Medical sales can be a challenging career path but, for the right personality, it’s incredibly fulfilling and lucrative.
The traits that make a great medical sales representative are many of the same ones that likely attracted you to the field in the first place: drive, perseverance, communication, interpersonal skills, sales skills and organization.
These all make a strong base for success in medical device sales, but there are always ways to further leverage your advantages. Whether you’re new to the career or a veteran with years of experience closing deals, here are some of the top traits and skills to keep cultivating.
An openness to learning and growing is by far the most crucial trait any professional can have. The desire to gain further knowledge and skills – combined with an attitude of seeking out new opportunities to stay ahead in your field – is powerful.
As a medical device sales rep, there are a few ways to expand your expertise. Ask if your company has training or growth opportunities, regularly attend industry events and reach out to experts in your network for mentorship.
The best way to advance, however, is by enrolling in additional courses and curriculum-based training programs. A structured learning environment fast-tracks progress and mitigates knowledge gaps.
Let’s say, for example, you are looking to improve your relationship with surgeons or be more prepared in an operating room – both of which offer significant career development opportunities.
Enrolling in online medical device training like OREdmasters, which offers a multi-track curriculum for a wide range of surgical subspecialties, will give you the anatomical and clinical knowledge you need to excel.
Stellar interpersonal skills are a must for any medical sales professional, but particularly for selling complex products like medical devices.
Effective communication is part skill, part knowledge. Being able to connect with a prospect can make all the difference in establishing and building trust. One way to facilitate this is by speaking the same language as your customers.
Knowing the correct anatomical terms and clinical jargon when speaking with a surgeon, for example, improves communication and earns respect. Likewise, authenticity and empathy go a long way to building rapport.
Communication is, of course, a two-way street. Being an engaging speaker is part of the equation, but active listening is just as important. One way to achieve this is by using silence to your advantage: wait a beat before responding to allow the other party to fully finish what they’re saying and allow time for a thoughtful response. By nurturing positive customer relationships communication will flow both ways.
Working in medical sales requires considerable flexibility.
You may find yourself as a medical sales rep presenting to hospital leadership in the morning and, hours later, attending surgery in the operating room later. Or meeting with a manufacturer one day and making cold calls the next. Cutting-edge devices and technology are regularly released, alongside new regulatory requirements medical sales success depends on staying on top of it all. No two days look the same.
But that flexibility is also one of the elements medical sales reps reported enjoying the most about their roles in a survey on job satisfaction. In fact, flexibility and autonomy were ranked higher than compensation.
Successful sales reps are able to adapt and take adversity in stride – whether that’s a rejection or a sudden change in plans – is crucial to success.
Strong planning and organizational skills are a must for success in sales.
Part of that comes from being strategic about outreach and relationship-building to ensure you’re selling to the right people at the right time. Consistent follow-up and thoughtful touch points can help nurture sales leads over time. The right technology and tools can help automate and streamline some of your tasks.
At the same time, it’s hugely beneficial to apply that same strategic mindset and thoroughness to your own professional development. Establishing a timeline of career growth and thinking through the necessary steps can help you achieve those goals more effectively.
That might include connecting with a successful medical sales colleague you admire and asking for mentorship. Or it might involve seeking additional education to break into a new specialty like orthopedic sales. Or perhaps upskilling and seeking a promotion.
Managing short-term goals with bigger picture objectives is key for all aspects of success in medical sales.
In-depth product knowledge comes with sales experience and time. Ultimately, though, being an authority on the product you’re selling is non-negotiable. You have to know the product inside and out to be able to persuasively explain its value.
On top of that, you need to be an expert in your medical specialization and how it relates to your product.
Being up-to-date on current trends and changes in the medical sales industry elevates your expertise. Not only are you providing information about your specific product, but the insights you share are shaped by the larger context. Using specific terminologies, like the correct anatomic terms and surgical concepts, can also help improve communication.
With the right support, each of these traits can be utilized to further your professional development and grow a successful career in medical sales.
With OREdmasters, expediting success is easy. Our on-demand, online medical device training closes the gap between education and clinical knowledge with an extensive curriculum developed by surgeons and leading industry professionals.
Sign up today for an all-access subscription to propel your career forward.