We often talk about consulting sales.
But what is it about?
What are its characteristics?
What does it consist of?
Today, in a short video, we can see an example of consultancy sale.
The video is interesting not only because of the process itself, but also because the salesman is an unusual figure: he is in fact a freelancer.
He is Dr Roberto Pinelli, Scientific Director at SERI (Switzerland Eye Research Institute) an ophthalmic clinic in Lugano.
What you’ll see in the video is therefore the sale of a B2C service. But the model is also applicable to B2B sales.
Before proceeding, just a necessary clarification: I’m not sponsoring the services of the clinic. I don’t know you, I don’t know the doctor, and I don’t take any responsibility for your medical advice. I’m only interested in showing you how effectively you’re selling your services as a consultant.
Having said that, click on the image below to watch the video, then we comment on it together:
Okay, here we go again.
Here are the aspects I want to underline.
Let’s start from the bottom of the video: from the final greetings of the journalist we understand that Dr. Pinelli DOESN’T want to be defined as a “surgeon”: he wants to position himself as an “ophthalmologist-surgeon” and “expert in vision science”.
And there is a key lesson here for the sale: the importance of positioning.
A positioning that differentiates, that makes you unique, that stands out.
Who captures your attention the most: a “surgeon” or an “ophthalmologist-surgeon expert in vision science”?
At the beginning of the video, when talking about bilateral cataract operations, Dr. Pinelli also positions himself as an innovator compared to his competitors.
And how does he do this?
First of all, with expressions like this:
- scoops that we must scientifically justify
- I like to make bilateral cataracts, but in the world those who do this don’t exceed the fingers of a hand (and meanwhile you look at the hand)
- but that doesn’t mean it won’t become routine (in the future: it will)
Then he further distances himself from colleagues/competitors who held a cataract intervention on the two eyes in two separate moments, and brings science back into play to validate his vision:
… they have to explain to me a scientific reason why they do it, if not prudential, because they fear an inflammation/infection.
And now who goes more to another clinic, with the risk of coming out with an inflammation?
He also observes:
- relaxed but energetic posture
- the conviction with which he speaks
- as he mentions studies at foreign universities (Spain, Canada, and then mentions the surname of another person probably famous in the field)
- and how he repeatedly repeats the words scientifically/scientifically to support his thesis.
Then he closes the argument on bilateral cataract operation by saying that others contest the practice only because
It is too far ahead
and
In 10 years, it’ll become the norm.
In short, what does he make the listener perceive?
That he knows his business.
That he keeps up-to-date in a scientific international context.
That others are afraid to make their patients catch infections.
That he is too far ahead, the others are retrograde back 10 years.
Bravo.
The second part of the video contains another equally (if not more) brilliant lesson, useful to anyone who wants to take a consulting sales approach.
But I’ll talk about it in the next article, so as not to put too much meat on the fire.
.
.
.
.
