What Qualities Make a Great Medical Device Sales Rep

Diligent.

Positive.

Engaging.

Convincing.

You know the normal ones… and then there are these…

Innovator.

Strategist.

Ruthless Competitor.

Out-of-the-Box Thinker.

The first 4 are some of the typical adjectives thrown around when discussing the personality of any kind of sales rep.

The second 4 are adjectives that describe the “rainmakers” in the medical device sales industry. They are often misunderstood.  Sometimes perceived as arrogant. Sometimes the marketing department doesn’t like them because they don’t fully embrace the message marketing wants distributed.  You know the people we’re talking about… they stick out.

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There is one thing though that everyone notices about these reps. You can always see the “wheels” turning.  These reps never stop thinking of ways to differentiate themselves, and many times it’s not to differentiate themselves from competitors as much as it is that they just want to be several steps ahead… of everyone.

Like any commission-based work, the ledger of your success is measured by the amount of time you put into it and the connections you build in the field.  But these medical device reps don’t take it a step further, they take it a mile further (for example, they help build physician referrals to solidify their base of business and lock out competitors).

As a medical device sales rep, you are responsible for doing your own research, making the in-person visits, closing deals, and following up with existing customers to make sure no opportunity is left untapped. Even though prospects are bright for 2018, the competition is still so fierce that failing to be a Leader in your sales strategy means losing customers. So, no, it’s not the product that is holding you back – it’s the approach you take to your work. There are multiple characteristics that separate a great medical device sales rep from an average medical device sales rep, including:

An Ability to Make the Most Out of First Impressions

 Making a great first impression might sound like an old adage you could apply to anything in life. That’s because it is.

It is especially important in the medical device sales industry because customers make decisions quickly and take ages to change their mind.  The Rainmaker’s in this business do their homework (ie. what product(s) does the physician currently use?  Does this physician see every rep that offers a free lunch?  Is it worth my time? What competitors does this physician, or has this physician, done research or consulting work with? And these are just a few…)

A sales rep worth their stripes will know how to get their point across quickly, know what is important to the physician clinically and in business while showing their product off effortlessly. What does that mean in practice? It means prolonging your first presentation until you are fully prepared. It means doing the hard research to find out exactly what the customer or prospect needs, including the history of the hospital and its stakeholders. It means developing a set of contingency plans so that when you walk into a sales presentation you can engage the customer at different levels and make it hard for them to say no. They create the environment where the potential customer has a really hard time saying no.  This seems like it could take forever right?  Maybe not…

Knowing How to Stay One Step Ahead of the Sale

Foresight is key in the industry because opportunity is precious. A great sales rep knows they need an excellent medical device sales tool like ProSellus at their disposal to isolate targets and map out interactions with key players involved in the sale. They also know to contact all parties involved beforehand to ensure the deal goes through. Connecting with other manufacturers, distributors, and various parties at the hospital during the discussion stage is a great way to push the deal along and keep everyone on the same page.

Also, part of staying ahead means solving roadblocks and creating value on the way to success. A great sales rep knows how to open doors and influence key stakeholders to ensure nothing gets held up in the transnational process. Your Rainmaker’s create an environment where NO is never the final answer.

A Thorough Follow-Up Plan

The follow-up plan is your insurance. All too often, sales reps take a flimsy approach to the follow-up. As most of you know, selling your product is only part of the deal in this business. The service required to keep customers happy and coming back to you is paramount.  A great sales rep is the one that is thinking several steps ahead, that means clinically and sometimes, equally as important, in business. They are viewed as the true experts in the market.  Keep in mind… I didn’t say expert only about their product… I said the entire market.

Lastly, if you would like to talk more about the Qualities to that the best Medical Devices Salespeople posses or if you’d like to hear more about the ProSellus Healthcare “Non”-CRM, feel free to check us out at blog.prosellus.com

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