Prospecting Equipment Sales
Don’t wait until Q4 to narrow down equipment sales opportunities
Mary Yakas
Editor’s Note: A day does not go by without our phone ringing or an e-mail popping up from a customer asking for the "best." As a dental publication that was designed after Consumer Reports, over the past 25 years we have learned one thing – the best changes from day to day. Providing relevant and timely information to customers is something we strive for. This series of columns will focus on how dental sales professionals can sort through the hype, learn more about what makes a product stand out, and most importantly, learn to educate their customer.
It seems when the fourth quarter arrives, focus shifts to equipment quotes. Sales reps run ragged by December, trying to please every customer. What can you do to avoid the backlog of install dates, all necessary by Dec. 31? Start asking good questions now. Your best tools for an equipment sale are comfort, convenience, cost and credibility.
Comfort
When visiting offices, be observant of the way that clinicians work. Many times the body adjusts itself to poor posture, reach, and seating. Observe dentistry performed in the operatories. Injury can ruin a career for someone who uses their hands for a living. If you do not have the opportunity to observe, ask the clinicians in the office to simulate the way dentistry is done so that you can offer an ergonomic assessment. Some good questions to ask the clinician are:
- "Do you feel strain in your hands, arms or neck, particularly after long procedures?"
- "Does your equipment function fully for height adjustment and drift?"
The ADA has some excellent guidelines for ergonomics in a dental practice on their Web site at www.ada.org.
Convenience
Many practices are not aware of newer equipment on the market that will assist them from an efficiency perspective. Digital radiography is a terrific example. Practitioners that fail to make the jump to digital are likely confused about the options available, and fear the change that moving toward a paperless environment brings. If you can prove convenience to your customer, they will see the benefit in change. However, the change does not need to be as drastic as transitioning to a paperless environment. Improving efficiency could be as simple as the following:
- How many times does the assistant have to get up during a procedure to get a piece of equipment, a product or another team member?
- Does the practice have more than one sterilizer, if applicable?
- Do they have a handpiece purging and lubrication system?
Cost
Focusing on cost is essential when talking about equipment. Many dentists do not make large equipment purchases quickly. If there is no perceived value, the focus will always be on price. Once the question of price is faced, the bidding wars begin. Focusing on what problem or challenge is being solved through the purchase will lead to sales. Your customer may want to take advantage of the Section 179 tax credit or have a cost segregation study completed. Each have their own value depending on the way the business is set up and whether or not buildouts or improvements have been done on the business in relation to the equipment purchase. A great resource for finding a qualified accountant is the Academy of Dental CPAs (www.adcpa.org).
Credibility
So many salespeople utilize the same rhetoric in terms of tax credits, stimulus deduction, and saving money. But no one will be happy if the loan defaults. Understand what your customer needs, listen, and help them plan for the future. Your expertise does not have to be technical. Your credibility is completely relational to the amount of trust your customer has in you as their resource. [FI]
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