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5 Topics Every Healthcare Sales Training Program Should Include

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Healthcare sales is far more complex than most other fields of sales. Due to the additional obstacles involved, it also requires additional training.

Unfortunately, 26% of healthcare sales representatives say their training has been insufficient.

On average, investing in well-trained and successful sales representatives costs $1,459 per trainee. However, that cost is worth the investment. Healthcare companies that make that investment see their revenue increase by 95%.

Most comprehensive sales training programs last ten weeks. To make the most of that money and time, here are five topics you should cover in your healthcare sales training program to maximize your return on investment.

Key Takeaways:

  • Training is essential because smarter sales lead to more sales.
  • Healthcare sales training is more specific than regular sales training.
  • Effective healthcare sales training requires both sales and medical knowledge.

5 Crucial Topics for Effective Healthcare Sales Training Programs

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Healthcare sales training programs are different from regular sales training programs because of the unique courses specific to the medical industry. However, sales training programs can lay the groundwork for healthcare sales.

How to Sell 101

The first course to any effective medical sales training program is learning the basics of sales. An excellent foundational sales course will include:

  • Understanding customers and their needs
  • Generating and contacting leads
  • Learning your products
  • Creating achievable goals
  • Using tools and apps to simplify the process

These topics teach a sales representative the entire process of making a sale, from finding potential buyers to selling the product. It also teaches finalizing a sale and filing the necessary paperwork.

On average, a person interacts or sees a product seven times before buying the item. These are called touches. A good sales representative cuts down on touches by maximizing each interaction to answer the buyer’s questions, address their concerns, and solve their pain points.

Business Basics

Sales representatives tend to focus on meeting their quotas. However, businesses-minded sales reps consider their whole company. This more comprehensive view influences their entire sales technique.

Business knowledge sets sales leaders apart from regular sales reps. 

Knowing how businesses function also helps reps solve potential issues. For example, a sales rep may see a dip in customers in terms of lost commission. In contrast, someone with business savvy could identify more significant business problems behind the lower customer numbers.

Someone who understands businesses also understands that making a sale isn’t the end goal. If a sales rep focuses on selling a product as the primary target, they will do whatever is necessary to make a deal. However, if you want to build a strong business, your end goal is creating a positive experience and lasting customers through meaningful interactions and strong sales tactics.

People Skills and Customer Relations

A good sales rep is also a good people person. They know how to strike up a conversation and listen to a customer’s needs. After all, selling a product is all about meeting those needs.

A good sales training program will teach people how to develop relationships that turn into returning customers.

Medical sales training courses will be different from regular sales courses when it comes to customer relations. Medical professionals often have very little time to listen to long sales pitches. Making an impression in half the time is key to reaching your market. Physicians and healthcare providers are also highly educated and won’t fall easily for a hyped-up sales pitch.

A healthcare sales rep needs to learn how to approach medical professionals with respect, time sensitivity, and intelligence – leveraging statistics and facts to back up each claim.

Medical Industry Terminology

Good healthcare sales reps understand more than just their market. They also understand their products. Medical equipment and products are essential for saving lives and preventing infection. If a sales rep can’t guarantee its quality and features, they won’t be able to sell their product.

When a sales rep interacts with medical personnel, they should understand all related medical terms in order to offer intelligent responses to any questions posed. Then, they need to understand the ins and outs of how their product functions in the medical field, so that they can explain just why their product is better than the competition.

Obstacles and Pain Points in Medical Sales

All sales come with their challenges. However, knowing what these challenges are beforehand can help a sales rep navigate around them.

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One main obstacle in medical and healthcare sales is the need to offer quick, intelligent sales pitches. Doctors and healthcare professionals need to know why your product is better through facts, figures, and statistics, provided in a fast sales pitch that respects the busy schedule of healthcare providers.

The second obstacle sellers will face is proving the reliability of the product. Healthcare providers won’t be willing to perform trials and errors with most of their equipment and supplies. People’s lives are at stake, so they feel most comfortable using products and equipment with guaranteed reliability.

