Medical Sales Accelerator

Is your experience in the industry blinding you to new business? Experience doesn’t always translate to success, and it can create a ceiling of assumptions. It’s also something that full-line sales rep Jacob McLaughlin lacked when he entered medical devices sales. The former personal trainer took over an underperforming territory and began forging successful relationships, despite a barrage of insults and pushback. We sat down with him to discuss how he’s restoring broken trust through active listening, his process for handling negativity, and the power of taking nothing for granted.                                                                                               

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to strategically bring negative labels to the forefront of your conversations
• The power of responding to criticism with empathy—not prepackaged data
• How to use a doc’s precious 30 seconds to identify unaddressed pain points
• The differences between a “growth mindset” and a “fixed mindset”
• Why it’s helpful to treat the failings of a previous rep as your own

Plus, we explore the principles of “extreme ownership” and how they can repair broken bridges.  

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Jacob on LinkedIn
• Check Out Jacob’s YouTube channel
• Listen to the “New to Medical Device Sales” podcast
• Read “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink
• Read “Mindset” by Carol Dweck
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Connect with Zed Williamson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Clark Wiederhold on LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

Is digital transformation in the MedTech space a threat to your business? Only if you hide from it, says Jim Surek, VP of sales at ExplORer Surgical and host of the Medical Sales Nation podcast. We sat down with the digital health advocate to discuss how early adopters of new technologies are primed to capture market share, why so many reps are afraid to rock the boat, and a few things to watch out for as expectations shift.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- How digital health redefines the relationship between reps and clinical specialists

- Why younger doctors aren’t interested in grabbing dinner with you

- The aspects of device sales that will never be digitized  

-Why seeing 50 cases in two weeks could be the new expectation for reps

Plus, we explore how digital technologies eliminate “hiding places” in the sales process.  

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Jim on LinkedIn
• Check Out the Medical Sales Nation Podcast
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Connect with Zed Williamson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Clark Wiederhold on LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

ESPPs, RSUs, strike prices—these flashy terms can have a major impact on your financial situation, but what do they really mean? This week, James Verzino, managing director of Northwestern Mutual Los Angeles, teams up with wealth advisor and former MedTech rep Daniel Rooney to empower you with clear risk management and investment planning principles. Join us as we discuss ways to start padding the gap between guaranteed earnings and overall earnings so that you’re ready to handle whatever life throws at you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between an incentive stock option and an employee stock purchase program
• How to interpret the long- and short-term value of various employer compensation packages
• A step-by-step process for assessing, revising, and implementing your financial plans
• Why diversified savings matter just as much as diversified investments
• The power of treating your own capabilities as the greatest asset in your portfolio

Plus, we explore what it means to make the tax code work for—not against—your long-term financial goals.

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn
• Connect with James on LinkedIn
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Connect with Zed Williamson LinkedIn
• Connect with Clark Wiederhold LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

Well, well, well… how the tables have turned! We spend a lot of time behind the microphone, interviewing guests from all areas of MedTech. But recently, we were invited onto the Project MedTech podcast, hosted by one of our previous guests, Duane Mancini. In addition to being a well-respected thought leader, Duane serves as the Business Development Director at Covance. In this weeks’ episode, you’ll hear our guest interview with Duane where we talk about the evolution of selling medical technology, offer advice for building your commercial team, highlight pitfalls to watch out for, and more.

We’re always eager to collaborate with other knowledge-sharing advocates like Duane to enrich the MedTech space. We hope you enjoy this fun example of when worlds collide.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Tips for achieving regional market access

- The value of using scripts based on proven neuroscience principles

- How to reframe your business around the concept of patient empowerment

- Why an alarming number of patients aren’t aware of new life-changing therapies

Plus, we explore why taking ownership of patient flow is no longer optional for providers seeking growth in 2021.

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Duane Mancini on LinkedIn
• Check out Project MedTech
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Connect with Zed Williamson LinkedIn
• Connect with Clark Wiederhold LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

It’s Round 8 and you’ve only got two picks left... who’s making your roster? Jointline Health VP of Sales Dustin Poole teaches his team to focus on just 10 qualified accounts at a time by leading a “fantasy medical sales league” within their distributorship. Why? As someone who clawed his way into device sales with zero contacts and a million reasons to panic, Dustin understands the value of setting highly specific targets, guarding your time, and betting big on yourself. 

After a successful start in SaaS and two failed independent ventures, he found himself with a newborn at home and a MedTech career that needed to get airborne ASAP. In this interview, Dustin takes us through his unique journey and offers advice on how to attack your weaknesses head-on. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The practical importance of disqualifying targets as soon as possible
• When to emotionally detach yourself from an opportunity to conserve your best efforts
• What it means to “earn the right to ask” for business
• Psychologist Carol Dweck’s concept of a “growth mindset”
• Why expertise in every aspect of your product isn’t necessary for gaining momentum  

Plus, we polish the classic question— “Do you love to win or hate to lose?”—with a fresh perspective.

