Prescription for Sales

Convincing your clients to buy wellness (or any) products requires your in-depth knowledge of the strongest and weakest aspects of those products. Even though personal and healthcare products seem straightforward, their complexities are not always easily understood. Do you know what manicure set is best, why vegan lotion is better for you or how privacy regulations impact hospital forms? You need to.

We interviewed wellness-savvy suppliers Bill House, vice president, sales and marketing for Alexander Manufacturing, St. Louis; Lindsey Whitney, president of Solar Advertising, Castle Rock, Colo.; and Jim Magdaleno, product manager for TFP Data Systems, Oxnard, Calif., to find the what, why, who and how of selling health and wellness products in 2012. Study the tips they provide and use your new know-how to close your healthcare sales.

SPA GOODS

What: Lotions, nail clippers, hair brushes and anything else from the necessary to luxurious. House cited salon boards, emery boards, clippers, manicure sets, sanitizers and lotions as the most popular wellness products.

Why: Everyone can use personal care products, so finding your target market for them is not difficult. "In most cases, our products are given to be used in the home or at a healthcare facility," said House. He added spas as a favorite market for personal care products. These broad options allow you to sell to all of your clients, especially as the number of businesses participating in wellness programs grows every year.

Who: According to House, healthcare facilities, cause-marketing programs, trade shows, special events, incentive gifts and senior living communities are good markets for personal care products.

How: House offered examples of wellness products sales. "We have several instances where emery or salon boards have been used as gifts for residents of senior living facilities," he said. "Salon boards [are] given as branding tools by doctors' groups, healthcare companies and equipment companies," House explained. Though his example took place at a senior living community, the idea is useful for almost any industry.