What will a Biomed Engineer have to study to qualify as a Marketing and Sales Executive of Biomed equiment?

Please post any useful links if you can.

Gracias!!!

In my experience, the most important skills are people skills.

When i meet a sales person, they must have a good knowledge of their products, and be honest and friendly.

You will be best to apply for some jobs and get the job specification.

As John has already intimated ... the only thing you need to study is your product(s)!

That is, Rule No. 1 is - KNOW YOUR PRODUCT!

And, of course, being young, bright, and attractive also helps (all of which may go some way to explain why I have never been much good at selling stuff myself - that, and being too honest, of course).

And yes - friendly. Even in this modern internet etc. age, I believe it is true that people like to do business with folk they like, and with whom they are able to build up a relationship of trust.

As well as knowing your product, there 3 steps that you must follow with every account:
1. Sell yourself - if the customer doesn't get on with you and vice versa, then you cannot progress to step 2.
2. Sell the company - if you can't show that the comapny is reliable, has a good reputation and excellent customer service, then you can't progress to step 3.
3. Sell the product - if the product is good it will sell itself. Point out all of its benefits and understand the customers needs.
Lastly, never forget to ask for the order and have a reason for calling back.

Sometimes you just have to overcome (or, perhaps, see beyond) any inherent personal dislike of your customer, however!

But yes, you must ask for the order ... or else you won't get it! It's a matter of timing. The drill is to get the prospect saying "Yes ... yes, yes" (or at least nodding in agreement with your waffle ... er, pitch) - then hit him (her) with the "Can I take your order, then"?

And, once you have taken the order - get out of there as quick as you decently can! That is, never give the customer cause (or chance) to change his (her) mind!

I think that's called "Closing the Deal"!!!
Coming back to Point 1, if you don't like the rep. you'll make excuses for not seeing him or making sure he doesn't get through the door.

interesting discussion... i'm following with keen interest and i'm grateful for the contributions.

hi
I m a biomedical engineer(BME).Bme have to know own producs not only spec,pricncible and benefits follow up the compettitors specs price ..etc make a swot analyse other way ,bme must have quite ok knowlage of human anatomy organs and systems circulation you have to know DSP like furier transform or medical elctronics diots capsitors ...etc Bme know not only own produs they have to know MRI, CT , ultrasound,defibrillator ...etc principle and how it works may be you ll sell or not but you have to know
some of engineers learn these informaiton at the company tranings but bme learn in the lesson and chack by thee exams
its a good advantage for you but you have to read related articles of your product line
for selles
if you want to be a good sells representtive you have to know presentaion skills like body languange impact pausing....etc
you donot talk to much but not less
you have set your power to sell your device in the best profit
you ll talk on what you can do do not say lie be honest
belive me you ll get good results

EMRE EREN

First and foremost you have to believe in the product that you are selling.

i agree with all, however on the CV and to get the interview they need to see some relevant marketing experience or education.
if u can do some training courses in marketing it will help u greatly.
and if u have the extra cash. go for a MBA degree.

I agree with you band

MBA? Master of Biomed Administration?

You can learn all you need to know about selling in a single evening by attending one of those "close that sale" seminars put on by the likes of Robin Fielder.*

Also, and hopely related to Akofa's original question ... how do we motivate the sales staff (and keep them motivated)? The traditional way was to award them a commission (generally a percentage of the sale value). But surely such a crude method, obviously based upon greed, is so ... er, yesterday?

I also personally believe that "reward" based upon financial incentive is inappropriate to the healthcare sector and anything related to it.

Then we can move on to the next question (and one that has exercised my mind over the years) ... how to motivate the service engineer!

* I'm amazed to see that he's still at it. I attended one in 1989 (and very entertaining it was too).

how to motivate the service engineer!

good question service engineers are the fundimental of the firms they are not in the area or market but they have important role of the firm my opinion they have to support on their works
they are the back round heros I know my staff they can find what they need in very short time they can repair devices
so they need more motivation than the selles person

EMRE

Many of us know how the sales are closed in this part of the world and quite a few other areas eh!

The Salesman sells Tomorrows Dream

The Service Engineer reaps Todays Nightmare !!

The Salesman sells Tomorrows Dream

The Service Engineer reaps Todays Nightmare !!

medical sector is multi principles work you can not sperate your fingers from your hand if you ll sperate your hand wont work as well as in the past so selles and service is the main factor of the medical firm skills

emre

Indeed! The Service Engineer bears the brunt of customers' problems and complaints. He invariably gets called in when things have gone wrong, and gets to meet people who are rarely (if ever) seen by the salesman. Oh, what a joy!

But let's be clear about the distinction between the Service Engineer and the Sales Engineer, who are (I believe) usually on commission, just like sales staff.

And ... going back to what our friend in Turkey is saying:- I reckon that the Service Engineer (and I'm really talking about the biomed variety) is motivated by things other than money anyway.

To put it bluntly, sales people (like managers) are "two a penny". You see them come, and you see them go. In my experience I was always happy to wave them off to greener (that is, by their reckoning at least, more lucrative) pastures.

But don't get me wrong, someone has to be doing the selling (on the Dark Side - that is, in the private sector - at least). No sales means no revenue, which means no new test kit ... and worst yet, no salary for the Service Engineer!

But selling service (maintenance) is not the same as selling "boxes". What customers really want is an efficient service, and quick (that is, as quick as possible) turn around time. They also prefer the job to be done right first time! They don't really care too much about the details (no hard sell required), but just want their kit back, working properly, ASAP.

Yes, Sales and Service is the tradition business model with medical equipment (just as it is with cars and trucks), but personally I prefer the ISO (independent service organisation) model. That is, service only. Potentially less profitable, but a more honest way of earning a crust, in my opinion (and, need I say it, no conflicts of interest).

ok geoff

Hi i´m a service engineer from germany and a paramedic too.
Since 1989 i work with medical devices and as service engineer. So i know how the paramedic/nurses or emergency doctors thinks and works. Your´ll right if you say "The Salesman sells Tomorrows Dream". I also sell products from my and other companys to "First Responder Groups" and High Emergency Stations, but only product i check and used in real.We handle with this units as descriped in the manuals or somtetimes not, so we can see the probelms which occure by missusing. If you are selling medical devices it is not enought to learn the sales prospects. I get every day calls from our sales guys which ask me about troubles or problems. In most cases 75% we can sort out user errors. In german we call this quiet post errors by train experience to a next person, so a lot of informations were lost in training.(-10% knowledge from one person to a other person)If you will bee a good sales engineer/sales rep or engineer you have to collect experience with you products you deal.
Think positiv and with best regards Jürgen.

Welcome to the forum, Jürgen.