There are three different ways really a manager can be viewed by his or her sales reps. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to talk about each one specifically and how managers can move progressively to the better of the three options. These are all from the rep’s perspective.
If you look at it on a scale, managers can be in the "Hostile" or negative group. This is where your sales reps have a poor view of you and have an equally poor amount of trust and respect. I believe there are about 35% of managers that fit in this category.
The second group is "Indifferent". This makes up about 55% of all Manager - Sales Representative relationships. As you can guess, the relationship is not strained, but not overly productive either. Tolerance is an equally good word to describe this type of view toward a Manager.
Finally, there is the group I call "Patriotic". This is the most difficult group for a manager to make it to and there is no way in except by earning it. This manager blows the bugle and his or her sales reps do everything in their power to get a job done. I’ve been fortunate to have two managers in my career I would put in this category.
More on all of them coming up.
Ryan
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author, The Medical Sales Desk Reference
Make a connection with Ryan via LinkedIn - Click Here
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Vendesi Group! We hope everyone enjoys time with their family and is excited to begin a fresh new year in 2010.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
Ryan
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author of The Medical Sales Desk Reference
Make a connection with Ryan via LinkedIn - Click Here
I get this question often and it warrants a good response. How should I resign when moving on?
Here is a great answer that will help. It comes directly from a friend of mine who is the National Sales Manager for a large medical device company…
"Regardless if you are leaving on good terms or bad terms, you should always consider that no one can predict the future. In other words, the medical and pharmaceutical community is not that big. You never know who you might work for tomorrow; so you want to take the high road when leaving your company. People and managers change companies and companies get bought and sold. Don’t burn bridges today that you might need to cross later.
My goal was always to get the two weeks pay for my notice period. Here is a step by step method my friend believes is very important and will probably help secure the money you are owed.
1. Call your DM or Direct Report, (not the RM) and tell them you are giving your 2 weeks notice of resignation. Be ready…clearly state, "that means my last day will be x (two weeks out)." Then say, "As soon as we hang up, I am going to FAX you my resignation letter, with a copy going to HR." Say you enjoyed working there but have received a really great offer that you just can’t pass up. Don’t say with whom…just say, "I prefer not to say right now, but I will not be violating any non-compete agreements." Repeat that if the DM presses. Then say, "Please call me any time with instructions on how I can make this transition easy for both of us." Don’t burn the bridge. Believe me, you WILL regret it. If the DM says, don’t fax it to HR, I’ll do that, say: OK. Then ignore him or her, and fax it yourself to HR because they might not do it!
2. As soon as you hang up, fax over your letter. It should be addressed to your DM and should say, "I, Tom Jones, am resigning my position as Sales Representative with xyz. As we discussed on the phone a few minutes ago, my last official date with the company will be July 18th. In addition to receiving my base pay through that date, I expect to receive any bonuses/commissions, and the X days of vacation pay, that I am due." End it by saying, "Thank you for the opportunity to work with xyz." "cc" the HR Department. Fax it first to your DM, and then fax it to the head of HR. DON’T call up your buddies for a few hours, or even better, wait until tomorrow. This is just professional courtesy. DONT put information on email or voice mail that you are quitting. Be mature.
3. Expect that the DM will show up within a few days to pick up all your stuff. Be ready to check out."
Pretty solid advice in my humble opinion! Hope this information proves useful to you all. Thank you for stopping by.
Best of luck,
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author of The Medical Sales Desk Reference
Make a connection with Ryan via LinkedIn - Click Here
Changing Companies
Some people feel some stress when starting with a new company. It is reasonable. You are going into a new environment, meeting new people and having new responsibilities. We want you to look at it in another way. Consider yourself the golden child. If you are coming from a competitive company, consider yourself the platinum child.
A few weeks ago, we put the following question to our readers. Why does it seem like competitive reps who are hired at your organization are treated better (and sometimes paid much more) than the current reps? I even know a specific situation where a competitive rep was brought on board and given a $450,000 guarantee for the first year. This was much higher than the average sales rep was making. (BTW, the move was probably smart.)
Let’s start with the best answer we received from one of our readers named Christa. She wrote:
It is all about perception. It is a game. If you create the perception that you are successful, knowledgeable or a "top" salesperson and heavily valued and desired by your existing employer, that makes you more interesting to those competitive companies of your current employer. Those competitors think they may be dealing a "blow" to your existing employer if they are able to entice you away.
If a company can "steal" one of the most valuable players from one of its competitors, then that is a "sign" that you are more successful, more desirable than that competitor. Perhaps by stealing a productive, successful employee you actually cause a financial loss. The competitor may think they will receive certain secret information on morale, business plans, operations, etc. as well.
Well stated. I think the top reason is the financial loss it creates for your competitor. You also have the high probability that a strong rep will be able to bring new business with them. Your business goes up, theirs goes down.
In fact, we talk about building your territory as if it was your medical practice in the Medical Sales Desk Reference. Once it is built and valuable, you might wish to "sell" it to the highest bidder.
For your help Christa, a free MSDR is on its way to you!
Best of luck,
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author of The Medical Sales Desk Reference
Make a connection with Ryan via LinkedIn - Click Here
I’ve always said good reps can move markets. But what does that really mean? Simply put, ordinarily "good" reps go get business that is already in place. They can grow market share for their company, but the pie (number of cases) doesn’t really grow beyond what the overall market grows.
Enter what I call a good rep. (When I say good, I mean extraordinary, not merely above average.) The good rep finds ways to get market share from their competition, but they also grow the market for their products in their defined area of influence. Whether it is finding new applications for a current device or cultivating patients from new places; a good rep increases the number of cases their products can be used for…period.
