Entrepreneurial Edge: Harnessing AI to Revolutionize Sales with Creative Intelligence - Project Summary

Students engage in a multi-week sales project, using Generative AI to develop sales strategies while considering ethical implications.

Challenge (or Opportunity) // Many universities don't specifically teach the sales process. However, creating and applying innovative sales strategies can enhance an emerging entrepreneur's confidence, reach more segments of the target market, and speed up organic growth of the company. Sales skills are often best acquired through hands-on experience, involving trial and error, reflection, and adaptation.

Proposed solution // Through a multi-week, course-based assignment, students are engaging in a creative-approach to the sales process. Inspired by the 'one red paperclip' project, each student was provided one paperclip during the first week of class. They spent the past week 'trading up' for progressively bigger and better items, articulating their lessons learned along the way. Moving forward is where it gets really interesting! They will continue to trade up over the next few weeks, utilizing Generative AI as their sales coach, creative partner, and tool to boost trades (aka sales) to levels they never knew were possible! A discussion of ethical use of AI as a sales tool will be integrated.

Delivery
1. Get the trading (sales) process started without the aid of AI. Reflect on what worked for the sequential trades (sales), as well as where and what obstacles surfaced.
2. Add AI to the mix of the trading (sales) process, encouraging students to use the technology to help write compelling product descriptions, identify aspirational 'one-level-up' trades, and develop previously unconsidered trading strategies.
3. Each week students will share how AI helped (or hindered) their trading (sales) process.
4. Integrate a classroom roundtable discussion on any unanticipated ethical dilemmas during the assignment, focusing on the ethical use of AI as a sales tool.

Outcomes // Better skills in sales with our emerging entrepreneurs!