Article
A good salesperson helps make better decisions – Evamaria Ingves shares her thoughts on the Best Seller Competition
5.5.2025
Visma Life
Article
A good salesperson helps make better decisions – Evamaria Ingves shares her thoughts on the Best Seller Competition
Visma Life
5.5.2025
A good salesperson helps make better decisions – Evamaria Ingves shares her thoughts on the Best Seller Competition
Visma Life
5.5.2025
Article
A good salesperson helps make better decisions – Evamaria Ingves shares her thoughts on the Best Seller Competition
Visma Life
5.5.2025
Article
A good salesperson helps make better decisions – Evamaria Ingves shares her thoughts on the Best Seller Competition
Visma Life
May 5, 2025
The Best Seller Competition is open to all higher education institutions in Finland, aiming to enhance and promote professional sales skills. The annual B2B sales competition for university students is organized by Haaga-Helia and Turku University of Applied Sciences.
Visma Solutions proudly participated as the main partner, especially given Visma's recent collaboration agreement with Haaga-Helia.
Visma Sign was chosen for the sales simulations
Selecting an easy-to-understand product from Visma Solutions’ offering was crucial, allowing students to sell it effortlessly. Visma Sign, a digital signature solution, was a perfect match for the competition due to its clarity and user-friendliness.
Evamaria Ingves from Visma Solutions describes choosing Visma Sign for the competition as follows: "Visma Sign is a very tangible product whose necessity everyone can relate to. We've all experienced challenges with paper-based contracts, making Visma Sign an obvious choice for the sales competition."
But who is Evamaria Ingves, and what has her career path been like?
Evamaria’s journey at Visma Solutions started already during her studies. She began her studies in Haaga-Helia’s sales program in 2015, and by 2017 she was already working at Visma Solutions. With a family and plenty of previous work experience, Evamaria completed her studies at a fast pace.
"Due to my life circumstances, my student years didn't include the typical parties. I focused strongly on advancing my career and started in a junior position as a Sales Specialist for Netvisor," Evamaria recalls.
Today, Evamaria is the Head of Sales, leading a sales organization of over 60 people.
"I truly enjoy my job. Developing sales is very close to my heart," Evamaria says.
Evamaria’s insights from the Best Seller Competition
Serving as a judge was an intriguing and rewarding experience for Evamaria. The competition reinforced her belief that there is no single right way to succeed in sales.
"The competitors had very different approaches, and it was fantastic to observe. Some relied on strong charisma, while others built trust through clear expertise," Evamaria explains.
Evamaria was delighted to see the participants' enthusiasm and determination. She was especially impressed by how quickly the students grasped the benefits of Visma Sign and presented them convincingly during the sales scenarios.
Reflections from competition day
Evamaria found the competition day personally rewarding and inspiring. Despite it being a long day, it gave her energy and fresh enthusiasm for her own work. She particularly highlights the positive atmosphere and the genuine support teachers and coaches showed for the participants.
"High-quality sales and good interaction are socially valuable skills, and this competition truly promotes them. A good salesperson helps companies make better decisions, benefiting businesses and, ultimately, society as a whole," Evamaria states.
Evamaria Ingves also emphasizes the importance of respecting sales as a profession.
"Sales work is demanding and often involves facing rejection and setbacks. It’s vital to highlight the appreciation sales work deserves. This event provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen the status and respect of sales in Finland," Evamaria says seriously.
Tips from an experienced salesperson to future talents
The competition provided students with a realistic view of actual sales work. Evamaria advises aspiring salespeople to approach their profession patiently and humbly.
"Graduating from school is only the beginning, and learning continues through experiences in working life. It’s important for new salespeople to take the time to develop their skills, starting from smaller projects and gradually increasing their responsibilities," Evamaria advises.
Evamaria also provided personal feedback to the Best Seller Competition participants. She particularly highlighted their excellent interpersonal skills and encouraged them to recognize their strengths and areas for improvement. She also offered practical tips, such as handling nerves and building trust effectively with clients.
"Hunger for success in sales is important, but so is patience. It’s wise to enhance your competence and acknowledge your limitations. A certain humility towards one's professional skills isn't submission but intelligent self-awareness," Evamaria reflects deeply.
The value of partnership in the competition
Evamaria Ingves strongly encourages anyone considering participation in the competition.
"The Best Seller Competition provides a safe and supportive environment to boldly test your limits and learn new things. This competition is an excellent springboard for a future career in sales," Evamaria advises.
From Visma Sign’s perspective, participation was equally valuable. As the main partner, the product gained positive visibility, and the company had the chance to connect with potential new employees.
"This was a great opportunity for us to support the development of sales as a profession and to meet the stars of the future," Evamaria sums up the value of participating.
Jakson kuvaus
afterIT
