In a recent episode of the popular television show Mad Men, super ad man Don Draper opined to his up-and-coming colleagues that “marketing is all about innovation.” He’s right. But the best-laid plans often sink into the abyss of the “same old, same old.” After all, if marketing is about distinguishing one’s organization from its competitors, why not rely on the tried and true to punctuate the difference? This reasoning is flawed, however; marketing should …
Read MoreSay ‘Arrivederci’ to Printed Materials
An interesting title for a book addressing the impact of the electronic information age might be The End of Paper. Look around. Daily newspapers are dramatically down in circulation and shutting down at a rapid rate. That 20-volume encyclopedia that used to sit on your parents bookshelf? No mas. Those written assignments at every school level? A thing of the past. Seems like a no brainer. Out with the paper and in with the electronic …
Read MoreUsing the New Media: A Modern Plan
Adaptability is defined as the ability “to adjust to new conditions or a different environment.” It is a word that should be ingrained in the mindset of any sales-minded urgent care clinic. I believe that lack of adaptability is the primary cause of less than stellar sales and marketing initiatives. In a business world that is changing daily, yesterday’s approach is, well, so yesterday. You need to adapt quickly to our rapidly changing environment. Right …
Read MoreDisciplined Time Management Drives Your 2011 Marketing Plan
Discipline on the “sales side” involves two significant issues: time management and playing the numbers game. Time management is the essence of effective sales. It’s mathematical: carve out 20% more time for sales and your numbers go up by 20% or more. Monitor your time allocation through the maintenance of honest weekly time sheets. Do not drift away from this commitment; keep your timesheets going through both good times and bad, look for shortfalls on …
Read MoreTime Management Skills and the Occupational Health Professional
“Time is money!” So true—and even more so when your raison d’être is to boost gross revenue in the shortest possible amount of time. Ironically, despite the pressure to produce, time management tends to be a virtually lost art in the world of occupational health sales—whether you are a sales professional or an urgent care clinician or office manager tasked with this crucial responsibility.
Read MoreJust Say ‘No’ to Cold Calls
In sales, the term “cold call” may mean different things to different people. I define a cold call as an unannounced visit to a prospect company, whether the intention is to seek an unscheduled meeting or to drop off literature and/or gifts. I do not consider an initial telephone call a cold call, presuming it follows an introductory letter and/or email correspondence advising the prospect of the impending call.
Read MoreUnderstanding the True Value of the Occupational Health Product
Your clinic needs to sell occupational health services based on their perceived value to the buyer. Hence, you must learn to assess each buyer’s perception of what constitutes value to them before discussing your services. Traditionally, such an assessment is done through the use of astute questioning (e.g., “What is most important to you in selecting an external provider of occupational health services?”). Once you have an understanding of what motivates the prospective buyer, only …
Read MoreLearn How to Articulate What You Are Really Selling
Turning Rejection Into Opportunity
A quarter of a century ago, a former colleague of mine who specialized in stress management told me that everyone experiences stress; what matters is how one manages it. Analogous advice would seem to apply to sales: “Every sales professional experiences rejection. What matters is how they manage that rejection.” This month’s column features a plan for learning how to live with rejection, and turning it to your advantage.
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