59	60-64	65-69	70-74	75-79	80-84	85-89	90-94	95-100
Points	0.00	1.00	1.30	1.70	2.00	2.30	2.70	3.00	3.30	3.70	4.00	4.00

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

Copyright©LAKELAND COLLEGE.
2602 - 59 Avenue, Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada T9V 3N7. Ph: 780 871 5700
5707 College Drive, Vermilion, Alberta, Canada T9X 1K5. Ph: 780 853 8400
Toll-free in Canada: 1 800 661 6490 E-mail: admissions@lakelandcollege.ca

Here at Lakeland College, we acknowledge that the land we gather on is the traditional homeland, hunting, and ceremonial gathering places of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit. The Plains Cree, Woodland Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux people have practiced their culture and languages on Treaty 6 and Métis Region 2 territories for generations and were the original caretakers of this land. Many First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples call this land home today and have done so for millennia. We would like to acknowledge the history we have created together on this land, and to be thankful for the opportunity to walk together side-by-side in friendship, learning from our past, and promoting positive relationships for the past, present and future.