To make that sale, a sales rep needs to understand the pain points of healthcare providers – meaning, the typical issues that healthcare providers face. Here are four common healthcare pain points:

  • Dissatisfied customers
  • Medical lawsuits
  • Losing employees
  • Doctor and nurse burnout

Now, show how your product solves some or all pain points. This technique positions your product as an essential part of any healthcare facility.

Invest in Healthcare Sales Training Programs for Your Reps

Healthcare sales is a rewarding field, as you have the chance to be part of saving people’s lives by offering the best supplies and equipment to medical facilities and healthcare providers. However, becoming a leader in healthcare sales will not happen overnight.

If you want to succeed in your healthcare sales, take a comprehensive healthcare training course that offers these five topics.

Begin your training through one of Share Moving Media’s educational programs specifically for healthcare sales representatives.

Healthcare Expos & Trade Shows in the Post-Pandemic World

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In 2020, most conferences, conventions, expos, and trade shows – any large in-person gatherings – were postponed or canceled. Today, many expos and similar events are still not what they once were. People are cautious, still masking up and keeping their distance from others in large-group settings. Healthcare expos and trade shows are no exception.

However, people are also eager to get out and network again – even if they must do so from behind a computer screen. So, what’s the state of healthcare expos and trade shows today? We’ll cover how the pandemic has changed these types of events and what we can expect from them moving forward.

Quick Takeaways:

  • Today, many are still cautious of large-group gatherings, while others are eager to get out and network again.
  • In 2019, 9,400 B2B trade shows and exhibitions took place in the U.S., contributing $101 billion to the nation’s GDP.
  • While virtual events have downsides, they also help decrease our carbon footprint, reduce travel expenses, and offer the convenience that in-person events can’t.
  • Some companies saved money they’d otherwise have spent on booths, collateral material, sponsorships, and traveling costs.
  • We can expect to see advanced technology and better customer service at trade shows in the post-pandemic world. Event organizers will have contingency plans, stricter health and safety standards, and use hybrid expo models.

How Has COVID-19 Changed Trade Shows and Other Large Events?

It’s no surprise that the pandemic has changed the way many organizations run. The virus has negatively impacted our daily lives and the economy – on an individual, business, and country-wide level. In 2019, 9,400 B2B trade shows and exhibitions took place in the U.S., contributing $101 billion to the nation’s GDP. 

Medical suppliers, like many other businesses, have had to adjust their sales strategies. Companies that share new products with healthcare organizations at trade shows have had to get creative to maintain exposure. Many events have gone virtual, which has been disappointing in many ways, although it also comes with advantages like decreasing each attendee’s carbon footprint, reducing travel expenses, and saving time.

The Future of Healthcare Expos and Trade Shows

According to Forbes, many companies have saved money that they’d have otherwise spent on booths, collateral material, sponsorships, and traveling expenses. Regardless of those savings, trade shows and expos offer participants benefits that might be too good to pass up. 

As a medical supplier at a trade show, you can drive sales by maintaining current customers and selling to new buyers looking for better products. The best part about attending in-person events is talking one-on-one and setting up future client meetings.

Here are several ways trade shows could look different in the post-pandemic world (and how they’ve already begun to change).

1. Advanced Technology

In addition to connecting on social media platforms and using online marketing to promote events, trade show hosts and attendees incorporate new technology to communicate with and impress new buyers. Event organizers use live streaming technology, virtual reality, and other tools to collaborate in innovative ways with participants online.

2. Higher Health Standards

We can expect to maintain rigid health guidelines and regulations, such as not attending events if sick, self-isolating for a set amount of time after being sick, and using hand sanitizer regularly. Remaining aware of potential health threats and implementing COVID-19-specific safety practices may be vital to limit the spread of the virus and avoid future cancellations.

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3. Contingency Plans

Businesses now know to think ahead and remain flexible in case something unexpected happens. Considering how a future disaster might affect your event is critical to avoiding a massive financial setback when planning significant events. Organizers may draft stricter contracts and rework cancellation policies.

4. Hybrid Models and Virtual Events

Hybrid events have already become normalized. Many events today offer participants the option to attend either in person or virtually. Hybrid models must juggle in-person and online experiences simultaneously, which may prove complex. Getting remote attendees to feel as involved as those attending face to face can also prove challenging.

