Medical sales is full of yes-reps. They show a level of agreement with almost everything their prospects and customers say.

Why?

One reason is because doctors and other HCPs are experts. It takes confidence to ask true experts to consider another point of view.

Another reason is to avoid friction, based on the rep’s belief that HCPs might not like them if they feel like the sales rep is challenging them.

Your true job as a medical sales professional is to get healthcare stakeholders to think differently about their clinical approaches and processes to improve patient outcomes and meet practice/hospital mandates.

This means the stakeholder’s thinking MUST be challenged.

But here’s the great part…

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.

In fact, you shouldn’t be, because you’re a sales professional, NOT a medical professional.

Challenge their thinking by sharing how the clinician’s colleagues are taking a different approach.

Your job is not to agree or disagree, but merely to share a different perspective.

The purpose is to open a conversation to explore their thoughts about a different approach or solution.

Ask relevant questions and truly listen. You’ll develop a better understanding of the prospect, and if appropriate, how to best position your solution.

Great medical reps know how to challenge the status quo with their prospects and customers respectfully and constructively.

Yes-reps can’t do that.

The job isn’t to make doctors and other HCPs like you; the job is to make them think.

Don’t be a yes-rep.