There are two main types of people when it comes to the idea of “Sales” in an elective medical practice and honestly, watching them go at it never gets old.

On one side, you've got the "Sales Rules" crew. These folks treat selling like oxygen. They track their close rates, they study objection handling like it's a sport, and they genuinely believe that a well-placed question can change a patient's life. For them, selling isn't just okay, it's the whole game.

On the other side, you've got the "Sales Drools" camp. These are the folks who practically shudder at “the S-word.” To them, sales has no place in a clinical setting. Patients should just soak up all the info they can and figure out their own decisions. And any attempt to do anything close to “selling" them feels pushy, gross, or worse, unethical. Hard pass.

And here's the wild part: both camps are arguing on LinkedIn right now like it's a contact sport. People get passionate about this, and I understand why. But we can't miss the forest for the trees.

Because here's what neither side is talking about, and this is where things get real interesting.

There's a “third way” approach to sales. Not Sales Rules or Sales Drools… call it "Sales-Cool." No pressure tactics, no awkward closing lines, no gross pushy energy. Just genuine connection, clear communication and leadership that helps patients understand the value of what's in front of them so they can make a confident decision they’ll be happy about. It works with the clinical experience, not against it.

This third way isn't about manipulating anyone. It's about removing confusion, building trust and giving patients the confidence to say YES to something that can genuinely improve their life.

The teams that get this right are booking more surgeries, dealing with fewer objections, and doing it without mega-discounts or other self-commoditizing marketing ploys.

“Sounds great but do we actually have to call it ‘sales', Troy?” I don’t care what you call it (and I say as much in our coaching programs). Sales, Leadership, Proactive Education. It all means essentially the same thing.

And when you think about it, everyone has had great sales experiences in their lives. When we do the “share a good sales experience” exercise in our E3 Conversion System Bootcamp, we unveil the reality that sales is neither good nor bad. It just IS, and how you apply sales skills can be used for good or for evil. (We do it for GOOD, of course)

So as you roll into next week, consider sharing this concept with your team. You're a Sales-Cool practice. Clear, confident and leadership-oriented for every patient coming in the door.

It’s less about the exact scripts we use and more geared toward how we THINK ABOUT patient care. Because when our thinking is clear, the words tend to take care of themselves.

Enjoy your weekend,

Troy "Sales-Cool" Cole