A Medical Rep’s How-to Guide: Making the Most of Your Time
By: Command.App
Tags: Technology, Medical, Medical Devices, Customer Experience, Digital

In the world of medical sales, no two days ever look the same. One day you could be talking with a surgeon who just left the operating room and the next day you find yourself sitting down with HR staff. The variety of clients and relationships you develop as a medical sales representative are extremely diverse. Finding ways to create a message that resonates with each of these people and adapting your presentation for the point of contact you are talking with is key to being successful in the world of medical sales.

Throughout a single workday, a medical sales rep could be talking with up to ten different people who have purchasing power. Every individual customer will be responsive to different types of messaging and different aspects of the presentation will resonate more so than others. With so many different variables, how do you make the most of your time in front of each type of medical professional?

It’s the Scout Motto: Be Prepared

Before even stepping foot in front of the customer, you MUST be an expert on every aspect of the product AND an expert on the different job roles you are presenting to. Knowing what features of the product that each position finds important will help you better navigate the conversation. Once it is clear who you are presenting to and where they find value in the product, it becomes easier to shape the presentation strategy.

However, what happens when the surgeon you were supposed to meet with gets pulled into an emergency surgery? You’re already there and there’s no time to reschedule. Having the ability to turn on a dime and still be successful in front of whoever you are presenting to is what can set you apart from all other competition.

Understanding and preparing for the potential challenges a medical sales rep may face helps to avoid running into unfavorable outcomes. Here’s a list of potential challenges and ways to work through them before you even step foot in front of the customer.

Timeliness: Time is of the essence when it comes to interacting with a medical professional. There is a lot of information that needs to resonate in a very small window of time. You can’t get caught digging through files and folders of information to locate the answer to very specific questions. Doctors and nurses need the information on the spot. Having an organized and intuitive presentation strategy will best prepare reps to face the challenges of time constraints.

Time is of the essence when it comes to interacting with a medical professional. There is a lot of information that needs to resonate in a very small window of time. You can’t get caught digging through files and folders of information to locate the answer to very specific questions. Doctors and nurses need the information on the spot. Having an organized and intuitive presentation strategy will best prepare reps to face the challenges of time constraints. Evolution in Technology: The pharmaceutical industry is always evolving, therefore the reps need to be able to keep up with constantly changing product information. The ability to update and change presentation materials whenever necessary is an imperative aspect of staying relevant in this field. Change is inevitable, so developing a plan early on with how to deal with the ebb and flow of information keeps reps from struggling when it comes time to make adjustments.

The pharmaceutical industry is always evolving, therefore the reps need to be able to keep up with constantly changing product information. The ability to update and change presentation materials whenever necessary is an imperative aspect of staying relevant in this field. Change is inevitable, so developing a plan early on with how to deal with the ebb and flow of information keeps reps from struggling when it comes time to make adjustments. Competition: Knowing your value proposition and where you stand out amongst your competitors can help you capitalize on those aspects when in front of the customer. Being able to make comparisons between your product and the competitor’s and also give examples of why you are superior instills confidence in the product. Presenting data to back up these claims is a very impactful way to capture the customer’s attention.

Knowing your value proposition and where you stand out amongst your competitors can help you capitalize on those aspects when in front of the customer. Being able to make comparisons between your product and the competitor’s and also give examples of why you are superior instills confidence in the product. Presenting data to back up these claims is a very impactful way to capture the customer’s attention. Depth of Information: Having the ability to hit all touchpoints throughout your presentation will best prepare you to address any questions, concerns, or aspirations from the customer. Medical professionals want to know every detail about the product before they use it on patients, so being able to answer any question builds confidence in the product and reassures the customer of its value.

Having the ability to hit all touchpoints throughout your presentation will best prepare you to address any questions, concerns, or aspirations from the customer. Medical professionals want to know every detail about the product before they use it on patients, so being able to answer any question builds confidence in the product and reassures the customer of its value. Confidence: No medical professional will believe in your product if you don’t believe in your product first. Walking into the presentation with the utmost confidence in what your product can deliver is extremely reassuring to the customer. Especially in medical sales, when the product can be a matter of life and death, having persistence and confidence in what your product can deliver is an important aspect to remember.

Taking time NOW to work through ways to avoid these dilemmas will set you up for long-term success. So, you may be wondering…once you have a plan in place, what can you do to maximize your time in front of your customers? Use technology to help you achieve your goals, namely a mobile app platform that works on the device you currently use. With tested strategies and an easy-to-use, interactive presentation platform, everything you need to be successful in front of a customer can be at your fingertips.

Choosing to onboard a platform to organize your presentation materials can increase your effectiveness and help you to close more deals. Your number one priority should be demonstrating to the customer how your product can fulfill their needs. There is no reason to waste any more time trying to work through presentation glitches or find the answers to tough questions. Instead, work harder on generating more leads or meeting with more clients.

As a medical sales rep, you hold a lot of responsibility and there are a lot of people who trust your judgment. Properly communicating your level of expertise on your products can ease the minds of medical professionals. The way you present your materials is just as important as the material itself. The number one thing to remember about making the most of your time in front of medical professionals is to be able to tailor your presentation directly to their specific needs and do it as quickly and efficiently as possible. Utilizing a mobile app platform gives you the flexibility and the assets to do just that.

Command.App is a customer engagement platform designed for situational selling. No matter who you are meeting with, the presentation can be catered to what each individual customer is looking for. Have confidence in uncertain situations knowing everything you need to answer any questions that can be found on one localized platform.

Click HERE to learn more about situational navigation and how Command.App prepares you for any interaction.