The Surprising Thing A Doctor Taught Me About Sales

Diverticulitis, Sales Dec 21, 2020

If you have been following me online in the last few weeks, you may know that I spent a few days in the hospital. Thankfully, I am home now and healing.

So first I want to say, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers, your support. I've had so many of you all reach out and check on me, and it means so much more than you probably might ever know.

For the past several years, I have dealt with diverticulitis. It’s a very, very painful infection in your large intestines. I'm trusting God to be able to obliterate that.

I have been working with a fantastic doctor for the past several years. We have a plan to regulate my diet and avoid surgery.

Making the sale

At the hospital, a doctor, who is not my regular gastroenterologist, came to see me. He walked into my hospital room, doesn’t examine me, or ask me any questions about how I’m doing. He handed me his business card, then tells me that he wants to schedule me for surgery in the next four weeks.

He never asked about the conversations and plans I have with my regular gastroenterologist. He never asked, “Have you talked to your doctor about surgery?”

I do not doubt that this doctor knows his trade. I’m sure he is a great doctor. But I found it very icky how he approached the situation. He didn’t get to know me. He didn’t ask how I felt about the situation. He sold me his services (surgery) without ever taking the time to get to know me or discover if that’s what I needed or wanted.

My response to him was something like, "I've been working with my gastroenterologist. We are fully aware that this is something that could be possible, but it's not something that I'm jumping to right this moment." I was firm but polite.

After my response, he walked out of the room. He didn’t say anything more, talk to me about my health, or give me any more suggestions. It felt like when someone wants you to buy their product or service, but you aren’t interested, and they ghost you. It felt like because I wasn’t interested in buying his service (surgery), he didn’t want anything to do with me.

And he never checked on me again. After I said, “No, thank you,” he didn’t come back.

How are you connecting with your prospects?

I have worked with some great doctors while on this path, so I know that he had a unique approach. Surgery may be the only option one day. But for now, I’m hoping to avoid it.

Now, think about your business.

Are you making your customers, your potential clients, feel like you really care about them?

Are you staying in touch with them?

Even if they said no the first time, are you making them feel like you care more about their credit card than you do the relationship?

So once again, a doctor taught me something else about sales.

I wasn’t expecting to learn something about sales when I was admitted to the hospital last week. But I learned something anyway.

Once again, thank you for your care, for your love, for your prayers, for your support. We're going to keep moving forward. I believe that God is giving me a vision for health and showing me how to do it.