MedReps recently sat down with medical sales consultant Scott Moldenhauer, to discuss job prospects in 2013 and find out what sales professionals can do to become more successful this year.
MedReps: Scott, one of the biggest challenges today must be for sales professionals looking to break into the medical sales field. What’s your advice for someone with a decent sales resume looking to make the transition into healthcare?
Scott Moldenhauer: The number one thing for any salesperson is to have a good track record. Keep in mind that hiring managers see a lot of candidates so they want to know that this person can get results, can they make my daily existence better and will they be coachable. Candidate then needs to make sure they stand out by bringing something to the table that no other applicant has – literally bring a portfolio into an interview that contains articles they may have written, awards, letters of recommendation – anything that will show that they can knock it out of the park.
MR: What kinds of specific skills are companies looking for in an applicant that might set them apart from other candidates?
SM: Companies want to know that a candidate is a hard core sales person, whether they have worked in the industry before or not. A hiring manager also wants to know that an applicant will be able to get results, be polished in front of physicians and is a person that is overall pleasant to be around.
MR: What about medical sales people already working in the field – what can they do to become more successful?
SM: I would say that one of the most important things is business acumen, and by that I meant that a medical sales person has to keep up with changes to the industry. They have to know that because of those changes, the healthcare system is basically making the decisions – not physicians. So, it’s a balancing act. A good medical sales person will have to be able to make sure that they are not only selling the best possible product, but one that fits into new financial guidelines and is the most cost effective for patients, hospitals and insurers.
MR: As far as establishing a rapport with clients, what can medical sales professionals do in terms of making the overall relationship better?
SM: Well, it goes back to the last question. Medical sales people have to ask themselves what can they do to make sure the sale makes the most sense for the physician. But, they also have to make sure they are asking all the right questions to close the sale and evaluate if they are really working their territory in the most intelligent way possible.
MR: Can you name some specific challenges facing healthcare sales representatives and what do you do to help motivate them?
SM: One of the biggest challenges will be for a medical sales representative to make sure they are providing the best possible value and to show that they have a physician’s best interest in mind. The other challenge always is getting in the door – if they can show a doctor that their company’s product is of value then the client will be willing to see them more often. As far as motivation goes, no one can motivate a medical sales person, it has to come from them. A good salesperson will always want to learn more about the business. They want to strive to take it to the next level by practicing their pitch, reading more and listening to motivational tapes so that no matter what happens within the industry, they will always be an appealing candidate.
MR: Do you have any predictions for the industry as a whole next year – are there any potential issues that you see that might hurt overall profits or stifle sales?
SM: The key thing to remember is that every year we read negative headlines about doom and gloom and every year the world keeps moving forward. So as far as what’s happening in the industry, medical sales people need to look for opportunities. Sales people need to constantly change their message to fit the times and new challenges. For example, accountable care organizations (ACOs) will be something they will need to understand more of – so they need to ask doctors about their criteria then craft their message to fit those goals.
MR: What can a medical sales person do that will help him/her sell more products?
SM: Again, it goes back to the fundamentals; always make sure they give their clients the best possible value that’s the most cost-effective for patients and the system.
MR: As a consultant, what do you tell managers about what they can do to tackle problems and help their teams perform better?
SM: I find that a lot of teams are simply stuck on the basics of selling. Managers need to go beyond just the benefits of selling to ask specifics like how can my medical sales people get better access to physicians and how can I help my team overcome managed care and cost challenges. They need to look at the broader picture and change the message to fit 2013.
MR: What about the so-called “patent-cliff” Scott? Take for instance Pfizer, which just announced it had to cut 20 percent of its sales force due to the patent loss of Lipitor – how are stories like this affecting morale?
SM: Reps need to be keenly aware of their situation and if they feel there may not be enough growth where they are, to start looking for new opportunities. A good medical sales person can transition into a smaller medical device company, or say from pharma to medical device. It’s about knowing where those opportunities are.
MR: If you could give one last piece of advice to people looking for medical sales jobs and those already working it the field what would it be?
SM: Candidates should look at the job boards to find out who’s hiring, then make personal contact with people within those companies. A good medical sales person will never give up. There will always be opportunities for those with the right skills.
As President of Persuasion Consultants, Scott works with top companies like Bayer, Teva, and Medtronic to help their medical sales teams be more effective.
