The most common challenge I’m asked to address during live presentations, workshops, and that I receive numerous emails and phone calls about is, “How do I get past the gatekeeper?” I’m happy to help. I’ve written about it. Shot a video about it. I often spend a couple of hours discussing it and addressing it […]
One of my closest friends had a friend named Lou. I got to know Lou over the years and there is only one phrase that comes to mind when I think of Lou—Piece of Work! Lou is a big guy, a former professional hockey player who often greeted you by lifting you off the ground […]
Last Wednesday, I called a friend of mine who is a medical products distributor up in the northeast. I said, “Charlie, did you hear about the commotion in the Emergency Room last night at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway, New Jersey? Charlie acted concerned. “Did one of my salesmen skip checking into purchasing […]
American Airlines filed for bankruptcy this week. I live in an aviation community where many of my neighbors fly for American. Needless to say, they are worried about their jobs and their pensions and they’re not very happy. If you fly on American, you are likely to sense some of what the employees are feeling […]
I get frequent calls from students graduating from college who want to know how to land a job in medical sales. Recently, I had a call from a young man named Shane, who asked me some questions. I don’t think he liked my answers. Shane asked, “Where is the best place to send my resume […]
Aside from technology, I don’t change things much. I’ve had the same car for six years, the same house for thirteen years, and both the same watch and the same wife for 25 years (and the wife is much more dependable than the watch!). The last sales job I had in the medical device industry […]
Last week, three executives for a major orthopedic trauma company received jail sentences for their roles in the company’s promotion of unauthorized use of a product. Nobody thought that the punishment would extend beyond fines but it’s clear that DOJ wants to send a message to the industry. Sales representatives know the approved indications for […]
This week, I experienced something in the aviation world that transfers directly to medical sales. As a pilot, I’m required to complete a flight review in my airplane every two years to keep my license current and my insurance company happy. I fly often and I have always regarded the flight review as a mere […]
The medical sales landscape is changing, and medical sales professionals need to change along with it. A recent article in Orthopedics Today pointed out that the surgeon product-champion is waning in the new era of healthcare reform. The experts quoted in the article stated that this is not a temporary situation, but the new normal […]
Have healthcare customers been influenced by “the perks” of the business? As we all know, some have been while others have not. When the AdvaMed (Advanced Medical Technology Association) Code of Ethics for Interaction with Health Care Professionals became effective in January 2004, it changed the way many medical device and pharmaceutical companies did business. Prior to that […]
President Obama’s new healthcare plan has some people cheering, some people angry, and a myriad of predictions as to how it will affect America’s future. Since no one has a crystal ball, it’s hard to say for sure how people who sell to healthcare will be affected, but we do know that there will be […]