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Dustin Poole on LinkedIn
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Connect with Zed Williamson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Clark Wiederhold on LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

Are you looking for your next sales superstar or just a box checker who can say all the right things? Our guests Barry Rogers and Kelly Clark of Relentless Recruiting warn that far too many HR departments use limiting criteria that let real talent slip through the cracks and increase the risk of a costly bad hire. Their eye-opening survey of device sales leaders proves that it’s time for hiring managers to completely flip the script on traditional approaches—and for applicants to stop leading with a bland list of skills.  

In this interview, we discuss methods for identifying driven individuals at all skill levels, why sales superstars rarely fit neatly into checkboxes, and why they’re allergic to managers who tolerate mediocrity.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Subtle yet impactful differences between talent and skill
• Why a rep’s resume should consist of 80% talent, 20% skill
• Key questions that immediately identify exceptionally driven individuals
• How traditional hiring methods often confuse correlation with causation

Plus, we touch on the most common misconceptions that hamper MedTech hiring efforts.

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Barry Rogers on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kelly Clark on LinkedIn
• Check out Relentless Recruiting’s website
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Zed Williamson LinkedIn
• Clark Wiederhold LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

How would your customers, colleagues, and competitors describe you? Are their descriptions close to how you’d describe yourself? Few reps in the prime of their career consider the impact they’re having—or failing to have—on the human beings around them. Peta Sitcheff, accomplished rep and author of the teaching memoir “My Beautiful Mess,” believes a legacy isn’t something you leave behind—it’s something you choose every single day. In this interview, we talk with Peta about ways reps can build a reputation for themselves by putting complex connections above cut-and-dry fact sheets.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The five words that every rep should cut from their vocabulary
• Simple mindfulness tricks for turning negative thoughts into practical action
• What it means to go beyond the “superficial ocean” of benefits, features, and data
• How to take your career off autopilot and act with greater awareness
• Speak to the emotional human behind the white coat

Plus, we expose the shortcomings of “why”-based questioning 

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Peta on LinkedIn
• Check out Peta’s website
• Order Peta’s memoir
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Zed Williamson LinkedIn
• Clark Wiederhold LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

What’s the ‘State of the Union’ for the MedTech jobs market? While it’s true that companies have more aggressive hiring goals than ever, today’s ideal candidate looks different than the pre-pandemic profile. To learn more, we sat down with Jordan Chase, president of Chase MedSearch, who helps build sales teams for startup, mid-sized, and global medical device clients.

In 2021, he’s seeing hiring managers play it safe by short-listing the experienced reps who already have a robust contact list to show off. When the number of prospects in your phone matters more than the details on your resume, how can you catch a break as a new rep? In this interview, Jordan shares practical ways to differentiate yourself with tech-savvy, C-suite selling, and good old-fashioned hustle.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What it means to position yourself as a consultant—not a salesperson
• How to take ownership of patient education and patient demand
• The realities of “assembly line medicine”
• How to better leverage previous B2B experience when breaking into MedTech

Plus, we dig into the importance of establishing a consistent program for self-development.

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Jordan Chase on LinkedIn
• Check out the Chase MedSearch website
• Tune into the Chase MedSearch podcast
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Zed Williamson LinkedIn
• Clark Wiederhold LinkedIn
• The Growth-Driven Practice Series

Status quo—two small words that form massive barriers in sales. How do you dethrone a king-of-the-hill competitor when you know they’ll retaliate with price adjustments and sole-source contracts? Axonics Modulation Technologies VP Trent Campbell has been both David and Goliath in this scenario. While status quo may be the incumbent’s greatest weapon—it’s also their biggest weakness. In this interview, we discuss how new challengers with a disruptive technology can turn the tide by having a brave “clinical champion” in their corner and win with a focus on long-term value.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to devise a pricing strategy for a market that’s been conditioned by your competitor
• Why selling on price alone is a losing strategy
• Tips for creating consistent messaging keeping committees and department heads in mind
• Why Trent jumped into a national/corporate accounts role instead of pursuing sales management

Plus, we explore why reps should stop regurgitating sales decks and become more courageous listeners.  

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect With Trent Campbell on LinkedIn
• Explore Axonics Modulation Technologies
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Connect with Zed Williamson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Clark Wiederhold on LinkedIn
• Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter
• Sign up for the Growth-Driven Practice Series

What’s the line between being aggressive with your quota and pushy with your customers? Relevance. While there’s no real value in pushing products, customers will find value when you alert them to issues they don’t even see coming.

Mace Horoff, creator of the Medical Sales Academy and 38-year frontline sales veteran, says it’s these insights that allow us to provide maximum benefit to our prospects. Where most reps see difficulties and dried-up pipelines, Mace sees the makings of a golden age. The shift, he says, lies in focusing on the moment-to-moment relevance of your product or service. In this interview, we’ll talk with Mace about how you can alert your customers to growing gaps and connect your offer to the solution.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to add value to your customers with follow-up calls
• Why playing off doctors’ competitive nature is so effective and how to leverage that angle ethically
• Why “pending business” is more dangerous to your mindset than no business at all
• How sales managers can better coach on product relevance

Plus, we shatter a common myth shared by the sales industry as a whole!

Resources and links from the show:

• Connect with Mace on LinkedIn
• Check out the Med Sales Academy
• The Behavior Change Blueprint
• Zed Williamson LinkedIn
• Clark Wiederhold LinkedIn