7 Top Qualities to look for in a Medical Sales Rep

Medical sales is a demanding area. The very best medical sales people are competitive and tenacious with a great work ethic – and that’s just for starters. So, what are the key characteristics of a great medical sales representative?    

AMBITION AND DRIVE

Ambition sits at the top of the list when it comes to ideal traits. Goal oriented people are always striving to meet their next target and fulfil the next brief. Medical sales reps work to a very hard financial line. Tasked with meeting strict budgets and sales quotas, they must keep their eye on making the sale then moving on to the next.

SALES ABILITY

Medical sales reps obviously require strong selling ability. Unless they make sales, they can’t meet job requirements. Candidates don’t necessarily need experience in medical sales but they need to show evidence of sales skills or potential. This could be demonstrated by success in previous retail jobs, hospitality roles or workplace examples of persuading other people over to their way of thinking.

ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS

Every day in medical sales is packed with deadlines, meetings, reschedules and contact with clients. Candidates must be able to organise themselves efficiently and respond quickly to changing arrangements. Sound time management skills are essential to ensure the rep plans their day with meticulous attention to detail and maximum cost-effectiveness.

AUTHENTICITY

At the end of the day, the medical sales rep sells product to various healthcare professionals. People are only going to spend money with people they believe to be authentic, trustworthy and genuinely concerned about solving their problems. It’s important to treat people with respect and be scrupulously honest about the limitations of the product. Inflated claims and downright lies are the quickest way to get dropped by any customer.

ABILITY LISTEN

Customers no long want slick sales patter and selling by rote. They need to be persuaded by a ‘real’ person who listens to their problems and understands their challenges. This requires sound communication skills. That’s why top sales professionals learn how to listen. They ask targeted questions to find out the healthcare professional’s real problem – then offer customised solutions the client finds hard to resist.

PERSISTENCE AND STAMINA

Medical sales roles are hard work. They involve long, often unpredictable hours and extensive travel. Meetings can be rearranged many times around early or late clinic openings when patients have gone home. The best medical sales reps are endlessly persistent with a great work ethic. Make sure your health sector recruitment targets hard working candidates.

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL GRASP

Sales reps don’t need to be experts in the field. They do however need to have sufficient understanding of – and interest in – the product to make a persuasive pitch. Candidates should therefore be able to translate complex terms into language which is understandable and compelling. Why not try a specialist recruitment agency for recruiting medical sales staff?