.jpg)
Why Premier League Squad Strategy Is Exactly What Your Healthcare Sales Team Needs.
- Michael Colling-Tuck
- Aug 15
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 20
By Michael Colling-Tuck
I've been a Crystal Palace fan since I was 5 years old.
This summer, after our most successful season in years, we're heading into the UEFA Conference League - our first European competition in decades.
It's a massive opportunity.
And what did we do in the transfer window? Kept the squad together.
We brought in one or two new faces, sure. And yes, we're worried about losing our stars - Eze and Guehi have attracted attention from bigger clubs.
But here's the thing... I'm actually happy we kept the core squad.
Last season proved that sometimes it's not about signing new players. It's about new tactics, better team cohesion, and genuine belief in what you're building. Our success came from making what we already had work better together.
Sound familiar?
The Real Squad Assessment
Most healthcare companies think their sales challenges come from having the wrong people. They're constantly looking to hire their way out of performance problems.
But what if the issue isn't your team? What if it's how they're equipped to succeed?
Palace's transformation last season wasn't about replacing players. It was about Oliver Glasner implementing systems that allowed existing talent to flourish. Better tactics. Clearer roles. Stronger team understanding.
Your sales team might need the same approach.
The September Reality Check
We're heading into September - the start of healthcare's busiest quarter. Events, budget negotiations, and sales processes that have been building all year finally come to fruition. Meanwhile, marketing teams are deep in 2025 planning mode.
The question isn't whether your reps are good enough. It's whether they have what they need to perform at their peak when it matters most.
Here's the honest assessment most healthcare companies won't do:
Do your existing reps have a playbook that actually works? Not a 47-slide deck about your mechanism of action. A real playbook that maps customer challenges to evidence, objections to responses, and stakeholders to value propositions.
Can your good salespeople access your best materials in under 30 seconds? Or are they still hunting through shared drives for that case study while their prospect waits at the conference booth?
Do you know what's making your team successful? When Palace tracks player performance, they measure what actually contributes to wins. When your sales team uses materials, do you know which ones close deals and which ones waste time?
The Conference League Lesson
Palace entering European competition with the same squad isn't a failure - it's confidence that we can make our existing talent work better with the right support systems.
Your sales team deserves the same confidence and the same investment in making them successful.
Post-COVID healthcare has changed the game. Procurement cycles are longer. Decision-making involves more stakeholders. HCPs demand evidence that speaks to their specific challenges.
Your existing team can handle this complexity—if they're properly equipped.
The Equipment Your Squad Actually Needs
Here's what transforms good sales reps into consistently successful ones:
Digital Asset Management That Works
Every piece of collateral, case study, and evidence document should be searchable, trackable, and accessible within seconds. Your talented reps shouldn't waste time hunting for materials during busy conference periods.
Stakeholder-Specific Playbooks
Map every decision-maker in your target accounts and create materials that speak their language. Your experienced salespeople already understand the relationships—give them tools that match their expertise.
Templates That Convert
Outreach emails, follow-up sequences, and proposal frameworks that reflect real-world evidence and demonstrate traction. Your team knows how to sell; they need materials that sell with them.
Performance Intelligence
Track what's working. Which case studies close deals? Which objection responses fall flat? Your sales materials should evolve based on what your successful reps are learning in the field.
Service Showcasing Beyond Products
Create materials that demonstrate your broader capabilities—implementation support, training programs, ongoing partnership value. Your team understands that hospitals invest in relationships, not just products.
The Tactics That Matter
Palace's success last season came from Oliver Glasner's tactical evolution. Same players, better system.
Your sales enablement should work the same way. Instead of replacing your team, evolve your systems to make them more effective.
The best sales reps in healthcare aren't necessarily the newest hires. They're the ones who understand relationship building, clinical challenges, and long procurement cycles. But they need tools that match their sophistication.
Your Next Steps
Before the September rush hits full force, invest in making your existing team better:
Can your current reps access the right materials instantly during peak season?
Do you have stakeholder-specific value propositions that leverage their relationship knowledge?
Are your proposals backed by evidence that supports their expertise?
Do you track what makes your successful reps consistently successful?
Because great healthcare innovations deserve sales teams equipped to win with the talent they already have.
Just like Palace deserves systems that let Eze and Guehi show their brilliance on the European stage.
Ready to properly equip your existing sales team for the September sprint and 2025 planning?
Download our Sales Enablement Audit Framework here: https://www.agencybristol.com/sales-enablement-audit
Get our Stakeholder Mapping Playbook here: https://www.agencybristol.com/stakeholder-mapping
Or speak with us about building materials that actually support your team's success: https://www.agencybristol.com/join-in
Come on you Eagles. And come on your sales team! Give them what they need to succeed.
Comments