Back to school means football, fall colors, and a little more family time, but for our industry it also means selling season.
This will be my 18th year in the industry, and every September I remember my first year as a rookie. Bill Riddell, formerly with PSS and Healthlink, came into the warehouse where I was serving my six months of training, and yelled “The kids are back in school!” As a rookie working for a microbiology company, to me that meant more strep, mono, and flu tests. To Bill and his distribution background, it meant more of everything — gloves, soap, table paper, needles, tongue blades, mask, flu test, disinfectant, etc.
Obviously we don’t wish for anyone to be sick, but inevitably when the munchkins head back to school, they usually head to the doctor soon after. More visits means more consumable sales. What Bill was saying and what still holds true today is September is the month to sell.
Last month I challenged you to be more than an order taker in your territory. This month I offer three challenges.
The first challenge is for you to pick two consumable products found in the pages of this issue and pitch your applicable accounts on them. My guess is that by the end of the month, you will have picked up some nice reoccurring business that you didn’t even realize you were missing.
The second challenge is for you to read about Todd Matthews of McKesson Medical Surgical and Nick Riordan of Welch Allyn. These two outstanding sale reps were voted by you our readers as the top distribution rep and manufacturer rep in 2015. They were awarded the Repertoire/HIDA Sales Excellence award during the Healthcare Industry Hall of Fame dinner back in June.
The third challenge involves a ReadEx Survey. Twice a year we survey our readership on the ads and content in a specific issue. September is one of those issues. If you are one of our readers to receive the online survey about Repertoire, please take 10 minutes and give us your feedback. This magazine is all about you and your success. We hope you will help us keep it relevant.
Have a great month of selling, and look for the October issue on the keys to selling more equipment.
Dedicated to Distribution,
Scott Adams
sadams@mdsi.org