Are you getting enough from your aesthetics reps?
Beyond sharing updates on products, pricing, and promotions, a good rep can help you make sense of the decisions that come with them.
Should you increase an order to reach the next pricing tier? Which rebate program best fits your purchasing patterns? Is there an incentive you’re overlooking?
Matt Zimmerman, Regional Director of Sales for Synergy Aesthetics, spends much of his time helping practices work through those questions.
“The best sales reps and the ones who create long-lasting relationships are the ones who are able to simplify processes for accounts.”
Here’s how to get more useful guidance from your vendor relationships.
The Growth Playbook
Get More From Your Rep
Matt encourages his reps to learn about a practice before making recommendations.
Practice owners can help make that happen. The more your rep understands what you're trying to accomplish, what you're already using, and where you're getting stuck, the more useful their guidance can be.
As Matt puts it, that understanding has to come before the recommendation:
“When we know and understand our practices’ challenges, opportunities, and goals, we stop being a vendor and begin to earn the right to be a partner.”
Here’s how to make those conversations count.
Identify Where You’re Stuck
Start with the decision you haven't been able to make.
Does increasing an order to reach the next pricing tier make sense? Which of two rebate programs better fits your purchasing patterns? How does a patient rewards program affect the economics of a promotion?
Write down the sticking points before your next conversation. This allows your rep to focus on the decisions you need to make now.
Ask How the Programs Compare
The more you understand how a manufacturer's programs compare with your other options, the better equipped you’ll be to make the right decision for your practice.
Ask:
How does this program compare with the programs I’m already using?
What would I need to purchase to reach the next pricing tier, and would the savings justify it?
Is there an incentive or tradeoff I’m overlooking?
The answers can help you weigh your options more clearly.
Make Sure the Recommendation Fits Your Business
Ask your rep to narrow the options based on what you’ve shared about your practice.
Matt says the goal is to “take all that information in and come back with a more structured business plan.”
A conversation that begins with six options should end with a clearer understanding of which one best fits your practice right now.
“What should I do when my manufacturer representative changes?”
A rep change resets part of the relationship, but a good handoff can preserve the progress you’ve already made.
Bring your new rep up to speed on:
→ The programs and pricing structures you’re currently using
→ Promotions and purchasing plans already in progress
→ Your biggest business priorities
→ Any open questions you were working through with your previous rep
Continuity keeps the knowledge of your business and the support behind it moving forward.
— Matt Zimmerman, Synergy Regional Director of Sales
Resources, Support, and Upcoming Events
Want help reviewing your injectable mix or retention numbers?
Your Synergy representative can review your most recent quarter and help identify potential opportunities to improve margins or support growth.
Bring your rep the decision you're trying to make. Give them the context they need. Ask them to help narrow the options.
“Simplification is really a big deal,” Matt says.
That’s a useful standard for any vendor relationship.
Until next time, thanks for being here.
— The Synergy Aesthetics Team