So, you’ve worked in sales before and maybe didn’t see the results (or commission) you hoped for. Perhaps it’s time to move on to selling medical devices and supplies.
But how do you get started, and what are the best ways to sell high-ticket items in demand? Keep reading to find out.
1. Understand Regulations
First, you will need to be up to date on local and federal regulations. These are necessary for medical devices and supplies as they help heal patients and get them back to their lives.
To do this, you want to:
- Be sure that your company is registered with the proper regulatory bodies.
- Keep track of changes within local and federal level regulations. If you or your company are not, you may be fined.
- Ensure all your products meet applicable standards to help healthcare providers and patients.
2. Understand Your Customer
Much of what separates a sub-par salesperson from a great one in medical device and supplies sales is a complete and comprehensive understanding of their customer.
When you are looking to better define who your ideal audience is, consider the following:
- What facility are you pitching to (hospital, clinics, size, geography, specializations), and what are they looking for?
- Who are the physicians and patients in the healthcare setting you are targeting?
- Who are the decision-makers at this facility?
- What is their role in their company?
- What goals are they seeking?
- What obstacles are they most likely to run into in their job?
- What inspires them?
- What is their buying process?
- Where do they look for information?
The more narrow and specific your targeted customer is, the better the chances you can pitch and sell them your devices and supplies.
3. Understand Your Products
You are the authority on your product, and you need to know its purpose. You personally may not be using this product on patients, but you will want to know how a surgeon or other medical professional will use it.
Once you are assigned a new project or device, study how it functions and why it’s necessary. The more you know, the more confidence you can instill in your prospects, making them more likely to buy.
4. Demonstrate Your Products
Presenting large and expensive devices or equipment live can be challenging, especially when it's important for healthcare professionals to interact with the equipment firsthand. This hands-on experience is a crucial factor in converting prospects into customers.
You want to allow them to see how the device feels, if they believe they can use it, and if they are willing to put time and energy into learning a new tool.
If you cannot bring the equipment to them, consider using advanced technology to create the following:
Medical Animation
You can show these in-depth videos in person and also online. This can be used repeatedly and displayed on your webpage, tablets, and laptops brought to in-office appointments.
Augmented Reality
AR is similar to virtual reality. However, the artificial images are overlaid atop images of what already exists in physical space.
Originally healthcare professionals were hesitant to use this technique, but now augmented reality is expected to be the fastest growing of this technology, estimated at 56.9% of the global market.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is a wholly fabricated experience where your prospect can see precisely what you want them to see when you want them to see it.
This is a great way to place them in an operating room and see how the product works to improve patient prognosis and help avoid patient complications.
5. Add Value to Your Product
Adding value to your product is more than explaining what it can do. Instead, you want to show improvements and value based on performance metrics to add value to the product — this includes metrics such as:
- Improved patient care
- Decreased 30-day readmission rates
- Reduction in length of hospital stays
- Patient complications
- Reduced costs (for both healthcare facility and patient)
In medical device and supplies sales, your company grows when your clients do, and they grow based on patient satisfaction. Don’t forget to add value to their patients and their own lives.
6. Use Available Technologies
Utilize recent technological advancements to better market and sell your medical device and supplies. Consider the following avenues to improve your performance:
Most working professionals use LinkedIn to network and follow trends and other news-worthy updates to their field to stay on top of everything they need to know. If you are using LinkedIn, be sure to share informative information.
Automation
Marketing automation drives 28% better sales productivity, and by using product automation, you can increase sales by up to 50%.
Call-to-Action
When you post on social media or your website, even when sending out emails, you want to include call-to-action prompts on each page, which will help direct prospects to join your newsletter or even provide appointments for free consultations.
This will help drive prospects further down the sales funnel.
7. Build Rapport
When you communicate a physician’s pain points in their language, you are more easily trusted and identified as a knowledgeable authority. Be friendly and knowledgeable so your prospects view you more as a trusted guide than a salesperson.
By building this rapport, you will likely be able to identify pain points as they arise. Potential pain points you should consider are:
- Diagnosis volume
- Procedures volume
- Quality performance metrics
8. Build Relationships
There are multiple ways that you should build relationships with prospective customers. Some strategies are more passive, while others require standing up and starting a conversation with a cold lead.
Consider the following ways to build trusting and long-lasting relationships with potential customers.
You can build relationships online via:
- Personalized emails
- Webinars (Video Content): Live Q&A sessions can help you learn more about your audience while they learn more about you.
To build relationships in person, the following may come in handy:
- Networking events
- Trade shows
- Sales conventions
Sales conventions specifically can be an excellent way to implement new technological advances such as augmented and virtual reality and also allows you to set up your actual equipment and give in-person demonstrations
9. Tell a Story
While you need to use the metrics listed above to add to your sales pitch, you don’t want it to just be about numbers.
You want to appeal to the reason why those in healthcare joined the field by using story-telling techniques. It’s easy to forget numbers but much harder to ignore their real-world application.
Many of those who entered the healthcare field do it so they can help patients live longer and better lives. 95% of purchasing decisions are based on emotion. Play on those emotions when describing the necessity for your device or products.
10. Be Engaged Throughout the Entire Sales Cycle
Once you have entered one, two, or maybe ten touchpoints within your sales cadence, you may want to give up. However, this is not the decision you should make if you plan to sell medical devices and supplies successfully.
Instead, you should follow up as often as you can. If you don’t, you never allow the prospect to give you a firm no, and instead, you let them passively lose interest. When someone reaches out to you or engages in posts you have on the internet, you want to follow up with them immediately while you are still at the top of their minds.
However, sales representatives need help with this. In fact, 24% of firms take more than 24 hours to react, and 23% don’t react at all. Reply promptly and with appropriate information.
Once you have successfully converted a prospect, lead, or customer, the work doesn’t end there. Most companies' successes are based on long-term customers rather than constantly generating new business.
You want to be consistently accessible to answer questions and concerns and help guide prospects to make the right decision.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Selling medical devices and supplies is a challenging feat. However, if you are professional, willing to learn, and ready to work, you will likely find satisfaction and success in the industry.
If you have worked in sales before, this isn’t much different. You are still looking to build rapport and relationships with your prospects and customers by being knowledgeable, reliable, and outgoing.
Sources:
5 Keys to Selling Medical Devices | Psychreg
7 Effective Strategies To Sell Medical Devices To Hospitals And IDNs
6 Strategies to Engage Prospects for Medical Device Company Sales