The job of a medical device sales rep is a demanding and difficult one. One of many challenges you will face along the way is staying motivated and producing results that meet set targets.
Fortunately, increasing your productivity doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Keep reading to find out some of the best way to do so…
1) Technology is your friend
You don’t need the latest iPhone or iPad to sell medical devices, but you do need tools to do your job effectively and efficiently. If your employer provides you with sub-par technology that’s outdated or doesn’t run the programmes you need to use, it can end up being something that distracts you from selling and keeps you on the phone with tech support rather than with prospective clients.
Two items that are proven to increase field-based reps’ productivity are 4G tablets and personal WiFi hot spots. These will keep you connected to internal systems as well as the internet, which can be used for a number of things while out of the office.
Another good idea is to take an annual technology inventory and see what new productivity tools and technology is available. This way you will ensure that you don’t miss an inportant upgrade or an opportunity to become more efficient.
2) Less admin
If medical device salespeople are bogged down with administrative duties that keep them from selling, productivity will suffer. Better have an administrative assistant work with the sales team so that the focus can be on meeting targets rather than paperwork.
3) Remote is key
Having regular in-person team meetings is extremely important from the point of view of keeping up to date with revenue numbers and hot prospects. From the point of view of efficiency and productivity though, every once in a while these can be conducted as a teleconference or even cancelled if the cancellation is communicated well in advance. As long as communication is clear and the intent is to open up more time to focus on new business opportunities, this can be seen as a positive step.
4) Smart appointments
Instead of setting your own meetings, you can have this process handled by marketing or administrative people, automated, or even outsourced. This way your focus will stay on the bottom of the sales funnel as your time will pass in meetings with prospects and closing more business rather than in setting appointments.
5) Introspection
Understanding what drives top performance and what inhibits you from reaching goals is crucial to the success of any sales organization. Being able to pinpoint best practices and learning from good as well as bad experience is a great way to increase productivity and build on successes.
6) Walk in their shoes
Before actually starting a job as a medical device sales representative, try and find out what challenges these people face on a daily basis. The best way to do this is to take some time and shadow or accompany sales reps on a few appointments. This will truly provide insight into what they are experiencing and what they do to increase their productivity.
7) Use inbound marketing
One of the biggest challenges medtech companies face is keeping their sales teams’ calendars filled with appointments and keeping them in the field following up on leads. If your company is generating leads through social media (LinkedIn and Twitter) and email marketing, this can additionally boost productivity as well as revenues.
Remember, following these steps is not a guarantee that sales forecasts will be met or exceeded. However, they are proactive steps towards improving productivity that you can put in place and optimise your daily workload to support long-term revenue growth.
Since its inception in 2000 Guided Solutions has placed more than 8500 candidates in over 37 countries.
We identify and recruit medical device specialists at all seniority levels, enabling our clients to connect with associate through to board-level talent.
Visit our website to register and find out more.