Practice by profession
Practise medical device sales calls across clinicians, buyers and procurement
Selling devices means several people, each with a different concern, and a cycle that runs for months. Practise each call with an AI client playing a clinician, a manager or procurement.
Who this is for
You sell equipment or consumables to hospitals, clinics or practices, where clinical users, department managers and procurement all have a say. Calls are about access, evaluation and next steps. Keep to your company's rules and the applicable regulations; this practice covers technique, not clinical claims.
The five hardest moments in the call
In the order they usually appear. Find the one where you tend to lose the customer.
- Finding who actually decides. Ask who is involved in choosing equipment, and what the usual route is. Mapping the decision group early saves months of talking to the wrong person.
- Opening with a clinical user. Clinicians care about workflow and patients. Open with a question about how they handle a specific task today, not with your product's features.
- Requesting an evaluation or demo. Be clear about what you are asking for, how long it takes and what you need from them. A small, defined trial is easier to approve than a vague visit.
- Meeting procurement and budget questions. Procurement asks about process, not features. Ask what they need from you, such as documentation or a timeline, and offer exactly that.
- Keeping a long cycle alive. Deals pause for budgets and committees. Agree a reason to call back, with a date, and bring something new each time rather than just checking in.
Three objections and strong answers
Example wording to adapt. Use your own words and the facts of the conversation.
- The customer says: We have a framework agreement with another supplier.
- A strong answer: Thank you, that helps me understand your set-up. I am not asking you to break anything. Could you tell me how new products usually get considered, and whether there is a route for an evaluation within the agreement?
- The customer says: The surgeons are happy with what they use now.
- A strong answer: That is good to hear. Out of curiosity, is there any part of the procedure or the set-up that takes longer than anyone would like? If not, I will leave you in peace and check back in a few months.
- The customer says: There is no budget for this year.
- A strong answer: Understood. When does planning for next year usually start, and who contributes to it? If it helps, I can send a short summary now so the case is ready when the time comes, without any commitment.
A 30-second opener
Replace the [placeholders], then say it out loud. It should take about thirty seconds.
Hello [name], this is [your name] from [company]. We supply [type of device] to [type of department], and I am calling because I would like to understand how your team handles [task] today. I do not have a pitch ready, I am just looking to learn who is involved in choosing equipment like this, and whether a short conversation might be worthwhile.
A five-minute practice drill
Do this out loud, not in your head.
Set-up: Ask for an AI client who is a theatre or department manager, courteous but cautious, with a framework supplier already in place and a committee behind every decision.
Steps:
- Ask who is involved in the decision before describing the device.
- Request one small, defined evaluation step and say what you need.
- Agree a dated reason to call back that brings something new.
How to tell it worked: You left with a named decision group and a dated next step, not an open-ended "get back to me".
Educational conversation training. It is not legal, financial or medical advice and it promises no results. Always follow your company’s rules and the applicable regulations.
Practise this call out loud
Talk to an AI client who plays your customer and read in the report which sentence helped and which to say differently.
Questions about this role
Can I practise talking to both clinicians and procurement?
Yes. Set up separate AI clients for each, since their priorities differ. Clinicians respond to workflow questions, while procurement wants process and documents. Practising both helps you adapt your tone and questions without repeating the same pitch.
Does the practice cover clinical or regulatory claims?
No. It covers conversation technique only. What you may say about a device and its use is set by your company's rules and the applicable regulations, which you should follow. Use the drill to rehearse listening, mapping the decision and agreeing next steps.
How do I rehearse a long sales cycle?
Run a series of short calls with the same AI client over time, describing what happened in between. Practise the check-in call that adds something new, since that is where long cycles usually stall or move forward.