By Andy Roller

On a Google Hangout, I recently interviewed John Sahid. We talked about sales training, managing sales teams, the relationship between sales and marketing, the impact of social media on B2B healthcare sales, and the best emails that help create sales opportunities.

Here are three key things that sales leaders must get right:

1. Quickly show relevance and value

Enough said.

2. Tell the right economic story

Yes, it’s changing — and the pace of change keeps speeding up with technology.

3. Invest in your people and customers

All else being equal, strong relationships win deals.

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About John Sahid

John works at ASP, a medical device division of Johnson & Johnson based in Orange County, CA. This past year, he led a sales organization of 40 people. His team sells medical devices to major healthcare systems across the Western U.S. He loves his role and is passionate about investing in his team and customers.

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Challenges in Healthcare B2B Sales

The challenges are well known:

• Highly regulated industry — trust and credibility are essential

• Slow to embrace new technology — patience is required

• Ironically, also undergoing one of the fastest rates of change in any industry

• Buying cycles vary dramatically:

  • A few days for accessories

  • 1–2 years for capital equipment

Call points also range from end-users to C-suite executives.

When asked whether these challenges are obstacles or opportunities, John emphasized the importance of being agile, responsive, and decisive in order to thrive.

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Managing a Sales Team

John highlighted the tension between:

• Long-term strategy

• Short-term execution

Sales requires constant attention, and leaders must balance daily demands with long-term investments in clients and staff.

His team uses the Integrity Selling® / AID, Inc. model with strong results. Other J&J divisions have implemented the Challenger™ Sales Model, which may be adopted in his division in the future.

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Sales & Marketing: A Critical Relationship

What about integrating sales and marketing?

John believes better integration between sales and marketing is more important than ever. The relationship must be built on:

• Trust

• Understanding

• Collaboration

How John defines the roles:

Sales: Executing strategies and delivering results
Marketing: Finding insights, developing strategy, and communicating it effectively

He believes that Director and VP-level roles benefit greatly from marketing experience.

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Improving Sales & Marketing Integration

John encourages talent transfer across sales and marketing. He was among the first in his division to transition from sales to marketing, setting an example. Successful teams usually have a mix of:

• Classic marketing professionals

• Individuals with sales or sales management experience

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Best Sales Calls & Emails

We agreed the best outreach includes:

• A shared connection or interest

• Good timing (season, schedule, annual cycle)

• Asking for advice before asking for a sale

• Keeping the pressure low

• Asking thoughtful questions

• Doing your research

• Most importantly — listening

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Final Thoughts

John said something every salesperson should remember:

“Seek to get people to think differently by asking the right questions.”

There are no tricks — just value, relevance, real connection, learning, and authenticity.