Forbes predicts that hybrid models may include educational sessions and webinars that occur primarily online in the future. In-person expos should focus on reaping the benefits of networking. This gives medical suppliers attending live events the opportunity to “up their game.”

Greet people who pass by, so they know you’re approachable. Provide outstanding customer service while maintaining professionalism and proving quality. Prepare what you want to pitch to potential buyers and be ready to set up future meetings to continue conversations after events.

5. Keeping Things Interesting

Running a virtual event may sound simpler than organizing all the logistics surrounding in-person events. But virtual can require just as much work and attention to detail. On top of bringing in suitable suppliers, virtual events must go above and beyond to hold online participants’ attention. Organizers must make the event entertaining, interesting, and deeply engaging. Otherwise, attendees could quickly become distracted and tune out.

Upcoming Healthcare Expos to Consider Attending

Here are several upcoming healthcare trade shows to consider attending or participating in throughout the rest of 2021 and in 2022.

  • HLTH Conference: October 17, 2021, in Boston, MA
  • HCD Healthcare Design Expo & Conference: October 23, 2021, in Cleveland, OH
  • Medical Design and Manufacturing (MD&M) Show: November 3, 2021, in Minneapolis, MN
  • Total Health Virtual Global Conference: November 15, 2021
  • Biotech Showcase: January 10, 2022, in San Francisco, CA
  • Medtrade Conference & Expo: April 4, 2022, in Phoenix, AZ
  • MD&M West: April 12, 2022, in Anaheim, CA
  • International Biotechnology Meeting & Exhibition (BIO): June 13, 2022, in Boston, MA
  • Texas Pharmacy Association Conference & Expo: July 15, 2022, in Austin, TX
  • HIMSS Conference and Exhibition: March 2022
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Strategic Marketing for Healthcare Suppliers

If you need help with the marketing or promotion for an in-person or virtual healthcare expo, Share Moving Media is here to help. As a leading content creation, communications, and publishing company for medical suppliers – manufacturers and distributors – we provide full-service products and services for our clients. 

We would love to help you increase market share through compelling and timely content your prospects seek. Contact us to learn more.

6 Huge Benefits of Marketing Automation in Medical Manufacturing

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Marketing automation software is taking over the medical industry. Medical manufacturing has been behind in adopting marketing automation, but that is starting to change. With medical manufacturing a $176.7 billion industry with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.0%, marketing automation in medical manufacturing has never been more critical. 

Alt Text: Medical Device Manufactures Market Size Increasing, Making Marketing Automation in Medical Manufacturing More beneficial Than Ever

However, the industry is underutilizing marketing automation, leading to lackluster sales and growth. The benefits of using marketing automation in your medical manufacturing business are endless – but you first need to understand marketing automation and how it’s best utilized in the industry. 

Key Takeaways

  • Medical manufacturers need to take advantage of the latest marketing automation technology
  • The benefits of marketing automation for medical manufacturing outweigh the risks of adoption
  • Marketing automation allows medical manufacturers to make a large impact with a small investment

What is Marketing Automation?

Marketing automation is the process of automating essential marketing tasks to save employees time and increase efficiency. This includes creating marketing campaigns, scheduling content, and nurturing current and potential leads.

To effectively use marking automation, your business needs to have a defined strategy for marketing. This strategy should provide your employees with specific objectives and KPI’s, and ensure that the automation aligns with your overall marketing strategy.

How is Marketing Automation Used in Medical Manufacturing?

Marketing automation is used throughout the entire medical manufacturing process, including:

  • Pre-filling of order forms/documents
  • Document and PDF follow-ups
  • Pre-sending of automated emails
  • Email campaigns
  • Email follow-ups
  • Lead nurturing via automated emails/phone calls
  • Sales follow-ups

There are also many other ways marketing automation can be used in the medical manufacturing industry. When done correctly, there are multiple significant benefits to using this process in medical manufacturing.

