How can you get companies genuinely excited about partnering with your sales program? Rob Hammond, Director of the Center for Marketing and Sales Innovation at the University of South Florida, joins us to share how he builds meaningful partnerships between universities and businesses. Instead of treating companies as sponsors or one-time recruiters, he encourages educators to see them as long-term partners who actively contribute to student growth, workforce readiness, and lasting industry impact.

Meet Rob Hammond

• Rob Hammond leads the University of South Florida sales program as Director of the Sales and Marketing Innovation Center.
• After a long career in industry, he brings a practical, product focused approach to sales education. He builds experiential learning opportunities, including top college sales competitions and strong business partnerships.
• His philosophy centers on real world connections between students and companies, helping students gain experience while organizations build lasting relationships and brands through meaningful campus engagement.

Start with Your Value Proposition

• A key idea from this conversation is the importance of clearly defining the value of your program.
• Rob explains that students are the product, and employers are looking for graduates who can contribute from day one.
• When you communicate that value effectively, it becomes much easier to attract business partners who want to engage with your program.

Create Opportunities for Connection

• Rob also shares practical ways to connect students with employers through networking events, classroom visits, internships, sales competitions, and company site visits.
• These experiences allow students to apply what they learn in the classroom while helping employers build relationships with future talent.
• He refers to these interactions as “micro-collisions” that often lead to meaningful opportunities for both students and companies.

Focus on Partnerships, Not Transactions

• Rob reminds us that successful programs are built on partnerships, not hiring quotas.
• Instead of focusing on how many students companies hire, the emphasis should be on helping organizations build their brand on campus and form genuine connections with students who are interested in their mission.

“You have a high-quality product. Be unapologetic about it.” — Rob Hammond

Resources

• Professors interested in curriculum, simulations, lesson plans, and sales education tools can explore Stukent Sales Courseware.

Connect with Rob Hammond on LinkedIn to follow his work in sales education and university–industry partnerships, or reach out directly via email at rwhammond@usf.edu.