LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENTDEVELOPMENT Business Acumen and the New Sales Leader 'm By Scott Moldennauer and Bruce Mathewson ‘Systems Approach to Selling Sales leaders understand that sales growth can no longer be achieved by focusing exclusively on the physician. While average representatives continue to pound away at physicians with a one-dimensional product approach, top performers take a“systems" approach to selling. They have learned to ex pnd their cree of influence Best-in-lass representatives intuitively understand the rnced 10 tailor their approach and messages to meet the needs ofeach stakeholder within the physician office, But hhow do sales leaders pass the talent of their top-performing representatives to their more average-performing sale rep Part othe solution resides with sales leaders ad their de sire tobe keenly aware of messages that resonate with each stakeholder group. Frontline managers observe hundreds of interactions every yea, Paterns emerge from these observa tions, They know which messages work best with each stake holder group — including reimbursement coordinators, nurses, gatekeepers and ofice manager. Advanced Messaging Skills Representatives with business acumen have developed ‘more complex messaging skis For every sales leader who complains of stagnate sales, the same leader can readily iden tify pockets of exceptional growth. These bright spots ace typi- cally occupied by representatives who have learned to ‘overcome the multitude of new selling challenges by becoming more persuasive during face-to-face customer interactions This is not to say that representatives with business acu men skillshave abandoned traditional selling skills, On the contrary, best-in-class representatives continue to capture the physician’ attention, present wit professionalism and move the physician tothe next level of prescribing. “These representatives are typically lining new resources (eg, co-pay reduction programs) and better at selling through managed care objections. Moreover, the oldschool product facus has been replaced by a focus on product benefits from the perspective ofthe physician, the patient and the overall healthcare system. Consequently, mes- sages ate more credible and compelling, nore talented when utc Training Business Acumen Business acumen represents a pro ing sales results, but how do you train business acumen? If ‘only handfl of representatives intuitively understand busi ness acumen skill, howe do you transfer ther skill to ters? Perhaps the first step to training business acumen pro- ‘gram isto define what “business acumen” means to you and ising new way of creat Your organization. Ta date, most out-of-the-box business ‘acumen programs take one of two formats — follow the healthcare dollar or strategic planning ‘Representatives who have the ability to follow the health «are dolar will better understand reimbursement realities, bt it wll do ltl to deve sales. Similarly, representatives, with strategic planning skills will he better equipped to iden tify priority accounts, but the finer points of business acumen (eg, advanced messaging sills) will be overlooked. ‘We have found principles within both organizational and social psychology to help teach the more subtle components ‘of business acumen, These disciplines provide research-based sinwetmain, ERE ing the abstract, seanleapture the concept of "busi (OR cos wth Your smartgrone, ‘concrete and &. teachable format, a Scot Molden! fer of field deveiopment at Madionic Ema Bruce at 2 auor ia president of Peravasion Consultants, LLC. Email Sot at acotfperavssioneoneultants.com. Bruce Mathewteon restheweongimodionie com FOCUS | SPRING 2012 | wwnspotorg