A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MEDICAL SALES REP?
Discover what a day looks like for the professionals driving innovation and relationships in healthcare sales.
Base Salary by Location
A day in the life of a Medical Sales Representative is often quite varied, and each day can be different. Some days may be more focused on meetings, others might involve more administrative tasks, and some may be a mix of both. A Medical Sales Rep often needs to be extroverted and able to meet and persuade a variety of different types of people to buy their products. Here are some of the things that influence a Medical Sales Rep’s day:
Work Environment
Medical Sales Reps work primarily in two environments, which are offices and healthcare facilities. Some Medical Sales Reps might work out of a home office unless they have meetings, while others may work out of their company’s office. Medical Sales Reps may also work while traveling, including on planes and in hotel rooms. However, most of the time Medical Sales Reps are meeting with healthcare professionals in their work environment, which includes clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and elder care facilities. Medical Sales Reps may also need to meet with manufacturers in their facilities.
Assignments
Medical Sales Reps might work by following their employer’s directions, such as being told to visit a specific doctor or facility, but many times the reps, rather than their employers, arrange their own meetings and find their own leads. Because of this, there can be a lot of flexibility in a Medical Sales Rep’s schedule, although they may need to accommodate the healthcare workers they’re meeting with. Additionally, a Medical Sales Rep may concentrate on visiting facilities they’re directed to that already have an agreement with their employer unless their focus is on converting new clients.
Colleagues
Medical Sales Reps often work as part of a sales team that works in a coordinated way to meet with customers. They may not spend much time with their colleagues, including their supervisor, but they’re usually in regular contact with them. Additionally, many medical sales teams have regular meetings to discuss sales goals, strategies, and new technologies. Depending on the type of company that a Medical Sales Rep works for, they might have more independence and autonomy and less interaction with their colleagues, or they might be more involved with their teammates.
Methods
A Medical Sales Rep uses a variety of methods to make their sales and serve their customers. Their meetings are a large part of this process and may include persuasive presentations or empathetic conversations, depending on what’s appropriate for each customer. Medical Sales Reps often have to be aware of what each individual customer needs in order to make a purchase and tailor their sales pitch accordingly. Medical Sales Reps also use technology to remain organized, submit orders and reports, and stay in touch with customers and their colleagues.
Phone calls and emails
Phone calls and emails are an important part of every Medical Sales Rep’s day. Because of the large number of customers a Medical Sales Rep works with and having a sales territory that might cover hundreds or thousands of square miles, Medical Sales Reps can’t always be physically with their customers when a need arises. For this reason, being able to talk to them on the phone or correspond via email is important. They’re also useful tools for arranging meetings or communicating with the rest of the sales team and management.
Meetings
Meetings are one of the biggest parts of a Medical Sales Rep’s day. Primarily, these meetings are with current or potential customers. A meeting might be to give a presentation to healthcare professionals about some of the products they can supply them with, or it might be to discuss the needs of a specific type of healthcare professional and how the rep can help. Medical Sales Reps have to maintain good relationships with a high number of people at different healthcare facilities, and their meetings are a key component of that. Often, if a rep isn’t at meetings, they’re busy setting up meetings via phone and email or maintaining their customer relationships through regular contact.