6 Significant Benefits of Marketing Automation in Medical Manufacturing

Your medical manufacturing business can grow quickly and efficiently with the help of marketing automation. If you have yet to implement marketing automation in your manufacturing business, then you’ll be interested in these six benefits:

1. Saves You Time

One of the most significant benefits of marketing automation for any industry is the amount of time it saves your team. Research shows that at least 30% of business owners, executives, and marketers say that the most significant benefit of marketing automation is saving time. 

Marketing automation in medical manufacturing can save significant time for workers, with studies showing that 30% of business owners, executives, and marketers alike say it's the biggest benefit worth considering.

In the medical manufacturing industry, this translates into the ability to respond to leads faster, which in turn increases your sales and revenue. With sales being one of the most critical factors in any business, it is essential to have the ability to scale and manage sales quicker and with higher efficiency. 

2. Increases Efficiency

Another benefit of marketing automation is that it will increase the efficiency of your employees. This will improve both your workplace productivity and the quality of your products. 

This is especially true in medical manufacturing, as employees have to spend a lot of time filling out manual forms and templates. 

With marketing automation, your employees can spend most of their time creating new content and following up with leads and customers. 

3. Helps You Scale Your Business

One of the main reasons medical manufacturing businesses are slow to adopt marketing automation is that they don’t see this software as valuable. 

Their biggest concern is not the technology, but the time spent and the amount of money it takes to implement. However, the time and effort saved from utilizing marketing automation software can significantly increase the growth of your medical manufacturing business. 

Medical manufacturing companies that take advantage of marketing automation software will be able to grow and scale much more quickly than those that don’t, becoming more profitable and eventually reaching the next level.

4. Boosts Your Sales

The medical manufacturing business is a highly competitive industry, which makes the use of marketing automation even more valuable. 

Not only will the adoption of marketing automation allow your company to grow, but it will also help you achieve sales targets and increase your profits faster. 

Implementing marketing automation in your medical manufacturing business will allow you to quickly scale your sales efforts. You will also be able to utilize more effective marketing campaigns, which will result in an improved ROI (return on investment).

5. Increases Customer Satisfaction

Another positive benefit of marketing automation in medical manufacturing is the increase in customer satisfaction. This is primarily due to the automation of key business processes, which directly correlates with your customers’ satisfaction.

Automating the sales process and lead nurturing will provide your customers with the most efficient and profitable service possible. 

With a focus on increasing customer satisfaction and improving the quality of your services, you will have a more substantial customer base, which will increase customer lifetime value.

6. Raises Visibility

Another benefit of marketing automation in medical manufacturing is the increased visibility. As customers become more familiar with your brand, and as they stay connected with you, they will not only continue coming back for future business – but they will also start to speak highly of you to others.  This results in greater brand awareness and a better overall reputation, which translates into better leads and more sales.

Give Your Marketing Strategy a Boost Today

When building your marketing strategy, it can be challenging to try and figure out what will provide you with the results you need. At Share Moving Media, we are dedicated to helping your business grow and thrive, and we are committed to advancing your company through effective marketing.

As a full-service media and content company, we can help you implement and grow your marketing strategy to help you increase your market share and stay ahead of the competition.

If you’re interested in what we can do for your team, contact us today! Or you can sign up for our newsletter for more marketing tips and tricks for medical manufacturers!

How a Website for Sales and Marketing Helps Medical Suppliers

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Do you feel like dozens of other competing online businesses are burying you?

As a medical supplier, building your online presence is your foundation for success. However, success is not guaranteed when there are almost 2 billion other live websites attracting traffic.

Reevaluate your marketing strategies so healthcare providers notice your website for sales and marketing of medical supplies.

Key Takeaways:

  • Medical suppliers should use a website to gain more customers
  • Websites are easy to build but hard to use successfully
  • Including quality content and SEO helps your website gain visibility
  • Social media use, product ads, and customer engagement are effective marketing strategies

Why You Need a Website for Your Healthcare Manufacturing Business

Nearly 90% of households have a personal computer – which contributes to the growth of the internet. Online content is accessible by almost anyone and for any reason, from contacting friends to online shopping.

