According to
a 2017 ePharma Physicians annual study, 51 percent of doctors surveyed said
they were already aware of the information medical sales reps were offering.
The study — now in its 15th year — surveyed 1,814 physicians in a variety of
specialties.
Luckily,
there are some ways you can revamp your medical sales pitches, regain physician
interest, and continue to generate leads and revenue. Here is a look at how you
can keep up with the times and stay one step ahead with your sales methods:
1. Be the first to know medical sales news,
trends, and tech
You’re busy
during the day making sales and chasing leads. Still, it’s important to make
time to ensure you’re in tune with the latest news and trends. Subscribe to
industry journals and newsletters. Attend workshops and webinars. Make
professional development and continuing education a priority.
In addition,
you should take every opportunity to use cutting edge tech that will make your
job easier.
Tech Tools
for Medical Sales Reps
- You’re likely already
using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. CRMs feature a
‘one-glance’ view of clients and where they are in the sales process.
Advanced CRMs offer a higher level of data collection, including
marketplace trends and opportunities for increased sales.
- Sales Enablement Tools
(SET) are used together with CRM software. SETs allow medical sales reps
to further personalize the business relationship. They can also help
identify new leads. Populars SETs include Amacus, Infer, Teradata, and
more.
- Mobile platforms (apps)
make it easy for you to demonstrate products through video. You can also
easily start a video conference with satisfied customers to get expert
testimonials. Note-taking/dictation apps will cut down on the time you
spend taking notes, so you can focus more on building a professional
relationship with your clients.
2. Tailor meetings to physician preference
There’s no
one-size-fits-all solution to client meetings. You should be open to using the
method of communication that best suits physicians.
The
face-to-face meetings traditional reps, like April, are used to won’t ever go
away, but it’s important to explore other ways of reaching out to clients. This
might include any combination of phone calls, video conferences, email, mobile
alerts, speaker programs, and even direct mail.
In fact, a
2016 Access Monitor study found that 35 percent of physicians are receptive to
digital communication. The study polled 40,000 medical sales reps to determine
how they interact with clients. Some doctors said they actually prefer digital
communication since it saves time and is often easier to schedule.
You should
also make a point to tailor each presentation to the specific client. In a 2017
Bridge Group Inside Sales Report, 80 percent of physicians said they don’t want
to hear a generic or “canned” pitch.
The study
also found that 38 percent of doctors will engage in either personal or
non-personal sessions, but not both. This trend further proves that you need to
be flexible.
3. Adjust presentations if the information is
already known
Given the
trends April has uncovered, she’s started to keep a “Plan B,” in case the
client is already aware of the information she brought to a meeting.
As a medical
sales rep in an ever-changing industry, you must be able to skip irrelevant
information. Don’t stick to a script. You should always have other information
available to keep the physician’s interest.
You don’t
get to be a top medical sales earner (and stay that way) by accident. It takes
effort and determination.
Establish a
drive to always be the first to know industry news and trends. Make client
meetings personal. Always be able to adjust presentations on a moment’s notice.
These are the things that create increased engagement and build lasting
professional relationships.
