Adapting to a Virtual World: Ideas for Remote Medical Sales
At this point, conducting business through online video and messaging is commonplace. But for an industry like medical device sales that has long relied on in-person presentations, wining and dining prospects, and open invitations to private practices, the move to a more virtual world can feel challenging. For the times you cannot meet in-person, there are several remote medical sales strategies you can use to increase personalization, connect with prospects, and close sales faster.
Evaluate your medical sales cycle touchpoints
Outside of in-person visits, medical device sales reps typically have a sales cycle planned that also includes touchpoints over phone calls, emails, or other messaging. At Covideo, we help sales reps add another level of connection: personalized video. Remote medical sales videos allow you to put a face to a name and take advantage of body language and tone.
According to the behavioral psychologist Dr. Albert Mehrabian, communication is 7% verbal, 38% vocal, and 55% nonverbal. Video is the one tool you have in your remote medical sales arsenal that can hit all these facets of communication without speaking in person. You can also show products you are selling and demonstrate their ease of use, which would be impossible over email and the phone. Consider where this may make sense in your sales cycle and how to fill the gaps between meetings.
Meet medical decision makers where they are
The physicians and hospital administrators with whom you work also must adapt to virtual technology. After all, The Department of Health and Human Services reported that telehealth visits increased from approximately 840,000 in 2019 to almost 52.7 million in 2020. Doctors can conduct much of their business from anywhere, and you can’t always bet on them being in the office. With video, you can meet decision makers from anywhere. Additionally, showing your competency on video shows you understand the changing demands of their work and allows you an opportunity to show empathy.
Adapt to your point of contact
Of course, in-person meetings can have a big impact, but they’re not always possible. Especially with trends shifting so many remote medical sales reps must present to large boards and committees, video can give you good one-on-one time with your point of contact beforehand. The industry once catered mainly to physicians in private practices. Now, many non-clinical, administrative professionals make the final call on how to buy medical products.
Research from Bain & Company found that of 75% of physicians who preferred in-person visits from sales reps prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 47% now prefer virtual visits (or less frequent visits.) At this point, remote medical sales are not just common for the industry, but many of your prospects prefer virtual meetings. Get a sense of your contact’s preferred sense of communication and adapt your sales cycle. Chances are, they want to connect virtually!
Make the move to remote medical sales
There has been a recent boom in remote medical sales jobs where employees can work fully remote, all the time. These positions can pay in the six-figure range, offer large bonuses, and match the big benefits and perks of traveling sales reps. Being able to sell virtually is an essential skill in today’s world, whether you’re working in remote medical sales full time or incorporating more virtual meetings into your cycle. Incorporating video is a smart way to gain an edge outside of in-person meetings, and making the switch is easy. Tools like Covideo integrate into the tools you’re already use to create personal, one-off videos for specific prospects without any editing or filming knowledge.
The Takeaway
Two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, the medical industry has adapted to the demands of virtual work and meeting over video. Now is the time to ensure you have video capabilities as part of your remote medical sales strategy. Decision makers are not just receptive but are encouraging the move to more virtual meetings, and personalized video is an excellent way to meet them where they are.
Ready to level up? Schedule a demo with a Covideo expert to learn how you can quickly and easily integrate personalized video into your sales cycle.
