Eric Smith
Instrument specialist/non-acute
Cepheid
Repertoire: What are the two or three most important things you can do for your distributor rep partners to enhance their sales?
Eric Smith:
- Know your audience and the right questions to ask them. For example, focus on technical details with the clinical folks. Save the topic of workflow efficiencies or how your product will impact the bottom line for the key stakeholders.
- Wait to position your product until after you’ve found a need. Highlighting features and benefits before understanding the need will leave your customer with information, but not necessarily increased interest. Experience has shown me there is a direct correlation between having a champion within the account and the likelihood of closing the deal.
- Be a consistent resource your reps can count on that adds value to their customers. Making a point to keep current on topics that are keeping our customers awake at night can allow for a more consultative dynamic rather than a sales-focused monologue. Learning the challenges that our customers are faced with can, in turn, open the door to a productive conversation. If the takeaway is seeing my product help the customer meet their quality measures, the right seeds have been planted.
Repertoire: Name two or three ways distributor reps can help you add value to their accounts and increase sales.
Smith:
- Referrals and warm introductions to key stakeholders. My distribution partners are my No. 1 customer. Building individual relationships and earning their trust can take time, but is the key to growing a robust sales funnel. Nothing creates momentum like some solid wins generating a healthy reagent trail. Once that trust is established, other opportunities open up, not only with that rep but with their counterparts as well. Also, many groups, such as pediatricians, belong to specialty networks, which can also open up referral opportunities. Bottom line: Leverage your strong relationships to create new alliances and broadcast your reps’ successes to their peers and sales leaders.
- Encourage pre-qualifying the current account base to help identify target opportunities. Allocate time to hone in on accounts that may be a good fit for a focused product. Getting qualified leads with solid account information, such as volumes and test menu needs, can be invaluable for the front end of a business discussion.
Repertoire: What is the biggest change you anticipate in medical product sales in the next five years?
Smith: Thanks to advancements in the arena of lab diagnostics, I believe there will be a continual paradigm shift away from centralized lab testing. As access to molecular quality results increase at the clinic level, providers will continue to gain confidence in the new methodology of instrumentation available to them in the POC environment. Bringing these high-quality results closer to the patient will positively impact clinical outcomes, reduce readmission rates, and promote antibiotic stewardship.
Repertoire: What do you like or dislike about ride-days with distributor reps?
Smith: I see ride-days as great opportunities to get a glimpse into the day in the life of a distributor rep. I am often impressed by their ability to multitask while maintaining a keen ear to what the needs of their accounts are. At times it can be an exercise in patience, but if we’ve planned our day together, there are always positives to take away.
Repertoire: Do you think distributor reps should embrace ride-days?
Smith: I believe ride-days should be embraced by distributor reps who are looking for ways to continue to educate themselves and their customers on products and services that can bring value to their practice. That said, it can be beneficial to the manufacturer rep and the distribution partner to have an initial meeting on the front end to discuss the value proposition and set the expectations for the day.
Repertoire: Do you have a favorite ride-day story? If so, can you briefly share it?
Smith: Although not a typical ride-day, a favorite memory in the car with my reps was a fun activity that was a part of a regional team meeting. Splitting up into four groups, we set off on a scavenger hunt with a list of landmarks that were unique to the section of the city. The team that successfully located the most landmarks in the allotted time were crowned the winners. Not only was it a total blast, but a great opportunity to build relationships.