Healthcare providers are no exception. At least 51% of consumers prefer to conduct online research before purchasing products. To expand your healthcare market, start developing your online presence through a marketing and sales website.

5 Strategies to Use with Your Website for Sales and Marketing

Here are five website marketing strategies for growing your online visibility as a medical supplier.

1. Publish Regular Content Through a Blog

A blog is a page of your website with regularly updated content. Here are a few types of content you could publish on your medical blog.

  • Business updates
  • New products
  • Educational articles
  • Testimonials from your clients

This content helps build trust among your clients and boosts the rankings of your website.

A blog’s extensive library of content gives more information for Google to pull from when people search online. It is also a sign that your website is still active and relevant – boosting your brand’s reliability. 

A blog offers another form of engagement with your clients. While you provide medical supplies for a cost, information on a blog is free. Many customers and clients will come to your website just for that free advice and information but stay because of your quality products.

2. Integrate Social Media with Your Website

If your marketing website for a business is not attracting traffic, consider building more roads to your site. You generate these roads through clicks on ads and links. Social media is a gold mine of leads. 

Some of the top social media sites are Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Do not restrict your marketing strategies to your website. Share your content on those social sites. You will have regular content to share on your social sites if you take the advice from the first tip and create a blog.

Social media also gives another way to interact with potential clients. Nearly 88% of businesses use social media. By creating a profile on social sites, you can network with healthcare providers on those platforms and boost your brand awareness.

3. Use SEO Strategies to Increase Your Search Rankings

Ranking well on Google is essential to get noticed. If your website has that coveted first spot, over 25% of people will click on your website. Each of the following places then receives fewer clicks.

Gaining a high position requires a strong SEO strategy. SEO uses keywords, link building, and content marketing to optimize web pages for searches. The words you use and links you add tell Google what your content is about and why you are a reliable source. Websites that have the most relevant and dependable content receive the highest rankings in search results.

Websites that use SEO when creating blog posts and web pages drive more traffic than those using paid ads and other means for attracting visitors to their sites.

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4. Sell and Promote Medical Products Online

One in four people shop online. Online shopping is more convenient and often cheaper. As a distributor, you save on the costs of store space and employees, while shoppers save on gas when they shop online.

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Use your social media accounts and online network to post your products around the web through paid ads. Then online healthcare shoppers see what you offer. Your products will drive customers to your website, increasing your traffic and sales.

5. Develop a Personal Connection with Customers

Trust is essential for medical providers who purchase equipment. They need to know your products are reliable and meet the necessary safety requirements of the medical field.

You build trust through forming personal connections and demonstrating a history of positive feedback.

Online interactions can lead to a personal connection with customers. For example, if people mention your business on social media or in blog posts, take time to respond to them and let them know you are listening and want to connect.

Generating positive feedback is also key as most consumers rely on the recommendations of other consumers when deciding which products to buy.

 Over 92% of businesses say they are more likely to purchase from another business with positive reviews.

Getting Started with Your Next Website Marketing Strategy

Creating a website for sales and marketing is relatively easy – attracting traffic is not. So, if your website is not helping your business, find outside help. Hiring marketing agencies to optimize your content and engage with your customers makes a difference!

With the right website optimization techniques, some businesses start seeing a jump in web traffic and sales within 24 hours.

For an SEO consultation, contact Scott Adams and redeem this $10,000 value for free!

Digital Marketing Budgets: A Channel-Wise Digital Marketing in Healthcare E-Guide

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As the COVID-19 pandemic rolled across the globe, the healthcare industry came away forever changed.

One of the biggest adjustments from the pandemic came in the form of virtual health options. With this push for online access to doctors and other health services, health marketers have had to adjust their strategies as well.

If you, as a health marketer, are looking for innovative ways to create a digital marketing budget for healthcare, we are here to help. Read through this digital marketing in healthcare e-guide to help steer your marketing department in the right direction.

Key Takeaways

  • Healthcare marketers need to understand their marketing goals to adjust their budgets to the new digital landscape in the healthcare industry.
  • Focus your marketing budget on the channels where you can most effectively reach your customers. This may include email, blogs, and social media.
  • Make sure your company’s website loads quickly and is optimized for mobile users.

