All Blog Posts Tagged 'selling skills' (44)

The past few weeks have been an interesting experience and a lesson in terms of “what good does not look like” in the wonderful world of customer service.  Here is the situation.  I am in the midst of trying to move some retirement $ around and have been doing so for the better part of 3 weeks.  Let’s be more specific.  I want to do business with this particular company and they will not call me back.…

Hi everyone! 

I thought I would start a blog and have everyone contribute their thoughts on how they get around the "gatekeeper" to make the sale. Having a few great tips from talented people on this network might benefit everyone.

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10.   Things are never as bad as they seem. (Nor as perfect)  Keep grinding, smiling and prospecting!

9.   Don’t spend so much time trying to be liked by everyone in the (OR) and offices.  It is important to be liked but it is as important to be respected by your customers too.  Are you adding value?  Keep asking yourself that question.…

1.     Thou shalt not covet specific surgeons.  Too many reps get fixed on winning specific accounts/hospitals that they become emotionally attached. You hinge all of  your hopes and dreams on that…one…surgeon/hospital.  Here’s a tip: don’t. Think instead about your overall territory’s quality. “Build it will right and it will come”.…

This past weekend, I had the good fortune of spending 3 hours with my eight year old daughter at the local mall.  This trip was different because our mission was to sell Girl Scout cookies.  I have sold many things in my life but never Girl Scout cookies.  What happens before we arrive is where the story gets interesting.  I could not help but notice her preparation for the day.  She got up early, did a quick inventory of her supplies and…

As sales professionals we have many tools at our disposal to educate ourselves on how to be better in the field.

Today I would like to discuss a simple approach to the sales process for anyone that may be struggling or new to the field:

A - Approach (This is your first step and it is the most crucial, we all know that first impressions are everything. You as a Representative are first and…

If you spend a day with a highly accomplished medical sales person then you are probably going to hear that one of their primary drivers for success is cultivating surgeon relationships.  It is a rather obvious point but there is certainly more to this story. You will hear such things as “champion, KOL, thought leader, advocate, race horse, Big Dog and a host of other terms of endearment.

They will tell you that they possess the unique ability to…

I have not had much success selling people stuff they did not want or need.  When I sold in the high-tech space, I had much more success with companies and individuals who had a need for the solution that I was selling.  When selling medical devices, I had my best results with surgeons who had a sincere interest in my products that enhanced the quality of care for their patients.  I was not a private detective but I began to see a pattern. 

If this makes sense to you thus far, then it…

What is the stereotypical view of a “salesman?” Isn’t it that used car stereotype where some guy in a cheap suit walks out and says something to the effect of “If…

We’re very familiar with Evidence Based Medicine.  Everyone we sell to talks about using outcomes and evidence as a major criteria in their decision making process.  How many of us in sales are using Evidence…

As they say, the definition of insanity is repeating a behavior with the expectation of different results. Although we have all heard this before, many times it is too easy to continue with the same old routines and the…

How many times have you heard the adage: “work smarter, not harder?” One way to work smarter is to leverage the concept of efficiency.



OK – what is “efficiency” in selling?



Remember the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears? The first porridge one was too hot, the next was too cold and the third was just right? That is the concept of efficiency! There is too much, too little or just right. We want to find “just…

Everyone knows Sales is a relationship driven profession. Most often we think of relationships relative to our customers but there are others you should be considering, too. Those on the inside of your organization are crucial to your success but can often end up overlooked and underappreciated.



Some of the most impactful relationships on one’s career and ability to succeed are those within our own organizations.…

Desperate times call for desperate measures. During such times you need to step out of your comfort zone and do something that you would never consider otherwise. Sometimes you need to poke the bear!



Despite our best efforts there are times when a customer simply won’t respond as we think they should. They do not buy or commit when there is no reason not to. They have offered no objections – in fact, they are usually the glad hander who tells you over and…

What would you say if I asked your opinion on the heart of selling? In other words, of all the things we do in our roles as sales professionals, what is the true essence of what we do? Simply put, selling is soliciting a decision by and a commitment from our customers to use the product(s) we represent.…

For the past two weeks I was vacationing with my family. We went camping, which I love to do. I enjoy everything about camping – time with my family, the sights and sounds of nature and all the new experiences that come with travel.



Now I know that everyone is not a camping enthusiast. It is beyond my understanding as to why this is the case, but I do accept it. I am also convinced that not all sales professionals love being in sales. I have an even harder…

When we think of ongoing professional sales development or sales training, the focus is on almost always on skill sets designed to enhance our communication with customers. We focus on persuasive abilities, probing strategies and closing techniques. While all of these are important, failure to account for the logistics of the sale can kill a deal that you’ve been working hard to secure.



Logistics refers to the processes that are involved in acquiring,…

Several years ago I was involved in starting a medical sales force within a large international organization. This organization was Marketing driven and spent enormous amounts of money and human energy to understand their market and provide the right messaging to their target audience. More often than not, they did an excellent job of connecting with consumers and consequently they were extremely successful.



Relative to our product focus, they invested heavily in…