16 Medical Representative Skills for Your Career and Resume

Medical representatives are the link between pharmaceutical companies and the medical community. They are responsible for promoting and selling products to doctors, hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Medical representatives must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to be successful in this career. They must also be knowledgeable about the products they are selling and the diseases they are treating.

Communication

Communication is the ability to convey information clearly and concisely. Medical representatives often communicate with customers over the phone, in person or through email. This requires them to be able to explain complex medical terminology in a way that most people can understand. It also means they need to listen carefully to their customers’ questions so they can answer them accurately.

Telephone Etiquette

Telephone etiquette is the ability to be respectful and professional when speaking on the phone. Medical representatives often use the telephone for their job, so it’s important that they have good telephone etiquette. This includes being friendly and courteous, answering calls promptly and keeping conversations professional.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are the abilities you have to interact with others. Medical representatives often work in teams and need to communicate effectively with their colleagues. They also meet with patients, so it’s important that they can build rapport with them and explain complex medical information clearly.

Field Work

Medical representatives often perform field work, which means they visit clients in their place of business or at home. This allows them to understand the challenges and opportunities of each product and service they sell. It also gives them a chance to build relationships with customers by getting to know them personally. Medical representatives who are skilled at performing field work can help their company grow because they provide excellent customer service and encourage clients to buy more products and services.

Product Knowledge

Medical representatives should have a strong understanding of the products they sell. This ensures that you can answer any questions customers may have about your company’s offerings and how they work. You also need to know what each product is used for, its benefits and any side effects it may have. Having this knowledge allows you to make informed recommendations to customers who are looking for solutions to their health concerns.

Persuasion

Persuasion is the ability to convince others to agree with you. Medical representatives often use persuasion skills when they’re trying to sell a product or treatment plan. They need to be able to explain why one option is better than another and persuade customers to choose their recommendation.

You can practice your persuasion skills by asking for favors from friends, family members or colleagues. For example, if you want to try out a new restaurant, ask someone to join you there instead of suggesting it yourself.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is the ability to identify and resolve issues. Medical representatives often use problem-solving skills when interacting with customers, as they may encounter challenges such as a customer not understanding how to properly administer medication or an insurance company denying coverage for a treatment.

Medical representatives can also use problem-solving skills to find solutions to problems within their own organization. For example, if a representative notices that one of their products has a defect, they might use problem-solving skills to determine what caused the issue and how to prevent it from happening again.

Building Relationships

A medical representative needs to be able to build relationships with their clients. This means you need to be friendly, outgoing and willing to listen to your customers’ concerns. You also need to be a good listener so that you can understand what they are looking for in a product or service. Finally, you should try to make each interaction personal by remembering details about the customer’s previous interactions with you.

Handling Objections

Objections are when a customer is hesitant to make a purchase. Medical representatives need to be able to handle objections effectively so they can close the sale. This means listening to their concerns and addressing them in a way that makes the customer feel comfortable with making a purchase. It also means being able to persuade customers who aren’t interested in the product at all.

Negotiation

Negotiation is the ability to persuade others to accept your ideas or proposals. Medical representatives often use negotiation skills when discussing treatment options with patients and their families. For example, a representative may convince a patient to try a new medication that costs more but has fewer side effects than an older drug. This requires the representative to explain why the newer medication is better for the patient’s health while also convincing them to pay more for it.

Presentation Skills

Medical representatives often present to large groups of people, including doctors and patients. They must be able to clearly explain the benefits of a product or service while also maintaining eye contact with their audience. This skill can help medical representatives build trust with potential clients and encourage them to make a purchase.

Prospecting

Prospecting is the ability to find new clients and patients. Medical representatives often use their prospecting skills when they’re trying to grow their client base or increase sales for a particular product. Prospecting can involve researching potential customers, finding ways to reach them and developing persuasive messages that encourage people to try your products.

Generating Leads

Medical representatives often use their sales skills to generate leads, which are potential customers. They can then pass these leads on to other members of the sales team who specialize in converting them into clients. Medical representatives should be able to identify potential customers and convince them to provide contact information so they can receive more information about a product or service.

Customer Service

Customer service skills are important for medical representatives because they allow you to interact with patients in a friendly and helpful manner. Customer service skills include active listening, empathy and the ability to resolve customer issues quickly. You can use these skills when interacting with patients by asking them questions about their health goals or needs and providing information that helps them make informed decisions.

Organization

Organization is the ability to keep track of multiple tasks and responsibilities. Medical representatives often have many duties, such as maintaining a professional appearance, following protocol for each visit with a customer and completing paperwork accurately. Having strong organizational skills can help medical representatives manage their time effectively and ensure they complete all necessary tasks.

Closing Sales

Closing sales is the process of convincing a customer to buy a product or service. Medical representatives often use their closing skills when they try to sell products and services that are related to the health care industry. For example, if a representative sells an insurance plan for diabetes treatment, they might need to convince customers to sign up for the plan.

How Can I Learn These Medical Representative Skills?

There are a few ways that you can learn the skills necessary to be a successful medical representative. First, you can take courses or attend seminars that focus on communication, customer service, and sales. Additionally, you can shadow or work with a more experienced medical representative to learn the ropes. Finally, it is also helpful to read books or articles on the subject matter to gain a better understanding of the skills needed to be successful.