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Product Sales 101

Paul S. Koch, M.D.

Because my practice represents a large target I have had to hire a team of mercenaries, armed to the gills, to surround my office and fight off every Tom, Dick and Harry (not necessarily their real names) who shows up trying to sell me something. This seems to have discouraged no one, and many an aggressive salesman has found a slippery way to get through my defenses.

At the last ASCRS meeting I wanted to buy a very expensive piece of equipment. I told the regional manager that I would purchase one if I knew my 20 doctors would support its use. "No problem, Doc," he assured me. "We'll set up a dinner meeting with a speaker and show them all what this baby can do."

His salesman did not contact me after the meeting, so I e-mailed him. He knew about the dinner, so he asked for a few possible dates. When those dates passed quietly I contacted him again, and he asked for a few more dates, promising an immediate response. Nothing.

After several months I finally heard from the salesman in the form of an e-mail pep talk. By this time I realized that I was doing quite well without this thing, but that wasn't the point. Where the heck was he all this time, and why hadn't his regional manager followed up on our discussion?

He finally came to my office more than 3 months after my first contact. Who was I, he demanded, poking my desk with his finger, to expect a dinner? He didn't do dinners for a single practice, and besides, his company put on a dog-and-pony show in a neighboring state and I should have traveled to that. And even if his boss forced him to put on a dinner, no one would be available to make a presentation because all their speakers were far too busy to appear on only three months notice.

I threw him out, of course, and called his VP of Sales, too. I've gone from a sure sale to one they're going to have to seriously work for, because I no longer care whether I get this thing or not.

Let the Seller Beware

So, if you run a sales division, and someone wants to buy your stuff, be sure to follow-up on the lead. Have a salesman who is prompt and helpful. Get rid of any self-righteous salesmen who try to make the buyer jump through hoops, because we don't play those games. Rather, we'll take our money and go elsewhere.