Source: Medical Sales Jobs
MedReps: Scott, one of the biggest challenges today must be for sales professionals looking to break into the medical sales field. What’s your advice for someone with a decent sales resume looking to make the transition into healthcare?
Scott Moldenhauer: The number one thing for any salesperson is to have a good track record. Keep in mind that hiring managers see a lot of candidates so they want to know that this person can get results, can they make my daily existence better and will they be coachable. Candidate then needs to make sure they stand out by bringing something to the table that no other applicant has – literally bring a portfolio into an interview that contains articles they may have written, awards, letters of recommendation – anything that will show that they can knock it out of the park.
MR: What kinds of specific skills are companies looking for in an applicant that might set them apart from other candidates?
SM: Companies want to know that a candidate is a hard core sales person, whether they have worked in the industry before or not. A hiring manager also wants to know that an applicant will be able to get results, be polished in front of physicians and is a person that is overall pleasant to be around.
MR: What about medical sales people already working in the field – what can they do to become more successful?
SM: I would say that one of the most important things is business acumen, and by that I meant that a medical sales person has to keep up with changes to the industry. They have to know that because of those changes, the healthcare system is basically making the decisions – not physicians. So, it’s a balancing act. A good medical sales person will have to be able to make sure that they are not only selling the best possible product, but one that fits into new financial guidelines and is the most cost effective for patients, hospitals and insurers.
MR: As far as establishing a rapport with clients, what can medical sales professionals do in terms of making the overall relationship better?
SM: Well, it goes back to the last question. Medical sales people have to ask themselves what can they do to make sure the sale makes the most sense for the physician. But, they also have to make sure they are asking all the right questions to close the sale and evaluate if they are really working their territory in the most intelligent way possible.
MR: Can you name some specific challenges facing healthcare sales representatives and what do you do to help motivate them?
SM: One of the biggest challenges will be for a medical sales representative to make sure they are providing the best possible value and to show that they have a physician’s best interest in mind. The other challenge always is getting in the door – if they can show a doctor that their company’s product is of value then the client will be willing to see them more often. As far as motivation goes, no one can motivate a medical sales person, it has to come from them. A good salesperson will always want to learn more about the business. They want to strive to take it to the next level by practicing their pitch, reading more and listening to motivational tapes so that no matter what happens within the industry, they will always be an appealing candidate.
MR: Do you have any predictions for the industry as a whole next year – are there any potential issues that you see that might hurt overall profits or stifle sales?
SM: The key thing to remember is that every year we read negative headlines about doom and gloom and every year the world keeps moving forward. So as far as what’s happening in the industry, medical sales people need to look for opportunities. Sales people need to constantly change their message to fit the times and new challenges. For example, accountable care organizations (ACOs) will be something they will need to understand more of – so they need to ask doctors about their criteria then craft their message to fit those goals.
MR: What can a medical sales person do that will help him/her sell more products?
SM: Again, it goes back to the fundamentals; always make sure they give their clients the best possible value that’s the most cost-effective for patients and the system.
MR: As a consultant, what do you tell managers about what they can do to tackle problems and help their teams perform better?
SM: I find that a lot of teams are simply stuck on the basics of selling. Managers need to go beyond just the benefits of selling to ask specifics like how can my medical sales people get better access to physicians and how can I help my team overcome managed care and cost challenges. They need to look at the broader picture and change the message to fit 2013.
MR: What about the so-called “patent-cliff” Scott? Take for instance Pfizer, which just announced it had to cut 20 percent of its sales force due to the patent loss of Lipitor – how are stories like this affecting morale?
SM: Reps need to be keenly aware of their situation and if they feel there may not be enough growth where they are, to start looking for new opportunities. A good medical sales person can transition into a smaller medical device company, or say from pharma to medical device. It’s about knowing where those opportunities are.
MR: If you could give one last piece of advice to people looking for medical sales jobs and those already working it the field what would it be?
SM: Candidates should look at the job boards to find out who’s hiring, then make personal contact with people within those companies. A good medical sales person will never give up. There will always be opportunities for those with the right skills.
As President of Persuasion Consultants, Scott works with top companies like Bayer, Teva, and Medtronic to help their medical sales teams be more effective.
Source: Medical Sales Jobs