Ask yourself if you are simply going after the 50 cases a doctor is already doing OR are you also trying to feed that doctor 25 more cases? I bet if you are taking the time to read this, you are a creative enough individual to find ways to grow business you never imagined. Do it - document it- get raises and promotions!
Best of luck,
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author of The Medical Sales Desk Reference
Make a connection with Ryan via LinkedIn - Click Here
Hello all, I know we are all running around getting ready for Christmas, but we have two quick announcements for you.
First, Vendesi Group created a website for patients with implanted medical devices. It is called trackmyimplant.com. It does several things for free including one very important one!
- Records your model number
- Records your serial number and date implanted and takes NO personal info
- The big one - We monitor the FDA for device recalls on your device.
Currently NO ONE will notify you if your device gets recalled. Medical companies write letters to hospitals and sometimes physicians, but not patients. TrackMyImplant.com lets patients be the first to know if their medical device gets recalled or warning letters are written about it.
So forward this email to anyone you know with a heart valve, pacemaker, breast implants, etc. It makes sense and it is free.
Finally, I’ve been talked in to trying out LinkedIn.com. I’m going to see how big of a pharmaceutical sales/medical device sales network we can make and will gladly accept anyone’s invitation. See my LinkedIn page by clicking here.
Best of luck,
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author of The Medical Sales Desk Reference
Make a connection with Ryan via LinkedIn - Click Here Read more
Greetings everyone. Wow. Things are going on in the medical market I thought would never come along. An industry that is supposed to be recession proof is proving otherwise.
Some reps I know have asked me what they should be doing to further their corporate success. Here is the bottom line.
1. Be the best worker your company has! You must be the most valuable rep you can be as to increase your worth vs. you peers. Make sure if the shoe does fall (and more will) it doesn’t step on you.
2. Don’t complain about how bad things are. I know it is easy to do, but if your manager thinks you are complaining, it will not help your stock.
3. Be inventive! Float new ideas and make sure your name is always front and center with your manager. You can also do this by asking great questions that connect you to your boss. But be genuine.
4. Save your money. I know some reps are still churning out $300,000. It may or may not end. Everyone has heard this, but now is a horrible economic period. Make sure you get every dollar of value you can when you choose to spend money.
The real problem in a climate like this is if you lose your job, it is pure hell finding another one. My hope was after the election, things would look better no matter who won. I’m not sure that was the case. I expect companies who are growing to continue to grow and start hiring again Q1 - Q2. I don’t expect our industry to get back to where it once was for years.
It is more important than ever to separate yourself from others! Let us know where we can help.
Best of luck,
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author of The Medical Sales Desk Reference
Make a connection with Ryan via LinkedIn - Click Here Read more
Hello all, I’m looking to help a friend place a top notch rep in medical devices. The opening is in Memphis, TN and you need to be able to show a high level of accomplishment, clinical knowledge and sound judgement. Contact me directly through the website for more information.
Thank you, Ryan. Read more
Greetings. Today’s post is looking at what I believe is the top coronary stent job. First, it should be said that all of these jobs have some really good aspects to them. Anyone in this field should probably be very thankful given today’s tight job market.
That being said, there is one company that has continued to value their sales force above the others. When they were in a competitive disadvantage, they took care of their people. When they were on top, their people reaped the benefits. That company is Guidant VI. Formerly ACS and now part of Abbott.
The best thing about the acquisition to Abbott is they have maintained much of the unique culture of Guidant (where I worked in the pacemaker division). I could talk all day about how great working at Guidant was, but that can be for another time. Abbott Vascular today is the top sales job because they do so many things right. But I’m picking them for one main reason…they value their sales force.
When Cordis introduced Cypher, and later Boston with Taxus, Abbott made the decision to keep their sales team intact as much as possible. They did it by offering guarantees to most if not all of their field reps.
Some stayed and some didn’t, but they proved how they felt about their team by putting their money where their mouths were. There is no stronger statement you can make.
In today’s climate, some short sighted companies are routinely letting their sales people suffer financially from poor corporate decisions and high competition. That is a recipe for high turnover (short term disaster) and zero physician loyalty (a long term disaster). Abbott is making sure that doesn’t happen to them.
Well done.
The other companies and the order in which I would work for them: Boston Scientific, Cordis and Medtronic.
Best of Luck to All,
Ryan Gray
President
Vendesi Group, LLC
vendesigroup.com
Author of The Medical Sales Desk Reference Read more
I had the distinct honor of beginning my sales career with E&J Gallo many years ago. Back when Julio was still making wine with his own hands (I still have a bottle) and Ernest was actually teaching marketing. There is one thing that stuck with me throughout my sales life that was a mainstay of the "Gallo Way" and it applies to medical device sales perfectly.
The concept is shelf space. You might not know, but how a shelf is arranged in a grocery store or Wal-Mart is a huge deal. So big in fact that supply companies pay the store to own shelves at eye level. Companies spend literally millions of dollars to create schematics that produce the highest revenue. Every section in the store has been reviewed over and over again to extract the most money from us the shoppers.
Device sales are no different. The better position you have with your products, the more of them you will sell, period. So fight to get your products in the OR or Lab suite in place of your competition. Get eye level position on racks and in storage rooms. Even a product like a heart valve (like Edwards Lifesciences we talked about last week) is impacted.
While they are not pulled every case like an angio balloon, being at eye level on the "valve cart" keeps them in view. It works exactly like a billboard. You want people to see your products every time they walk by. So the next time a doctor says, "Get me a tissue valve", the first valve they see is yours.
Fight for space, as Ernest taught me, it works!
Best of luck,
Ryan Gray
Vendesi Group Medical Sales Consulting
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