One of the challenges most commonly expressed by medical sales representatives these days is the issue of reduced access to customers. They cite a policy where hospitals no longer grant salespeople free access to employees. They also imply that physicians and other health care customers are dismissive by saying things such as, “Product selection is […]
The rules of medical selling have changed in most segments of the industry. Where it used to be possible to ingratiate a customer with a nice meal or a weekend at a resort, there is now little that you can do outside of providing a great product, providing great service and saying thank you. Or […]
I wrote an article back in 2006, What Happens When You Can’t Even Buy a Customer Lunch, that discusses the implications of the AdvaMed (Advanced Medical Technology Association) Code of Ethics for Interaction with Health Care Professionals. Effective since January 2004, it eliminated financial (or gastronomic) inducements (other than what is incidental to normal business) […]
There is a mixed-blessing to earning commissions through recurring business. The plus side is the continuous selling of product with the associated steady flow of income. The potential downside is losing focus on expanding the customer base and product mix; in other words, you stop growing, become complacent and start coasting. Medical sales is hard, […]
An article headline in CNN Money should grab the attention of any medical sales professional: “Doctors Going Broke.” Factors such as declining insurance reimbursements plus rising business and drug costs are creating a serious cash crunch for physicians in private practice. These include family practitioners, oncologist, and cardiologists. Many doctors can’t make payroll without tapping […]
If there was a dictionary where you could look up the term “medical sales professional,” you would see John’s picture. John was one of the best medical sales professionals I ever met. He personified motivation in that he awoke at 4:00am every day to read journals, study product literature, and educate himself about the medical […]