2017’s Top Five Challenges of Selling into Private Practices

1Getting the Initial Opportunity

One of the main difficulties of selling into private practices is securing an opportunity to meet with decision makers. While often minimized, this is actually becoming an increasing problem for sales reps due to practitioners’ tightening schedules.

Practitioners are already incredibly busy, and this has only increased as they try to fit in a high volume of patients each day to maximize their revenue. This, combined with the fact that office managers tend to closely guard the practitioners’ time and availability, creates an environment where getting your proverbial foot in the door is all but impossible in some circumstances.

In order for a meeting to occur, some initial stage setting needs to happen.

First, by analyzing your current customer demographics and pain points, you can gain a better understanding of who may benefit from your products and have the most interest. By targeting these practices with a focused marketing campaign that addresses the specific pain points of your demographic, you can create initial awareness and interest in your product. Then, when your salespeople reach out to these practices, the decision makers are far more likely to make time for your team. Without this prior knowledge of who you are and how you can improve their bottom line, practitioners will not be willing to move their schedules to accommodate a sales meeting.

2Competing with Companies that Offer Complete Solutions

If you specialize in one specific product, you place yourself in a difficult niche and find yourself competing with the larger companies that offer not just similar solutions – but more solutions. The practice that can purchase all of their equipment or supplies from one company or distributor cuts down on their administrative time and costs. Thus, it becomes a struggle for companies that specialize in one type of product to make headway in these practices.

To overcome this obstacle, you must convey value. Decisionmakers need to see that the overall value in buying this specific product will outweigh the initial cost or effort associated with working with another vendor. If the product will provide a long-term monetary value to the practice, then practitioners will be far more inclined to take on the short-term inconvenience of adding another supplier into the mix.

3Regulatory Issues

Regulations within the healthrelated sphere are constantly changing and creating pressure on equipment, technology and supply companies. Of late, these regulations have led to consolidation that has shrunk the prospect pool significantly – thus, increasing competition.

To stand out, technology and supply companies need to portray themselves as innovators and thought leaders. With distinctive brand positioning and a commitment to furthering both their industries and the practices that purchase from them, these companies will show themselves to be partners with the practitioners – not just average businesses out to make a sale.

4Working with GPOs

Many medical and dental supply companies find themselves trying to sell into practices that are part of group purchasing organizations (GPOs). Increasing numbers of practices are joining GPOs to defray the costs of equipment and supplies, so getting a practitioner to purchase outside of their contract can be a challenge.

In order to get around this difficulty, your marketing needs to show your target that the product is an investment. It will help the practitioner grow their practice and lower their expenses in the long run – thus, delivering a higher ROI than a lower-quality product.

The same strategy goes for practitioners who own private practices. They, too, have significant cost constraints that influence their purchase decisions, and products that provide a high total value will be a substantial draw for these practitioners.

5Providing Evidence-Based Research

It almost goes without saying that practitioners want to see evidence to support the efficacy and quality of a product before they purchase it. They need to be assured that the product will truly be safe and beneficial for the patients and their practice. But this goes beyond simply having the research performed.

This effort also entails building and supporting an ongoing reputation by partnering with industry authorities. It means marketing in qualified journals and periodicals to shape a distinctive name for your brand that’s synonymous with scientifically examined, high-quality products.