BY TOM BARNES
Having completed a number of successful years in medical device sales I feel extremely fortunate for having been presented with the opportunity of a Territory Sales Manager role early in my career. It wasn’t an industry I was really aware of until I was contacted by a recruitment consultant informing me of the job opening. As I learned more about it leading up my interview I was completely hooked. I had a strong sales background however I thought I was going to struggle getting into the industry as my degree wasn’t technical or science related. To my joy the sales achievements were enough to get my foot in the door. Fast forward a number of years and I was recently asked by an experienced sales professional what it takes to be successful in medical device sales. There are of course a number of skills that all sales professionals should develop (list here) however looking at specifics for the medical device industry I would say these are my top 5 tips:
1) Always Act in the Interest of the Patient – If I were to give someone just one piece of advice going into medical device sales this would be it. Remembering this will determine your actions and the surgical team will pick up on this. This can at times mean recommending a surgeon use a simpler less expensive product from your range as it would be better for that specific patient. In some instances your surgeon may even have a case where you know a competitor product is going to be much better for the patient, maybe it has a unique feature specific to this indication. Gain credibility by letting the surgeon know. This commitment to the patient will be remembered, appreciated and rewarded in the long run. Putting the patient first will also mean you do everything the surgical team want you to including training of staff, maintaining stock, having back up options, covering cases, and not being a nuisance in theatre. This way of approaching the job will also ensure you’re never afraid of speaking up in theatres when a potential problem hasn’t been spotted.
2) Know Your Products and Procedures – People buy from people however a surgical team want more than just a friendly face in theatres with them. Knowing everything about your product and how it is used is going to make you a valuable part of a surgical team. Being able to pre-empt a surgeon is going to allow you to help the scrub nurse work quicker reducing anaesthesia time. Knowing the product in-depth is also going to help you give solid advice to the surgeon and also provide options when things don’t go smoothly. Be a resource.
3) Be Curious – Having an interest and curiosity about healthcare is going to help you build relationships and learn. You need to…READ THE REST HERE
