One of my mentors, Nido Qubein, president of High Point University in North Carolina reminded me that when you know how someone thinks, you are way ahead of the game. When you are presenting to a physician client, it is important that you understand how doctors these days think. It may offer a window into them and into your presentation.
It is vital that we not think of persuading but rather partnering as our first, most important job. Persuading is about me and my stuff; partnering is about us, more importantly about them and their patients.
See if you agree this might be how your doctor silently thinks:
1. Who are you?
2. Are you worth my time?
3. What ya got for me?
4. Is this new?
5. How does this relate to my patients??
6. Who are you again?
7. What did I think of this time? (actually, they are asking themselves how they felt about you without using feeling words!)
Traditionally, we spend precious time introducing ourselves and jumping into our agenda instead of getting inside the head of the doctor. The first two questions are actually about you, not about the doctor. Do you think that is the focus of the KOL? What’s the actual order of these questions in the KOL’s head?
Think a bit about this. Our next post will discuss what we suggest the doctor is really thinking!