Think about the last major purchase you made. What made you choose the vendor? If you returned to someone you bought from in the past, why?

When we reflect on our own reasons for buying a product, we can better understand the key competencies we must demonstrate to our healthcare customers—our consumers, employers and physicians.

Credibility is the critical ingredient to successful relationship sales. With it, you can more effectively learn your customers’ true needs and desires, better understand their buying motives and be capable of flexing your style and approach. This all can ensure their comfort in working with you and your organization for the long term.

Successful healthcare salespeople earn credibility
through being professionally dressed, prepared and knowledgeable about the environment. They also find ways to ensure a client’s comfort by sharing their
clinical or professional expertise and experience with
the client’s peers.

It’s important to be passionate and sincere about your
job and the messages about your organization.
Whether you’re the salesperson or a sales manager,
make sure the approach is the same: high energy,
empathy and excitement.

Tips to Implement Now

Be Professional: Prepare and Practice

• Develop a checklist for pre-call planning.
• Why are you calling on this customer and what do you hope to achieve?
• What ongoing points of dialogue (or areas of interest) might develop into a “buying discussion” between the two of you?
• What potential objections or issues might this customer present and are you prepared to respond?
• Practice, review and plan your opener: Hone the details of who you are, your role, the purpose for the meeting and how you’d like to proceed during this appointment. Bring some prepared questions appropriate for the customer, the discussion you hope to have and the desired outcome.

Match the Customer’s Style

• If you’ve met with the client before, consider their style and personality. Then pre-plan your approach to ensure their comfort in an in-depth discussion and to progress the buying relationship further.
• Consider your attire, your word use, how you communicate with the customer and their staff and how you ask for the next action step.

Listen and Learn

• Ask questions, listen and probe deeply on the topic, rather than shifting into “telling and selling” mode. Weigh your talking versus listening/learning time—and make modifications to improve your ratio.

Remember, credibility is critical to developing your relationship and selling your services. Your investment in developing and practicing credibility and trust will pay off in enhanced client communication, being seen as their trusted resource and creating shorter and more effective selling cycles.

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