Challenge & Selection

Being in the medical sales field, engaging with customers is a crucial step within the sales process. And
nothing was more powerful than the power of storytelling. Connecting with the mind and the soul of the
surgeon, the purchasing department and nurses, through telling the stories of patients that we saved
their lives while using a specific product, invited all the staff and medical team to contribute as well in
making positive difference in people’s life!

Medical staff is concerned about its patient, and are looking permanently to have the best outcome.
They struggle with each complication, they needs solutions that help them improve their patient Quality
of life! And here the storytelling will let them see the difference that our product is making, and then
they ask to be part of that purpose: Saving lives and improving patient outcome!

Once they used the product, it is their turn to share their stories, to show their pride, with other
customers!

Application:

Introducing one new product, that was more expensive to a new medical institution, was really
challenging! One purchasing agent insists that we must follow the process of introducing this new
product to the hospital, which will take almost 6 months to 1 year!

Regardless the fact, that the surgeon, nurses and technicians need the product urgently, since they saw
the difference it can make, they want to proceed immediately by shortcutting the procedure with valid
justification. However, the final decision was in the hand of the purchasing officer that insists to follow
the dictated rules.

Then I used the magic of storytelling! I shared with her the story of a grandmother who was extremely
happy with the born of her first nephew, and then all of a sudden she had a stroke and was luckily
moved immediately to the hospital; emergency room, diagnosed with stroke, with a 33% risk of survival,
33% risk of permanent disability and 33% risk of death. I transmitted the world of the patient and her
fear during those moments, since the patient was still in complete awareness while riding her to the
hospital. She was expressing her fear of death, of her disability that will prevent her from playing with
her nephew, to assist him walking his first steps, to hear him shouting mama I love you. She was lucky
enough that the hospital she was admitted to accepted introducing the life saving product, since it was a
need for the patients! And then I paused!

The purchasing officer started asking more about the disease, the product, the clinical outcome, and all
of the sudden she signed and approved to introduce the product URGENTLY!

One week after, I received a call! She was herself, telling me the story of a patient admitted in her
hospital. The patient survived his stroke with a complete recovery two days after the medical
intervention, the product used for the procedure, was the newly introduced product!
Insight & Approach

In this story, the purchasing officer, was as well, having a new nephew, and she told me that she puts
herself on the shoes of the grandmother that has a stroke. She said me too, I want a chance to assist my
nephew in his early stages in life, I want to be there! I want to have a second chance, and I want to give
the chance for every patient!

The engagement level in that discussion was very high, and the purchasing officer translated her
enthusiasm into actions!

I learned that the power of storytelling is immense and it can beat all the data that shows scientific
evidence presented in an appealing way! Storytelling creates a cause for us to act, to change, to reflect!

My best part in my sales calls and meetings is to share the pre-selected stories that are tailored to the
audience!

The take away from that course, was to put customers and their experiences front and center, and assist
them in their journey!