The 10 skills employees in medical device sales need

Sales staff need a myriad of skills to successfully carry out their roles. When you’re hiring for your medical device firm, these ten skills should be on your checklist as you’re working through a shortlist of candidates.

1. Communication

It goes without saying that communication is important for sales staff. From conversing on email through to chatting in person, you need someone who is comfortable with communication through different mediums and with a variety of people, from the director of a medical trust through to the professionals that will be using the medical device.

2. Rapport building

All sales positions require an element of trust and rapport building, but in the medical sectors it’s vital. Medical devices are judged on their quality and usefulness, it’s something that needs to be conveyed by the sales team and requires trust. Some professionals have an innate ability to create an instant connection.

3. Responsiveness

An individual might be great at delivering a sales pitch but if they’re not in tune with the customers, they’ll often fail to meet expectations. You need a sales employee that’s able to read people and understand the best way to sell to them, responding accordingly to their comments and actions.

4. Digitally savvy

Traditional sales might focus on face-to-face meetings, but digital channels mean you have a far greater audience to reach. Choosing a sales rep that understands digital marketing, such as social media, can help you really boost your sales. Having digital savvy sales staff also means you can encompass additional roles into the position, such as updating contact databases. 

5. Establishing trust

Trust is critical in the medical device sector, where there’s a lot of competition. You need a rep that’s trustworthy to not only get potential customers interested in your products in the first place but for them to also have faith in what you’re selling.

6. Product knowledge

Any sales team needs to be able to retain critical information about the products or services they’re selling, it’s no different for medical devices. It’s essential for the medical industry, where potential clients are likely to have specific questions and demand specifications.

7. Industry understanding

On top of the product knowledge, your sales team need to have an understanding of how it fits into the wider industry. They should be able to explain the benefits investing in your products have.

8. Demo skills

Not all medical devices will be demonstrated to each prospect, but demo skills are still important. It shows that your sales team is confident and gives your potential customers a chance to get to grips with your products.

9. Closing techniques

Getting people excited about innovative medical products that have the potential to save money, add value to patients, or better use resources isn’t the hard part – getting prospects to close the deal is. Techniques that encourage more customers to agree on a deal are, therefore, a vital skill

10. Relationship management

The relationship between your sales member and customer shouldn’t stop when a deal has been made. You want sales employees that are able to effectively manage long-term relationships, improving your customer experience and giving you further opportunities to resell. 

About the Author

Josh Levine is a MedTech industry expert and Head of Medical Device & Scientific Recruitment at Templeton Parker.

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