Explaining Clinical Sales — Part III

There are several things to think about when you are considering job opportunities in medical sales, whether you’re moving into it or moving around in it.  In the first part of this series (Explaining Medical Sales - Part I) we talked about what’s involved in capital sales, and in the second part (Explaining Clinical Sales - Part II) we covered consumable and service sales and what kinds of personalities best fit different sales jobs.  In today’s video scene, I discuss specific aspects of sales career opportunities like: 

• How high do you want to call up in the organization?  A large capital sale, for instance, will require you call on people high in the organization, such as the CEO or leading administrator.  If you’re not comfortable with that, you definitely have to stick with consumable sales or service sales. 

• How often do you have to close?  If you need to close sales frequently to feel successful, then you don’t want a high-dollar close (like those typically involved in capital sales).  You also don’t want a high-dollar close if you don’t want a lot of travel.  Less travel, on the other hand, gives you more customers within a smaller area, but also gives you smaller closes (typically consumable revenue or service sales).

• Process–do you enjoy simple or complicated? 

• Potential employer - how do they manage their sales force?  Do you mind being micromanaged through a very structured system?  Or, can you handle great independence?  You got to fit the organization you work for to your personality type.

• Do you want to be the key person in the sale and handle it all on your own?  Or, do you want to be able to bring in a team with several specialists to assist your sale? 

One thing about pharma sales:  it’s very different from all other areas of clinical sales (clinical laboratory sales, clinical diagnostics sales, clinical supplies revenue, lab equipment sales, surgical supplies sales, imaging sales, biotechnology sales, cellular/molecular products sales, clinical device sales, hospital equipment sales, imaging sales, etc.).  Medical sales reps can’t ask for the business, or close the deal.  They can increase their numbers, and there are some great salespeople involved in medical sales.  But for them to move over into one of these other areas, they might as well be starting over.  It’s not to say they won’t be successful…I’m just saying it’s different.

What do you think about these areas? Can you see what kinds of personality traits might best fit?  What’s been your experience with different types of revenue jobs?