Define Your Marketing Goals

While you may wish you had an unlimited budget for your digital marketing, you must be realistic about how much you can spend and where to spend it. To make sure you choose the right channels, you should ask yourself these questions:

1. Where Do My Potential Customers Spend Their Time Online? 

Depending on the type of healthcare organization you work for, your customers might be individual patients, doctors, hospitals, or even large healthcare conglomerates. Focus on your customer demographic and figure out how to reach them online.

You can brainstorm ideas and talk with other team members. You will likely be able to connect with customers on social media, but you must choose the right platforms. If your customers are other businesses, can you reach them through email or other types of messaging?

2. How Can I Generate More Leads? 

Once you know where to reach your potential customers and how to communicate with them, look for ways to generate leads from those channels. Do you already have marketing on these channels? If not, can you start? If so, is there room to do more?

3. Where Can I Invest If My Marketing Budget Increases? 

As we travel into the post-COVID world, many healthcare marketers may see an increase in the amount of digital marketing money allotted to them. The pandemic showed the healthcare industry that it can connect with people virtually, and that method is here to stay. If your marketing budget increases, focus on your company’s goals to spend your money strategically.

4. Where Will I Get the Best ROI? 

The simple answer to this question is that you will get the best ROI on the most popular channels used by your customers. However, you have to use the right kind of marketing on those channels. Different platforms require different types of content. Make sure you have a solid overall marketing strategy.

For even more things to consider, this video from Philip VanDusen has some great digital marketing tips.

Where to Spend Your Digital Marketing Budget for Healthcare?

The pandemic drastically shifted the healthcare industry toward digital resources, whether it wanted to it not. Many healthcare marketers are adjusting their marketing goals and spending patterns based on the effects of the pandemic.

In a recent survey, healthcare marketers indicated that one of the top marketing goals for 2021 was to build brand awareness. Respondents also said they were increasing marketing investments in search engine optimization and paid social media, among others.

top digital marketing investments healthcare organizations are making in 2021

Now, you get to figure out the best way to use these digital channels to connect with your customers and get successful returns. We recommend these key digital channels to maximize your marketing budget.

1. Create Bold Brand Messaging Through Your Website

The most important digital channel to focus on is your company’s website. This is the place where most customers will ultimately connect with you. You want it to look sharp, have an easy-to-understand layout, and load quickly. In fact, a website that takes too long to load may cost you a sale.

According to Neil Patel, the longer a site takes to load, the higher the chance a visitor will abandon your site.

Finally, don’t forget to optimize your site for mobile use, as about half of all internet traffic comes from mobile devices.

2. Trust Email Marketing to Reach Businesses 

Email marketing is a highly effective way to reach potential customers. It also offers an incredible ROI with an average return of $38 for every $1 spent. Email is an easily customizable channel you can use to communicate directly with your customers. 

You can use email to gradually convert a lead, offer new solutions to current customers, and even reactivate old customers. Email is one of the most personalized methods of connecting with customers. However, you must have a good email marketing strategy, so you don’t waste your marketing dollars.

3. Use Social Media Marketing to Engage with Customers 

Our modern world is connected through social media. More and more often, businesses use social media to connect with and find customers. With so many social media platforms available, your company can find the ones best suited to you.

While the main goal of social media is to share information about your company brand, it is also an effective tool for monitoring the activity of your customers. You can use relevant hashtags to draw attention to your industry. For example, if your company sells mammogram machines, you can join in the conversation with hashtags during breast cancer awareness month in October. 

4. Share Your Expertise Through a Blog 

You know your company and industry well. Share that expertise with others through a company blog. When you set up your blog, you should plan on publishing something new at least once a month, but once a week is even better. Focus on creating quality content with good SEO value that will attract more customers in your market.

Share Moving Media Can Help You Maximize Your Digital Marketing Budget

At Share Moving Media, we’re experts in creating high-quality content for the healthcare industry. We work with healthcare marketers along with distributors and manufacturers in the healthcare industry. If you want to put our expertise to work for your healthcare company, we are ready to help.

Contact us today to learn more about our company.