Top Ten Tips for Allied Healthcare Practices

1. There is no little guy. Some sales advice will tell you to only focus on VITO, or the Very Important Top Officer, such as a physician. That’s crazy. Yes, many times doctors will be very involved in where their patients allied healthcare services, but many will also defer to their nurses or medical assistants. Receptionists have very important jobs but get very little respect, and they know it; so if you respect them, learn their names, and maybe even ask them about themselves once in a while, you are much more likely to get the meetings you need with the people they serve. If you come across as arrogant, smug, or condescending, forget about it!

2. Don’t waste anyone’s time. Healthcare practices are very busy, and you might be resented if you contribute to making patients wait to see their practitioner. It’s fine to show up unannounced; sometimes you can visit more places in less time this way. But if you don’t have an appointment, you must be willing to leave something behind, ask graciously for permission to call back, or try to find out when would be a good time to return. If your contact has time to talk, don’t stick around for more than a friendly hello and 30-second summary of why you are there this time. Bring a newsletter or brochure with you, maybe some pens or tape measures, and ask if he or she has any questions. If you want, see if there might be a better time to come back and give a more thorough presentation. If you can get in and out in less than 1 minute, more power to you.

3. Smile. Make it your goal to brighten someone’s day just a little bit. You don’t have to be clever or get the place roaring in laughter, but if you’re grumpy over the traffic, because business is slow, or because no one will talk with you long, it will show. Small talk is under-rated, as long as you don’t waist anyone’s time. Be the one they enjoy to see walk in the door.

4. Be a valuable resource. Don’t show up and just ask for more business. Your business exists for your patients, and so does any healthcare practice. For them, you exist to help them serve their patients better. Have one thing in mind like free home visits or consultations that they can remember easily and pass along to a patient. Bring a newsletter with interesting, quality information, or leave behind a good article from a magazine you picked especially for them. You want to be the expert they think of when a patient comes in with unique problems not solved by your colleagues in the field.

5. Don’t talk negatively about your competitors. You might even want to say something complementary about them. In healthcare especially, being perceived as greedy or overly competitive will hurt you. If yours is the only practice making sales calls and asking for referrals, there is even more danger of that perception. When you make sales calls, make it your mission not merely to increase business but also to benefit people. Your competitive presence might provide the incentive that raises the quality of care across your region. As a resource available to your patients’ physicians, you add value to the care they provide, too. When competition is seen as an important but friendly (and fun!) game, everyone has the chance to win. But when competition devolves into warfare and turf battles, everyone looses, especially your patients and their doctors. You’ll never wear enough deodorant to keep from stinking up the whole office.

6. Don’t be pushy. It’s good to ask directly for a trial referral from a new provider, and it won’t help you to beat around the bush, but you’re in the business of low-pressure sales.

You want to develop a rout you can cover over and over again, and if your only purpose in each visit is to get a referral, that will get old quick. Those who have said no will wonder why you’re back; those who use you will feel under-appreciated. In our field, the minute we try to close a deal, we force our new relationships into a dead end. Instead, think of your recurrent visits as an opportunity to remind people that they are valuable and that you are available. It’s also a chance to represent you’re practice as a people-to-people enterprise and to thank those who use you. Try to become their consultant or partner rather than a parasite on their practice. Believe in your heart that it’s valuable simply to know the professionals who serve your patients.

7. Don’t ever treat people like they owe you. Inexpensive items like pens or tape measures with your logo and phone number are actually mini-billboards your contacts can hold in their hands. They don’t obligate anyone to use your services. If you bring in lunch so you can get more time with a group of doctors, you are simply buying time, not their business. It would be grossly unethical for a practice to refer to you because you brought them a candy jar or fed their employees, so don’t think that way or use any other pressure techniques. Even if it works, it will create resentment and never get you more than the one patient they might feel obligated to hand over. You’re in this for the long haul, and you could never afford to repay a truly loyal source of referrals.

8. Emphasize quality and accountability. Let healthcare providers know you’re eager for them to follow up with the patients they send you to see how you did. Make sure they know your credentials and accreditations, but focus on how you excel now at taking care of your patients and exceeding their expectations. Let them know how you measure your success and how you solicit feedback on how you’re doing. Make sure they know you want to hear about any negative experiences or perceptions people have about your practice. Don’t ever ask for referrals simply because you’re a great guy and bring them donuts once a month. They might glow with appreciation but send their patients to your counterpart down the street.

9. Gather information. One of the most important ways salespeople serve their practices is by listening to the word on the street. Find out who people like to use, and don’t cringe if it’s your competitor; they will notice. Ask about what kinds of patients they are getting and where most of them live. Keep your ears open for word about a new doctor moving into town or early plans for a new hospital. Learn about the growth or decline of a loyal user’s patient load, and get their opinion on any bright ideas you think you might have for the future.

10. Keep your loyal users happy. This is the number one, most important thing a salesperson in any allied healthcare field exists to do. Your practice has more to gain and more to loose from a loyal user than from the hottest prospect on your rout. If you only provide ho-hum service, they will stop using you or divide their patients between you and the other guy (they might do this anyway). On the other hand, if you find out early and respond quickly to your practice’s real or perceived shortcomings, you will develop low-stress relationships that keep you busy for decades.