Reaching out to locate new sales prospects is becoming more and more difficult. Everyone seems to have a gatekeeper of a sort. Hospitals are stopping you at the entrance to take your picture and see if you have an appointment. Office buildings are requiring you to wait for someone to approve your entrance.
Getting behind that sliding glass window ain't easy! Every appointment takes time, planning and strategy.
What can you do to reach health care professionals who may be interested in your products and services but are so hard to meet? Today you need to combine a variety of sales and networking techniques in order to reach those who are often inaccessible.
For HME salespeople, this means getting involved in the community of health care professionals. Begin by making a list of associations and groups that attract the professionals/customers you may be looking for.
Consider some of these groups:
- Case Management Society of America
- Society for Social Work Leadership in Healthcare
- American Lung Association
- Easter Seals
- Muscular Dystrophy Association
- Alzheimer's Association
- American Cancer Society
- American Association for Respiratory Care
- American Physical Therapy Association
- Association of Rehabilitation Nurses
And the list goes on.
Also consider the service organizations in your community including Kiwanis, Optimist and Rotary clubs. I am sure in your community there are any number of private and religious organizations dedicated to helping people in need. Office managers, secretaries and nurse managers also have their own associations.
See what groups you would find interesting and rewarding. You not only want to meet people but, hopefully, want to make a difference. Get involved. Do not just sit on the sidelines. Join. Become a part of a committee, help with a special project, take on a leadership position and share your energy and dedication to helping people.
If you are having difficulty finding an association or group to work with, then talk with your referral sources to see what associations and meetings they attend. They may be able to guide you to the right place for your interests.
The wonderful opportunity you will experience by becoming a part of the community that serves those who have special challenges will be rewarded in many ways. You will meet many new people, expand your network and give back to your city, town or community.
From a sales perspective, this type of networking will allow you to work with health care professionals who rarely have office time to share with you to talk about your company. You will see people outside of their offices without being bombarded by the stressors of their work. You will find yourself working “with” the people who can be important to your business. You will see them in a new light, with a new attitude and sharing with you a mutual mission.
As I think about the HME salespeople who have been successful in their work and what they did to become successful, these are people who have became involved in their communities. In one state I met medical equipment representatives who founded their own chapter of the American Association for Continuity of Care. In another city the president of the local Case Management Society chapter is the director of a medical transportation service. In yet another, the case management group is led by the nurse manager of a home care association.
Remember, once you become involved with any association, you may need to attend early morning meetings, participate on committees that may meet in the evening or attend association sponsored conferences on a Saturday. It may take hours of your time, but the returns will be tremendous.
I can tell you the work I have done with professional associations has led to some of the most rewarding experiences of my career. This type of networking has brought me friendships I will never forget.
Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting Inc. and the founder and director of the DSC Teleconference Series, a teleconference training program. He can be reached at www.DynamicSeminars.com or by phone at 954/435-8182.
