Change the word. Change the answer.
Same question. Different door. Curiosity opens it.
Open it, fill it out, keep it.
Knowing what to do, how to do it & why it matters. One objective, the two commitments that protect it, the planning matrix, and the honest questions at the end of the period.
Open & fill ↓ DownloadThe weekly cadence. Three accomplishments from this week, six planned for next week, and one teammate who went the extra mile.
Open & fill ↓ DownloadPrep one opportunity. Frame it, score fit and readiness, map who has a say, and leave knowing what they want to improve.
Open & fill ↓ DownloadPick the buying influence, their mode, what they value and your timing — the builder frames your outreach on the 5-Step framework. You bring the specifics.
Open the builder →Most sales training teaches people what to pitch. This one teaches people how to think — and what to say instead.
There are three kinds of awareness. Tap each to open it.
Clarity
- What coverage gap are they actually trying to solve?
- What would make this call worth a busy clinician’s time?
- What do I want the BDE set up with when this ends?
Motive
- Why does this gap matter to them — patients, providers, or the bottom line?
- Why now? What changed — a departure, a surge, a new service line?
- Why should they trust Medicus to fill it?
People
- Who has a say — Hospital exec, Impact Owner, Guardian, Coach?
- Who lives with the gap day to day — the providers covering extra?
- Who haven’t I accounted for yet — credentialing, VMS, scheduling?
Measure
- How will they know coverage is working — shifts filled, fewer gaps?
- How are they covering it today — internally, through an agency, or both?
- What are they judged on — time-to-fill, cost, continuity of care?
Movement
- What’s the next step I’m asking for — a call, a CV, an intro?
- What’s the smallest commitment that moves this to the BDE?
- What do I owe them when we hang up?
Let’s stop asking “What question gets me a meeting?” & start asking “What question uncovers their Mode?”
The best questions are simple, conversational, and easy to answer — the kind that don’t feel like discovery. Work them in this order, and each answer opens the door to the next:
Establish context without sounding like discovery.
- What do you know about…?
- How are you currently handling physician staffing?
- What does your recruiting team look like today?
- Are you handling this internally, through an agency, or both?
- Has anything changed recently?
- What specialties are hardest to cover?
- What are you focused on this quarter?
Where most BDRs struggle. Instead of asking about facts, ask about experience — these seven tell you almost everything about their Mode.
- How’s that been working for you?
- How do you feel about where things stand today?
- What’s been the biggest challenge?
- What’s been the most frustrating part?
- What’s taking more time than it should?
- Where do you feel the most pressure?
- If you could change one thing, what would it be?
People don’t buy staffing. They buy improvement.
- What would success look like?
- What’s most important to improve?
- If this went exactly right, what changes?
- What would make the biggest impact?
- What’s costing you the most today?
- What would free your team up?
- Where do you think the greatest opportunity is?
Timing separates a real opportunity from a someday.
- Why is this important now?
- What’s driving the timing?
- What happens if nothing changes?
- Is there a deadline you’re working toward?
- What made this move to the top of your list?
Help the BDR identify who matters before the BDE joins.
- Besides yourself, who else is involved?
- Who ultimately decides?
- Who will use the solution every day?
- Who else would want to weigh in?
- What does success look like for them?
“It sounds like [Situation] is creating [Impact]. If there were a way to [Improvement], would it be helpful to see how?”
“It sounds like the coverage gaps are putting more pressure on your existing providers. If there were a way to stabilize coverage so your team wasn’t carrying that additional load, would it be helpful to see how we might help?”
- Growth “It sounds like you’re looking to…” → improvement
- Trouble “It sounds like this is creating…” → relief
- Even Keel “It sounds like things are working, but…” → possibility
- Overconfident “It sounds like you’re comfortable with where things are…” → curiosity
- A coverage gap or vacancy exists.
- It's a specialty we staff.
- There's a real clinical need behind it.
- More than one opening, or a repeat need.
- Facility type and size fit what we do.
- It's a market we serve.
- I can reach the right person.
- We have providers in this specialty.
- There's a relationship, referral, or way in.
- New posting, expansion, or service line.
- Turnover, retirement, or a departure.
- A shortage story in their market.
- Which department is carrying the gap.
- Who's covering the extra shifts.
- Who has to fix it.
- A start date or schedule is posted.
- Patient access is being affected.
- They're already looking.
Awareness earns the meeting. This earns the reply.