Today’s episode is another interesting one as we talk about selling Software as a Service (SaaS) to doctors and how this is very different than selling as a pharma representative. This might be another career that you might wish to consider and so I’m bringing in Justin Welsh to talk more about this – what selling SaaS to doctors is all about and how to say the right things without stepping on the toes of the doctors.

Justin Welsh is the VP of Sales at a technology company, PatientPop where they’ve grown 400% year over year and is one of the fastest Software as a Service (SaaS) healthcare platforms. They have defined a new category of software called Practice Growth Platform, which integrates with healthcare professionals with their electronic medical records, practice management systems, and managing patient journey.

Here are the highlights of my conversation with Justin:

Things to consider when selling SaaS to doctors:

1. It’s your turf. Be the subject matter expert.

Doctors are the experts in patients. A pharma rep’s job is to be the influencer. The software is all about the business side, not the healthcare side. To talk about the doctor’s business, you have to be a subject matter expert in exactly the software you recommend. You have to be prepared as someone with in-depth knowledge about your product and your craft.

2. It’s not about saying the doctor is wrong, but about immediately adding value.

Don’t just pick up the phone and make 100 calls a day. Do your research. Go home and study a healthcare provider’s online presence. Do a thorough diagnosis on his practice online to see what the gaps are in his strategy. Call him and bring up three things that may need fixing. Set up a meeting and show how you might be able to help.

3. You have continuous training all the time.

You have to utilize your LinkedIn and resources as well as keep up to date with current trends. You have to be that expert and that change happens when you look at your access. You have to move fast and create an honest look at the physician’s future if they don’t choose to make a change.

4. You have to cause change right away.

You have to get in front of the physician. Make sure they feel as though if they don’t make some changes, there’s going to be a negative future in their practice. Get them to accept that and ask for a meeting. That is best done by being equipped with all the tools you need as an expert in order to make it happen.

5. Best ways to get access to the doctor

The best times to see the doctor are times when they’re not expecting the call (8-9 am or 5-6 pm). It’s also about sharing how you’re fixing problems similar to theirs.

5. You have to be a No man. You can’t be a Yes man.

You have to say no when the provider tells you something that’s wrong. At this point, you have to reestablish yourself as an expert. Empower the physician to make their own decision.

Justin’s Major Takeaway:

Become an expert. Regardless of what you sell, you will be most successful when you spend a majority of your time standing in front of your industry, your marketplace, your physicians.

Episode Resources:

Connect with Justin Welsh on LinkedIn or Twitter @justinosu99

Visit PatientPop and check out their Careers page.

Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff

Get a free audiobook download and a 30-day free trial at audibletrial.com/tse with over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.

Join Today

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS