The Magic Seven

With everyone watching costs, almost every dollar spent is predicated on the assumption that there will be a return on investment. A digital sign outside your store must attract customers, and the investment in shipping a new product to a retail store must culminate in a sale.

The same is true for investing in a sales person. It starts with a large initial expense, and the investment grows with the additional payroll taxes, car allowance and communication tools.

If you, as a sales person, are going to provide a significant return on this investment, a sales plan and a strategy must be in order. After working with thousands of sales professionals throughout my career, those who are successful have one basic trait: organization. They have a schedule and a plan. They strive to meet daily goals. Their day should be videotaped so it can be used as a model for all staff professionals.

What do sales representatives do that keeps them organized and ultimately successful? Consider these seven magic habits:

1. Sales reps check their messages before they go to sleep and as soon as they rise in the morning. They never want a problem to linger all night, causing complications for a patient or an angry early morning call to a referral source. They want to know what they are going to face when they arrive at their office. They want to be prepared for any changes in their schedule, such as cancelations, changes in a meeting location or a referral source that is running late.

2. Sales reps confer with their office colleagues. Was someone aware of an issue with a patient, someone requesting the sales person call back or a problem with a delivery or product that has angered a customer?

3. Sales reps carefully review their daily schedule, noting where they need to be, at what time and what they need to bring with them. They consider any potential obstacles to arriving to the appointment on time, such as highway traffic to the clinic, difficulty parking in the hospital garage, or the travel time between two appointments.  They make sure they have not scheduled appointments too closely together. One never knows when a referral source wants to talk about other issues and extra time is needed.

4. Sales reps arrive at each appointment knowing exactly what they want to address. They have a goal, and although other issues may come up at the onset of the meeting, they make sure they deliver the intended message.

5. Sales reps know their product and everything related to it. They are on a path to becoming an expert in their field. They are continually learning about the features and benefits of their products, billing and reimbursement issues, maintenance and repairs and, of course, data on patient outcomes. Knowledge is a powerful sales tool. People want to work with and buy from someone who knows how to meet particular needs and select the right product for a patient, and who is committed to more than just making the sale.

6. Sales representatives have an organized set of business tools. They have with them all their notes from previous appointments. They document what they promise and to whom. Their briefcase signifies organization. They can immediately access the people they may need to assist them with an order. They can locate a referral source’s phone number at a moment’s notice. They can rapidly find answers to frequently asked referral source questions. Their sales toolkit is well-stocked and ready to go.

7. Finally, the sales representative never forgets the value of the business relationship—those in development and those that have already matured. They are long-term players and continue to think about what would make the customer happy, satisfied and eager to do business with them again.

Days go by so quickly, but time is still the great equalizer in life. We all receive the same amount each day—24 hours with 60 minutes each. No more, no less. Those who are most successful make the most of their time. They get (and stay) organized and never forget the value of working from a plan.

Is the day in the life of my ideal sales representative anything like yours?  If not, give the Magic Seven another look and see if any of the tips can make a difference in your HME sales planning. I bet they will.

HomeCare, March 2012