Dental Sales Executive; U500/Liberty Valley (Hybrid; Cleveland OR Columbus)

As a Dental Sales Executive at Cigna Healthcare, your key responsibilities will include selling dental and vision products in your aligned market, managing the sales process, developing business growth strategies, and collaborating with internal partners. You'll have the singular responsibility for your dental growth plan and be expected to meet or exceed membership growth targets by identifying and capitalizing on various distribution channels. Additionally, the role includes responding to requests for proposals and overseeing the implementation of new accounts, ensuring client satisfaction and product understanding.

To qualify for the Dental Sales Executive position at Cigna Healthcare, candidates should have a college degree or equivalent experience, along with a minimum of five years in dental benefits and proven healthcare sales experience. A licensed producer status is required, in addition to having strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to operate independently in a complex environment. Financial acumen and a focus on membership growth are also essential for this role.

Cigna Healthcare looks for candidates who possess at least five years of experience in the dental benefits sector, specifically with a strong background in healthcare sales. Managed dental sales experience is preferred, particularly for those who excel in developing sales strategies and collaborating with matrix partners. This significant experience helps ensure you have the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully drive sales growth and navigate the competitive landscape.

A typical workday for a Dental Sales Executive at Cigna Healthcare involves a blend of sales activities, strategic planning sessions, and collaboration with internal partners. Expect to spend time on prospecting for new clients, responding to RFPs, and managing existing accounts. You’ll also meet with brokers and consult on vision sales opportunities, attend monthly business review sessions, and actively engage with team members to develop effective growth strategies. Flexibility in a hybrid work environment will allow for a mix of remote work and in-person meetings.

Cigna Healthcare is dedicated to the ongoing professional development of its Dental Sales Executives. This support includes facilitating attendance at training sessions, offering regular updates on dental products, and encouraging participation in strategy meetings to foster collaborative discussions about market dynamics. Additionally, Cigna provides resources to develop your sales techniques and product knowledge, ensuring that you are well-equipped to meet the ever-evolving needs of clients and stay competitive in the market.

In an interview context, focus on detailing your approach to developing tailored business plans that align with the specific needs of your market. Discuss your experience in leveraging existing relationships and building new partnerships with brokers to drive sales, as well as your strategy for upselling to current clients. Highlight your understanding of market dynamics and how you adapt strategies accordingly.

When addressing this question, share a specific example where you significantly contributed to sales growth or improved client relationships. Explain your role in the project, the challenges faced, and how you successfully navigated them to achieve your goals. It's essential to quantify your achievements with metrics where possible to demonstrate the impact of your efforts.

In your answer, emphasize active listening and empathy as critical tactics for addressing client objections. Describe your process for understanding the client’s concerns and how you adapt your presentation to alleviate their worries through well-informed responses, providing value-added insights aligned with what they are seeking.

Be sure to communicate the importance of continuous learning and awareness in a sales role. Mention methods such as attending industry conferences, participating in webinars, following relevant publications, and collaborating with colleagues for shared insights. Highlight how this knowledge enables you to provide informed solutions to potential clients.

For this question, share your approach in managing relationships with a focus on communication, regular check-ins, and proactive engagement to understand the evolving needs of key accounts. Discuss strategies you've used to ensure satisfaction and retention, as well as how you leverage these connections to explore additional sales opportunities.

Express your understanding of how data-driven decision-making is vital for targeted sales strategies. Discuss your experience in analyzing sales data to identify trends, refine marketing approaches, and inform product offerings based on customer needs and preferences.

Highlight your belief in open communication and teamwork as key elements for collaboration with a marketing team. Discuss how you would work together to align messaging, share insights about customer feedback, and co-develop campaigns that resonate with target audiences, ultimately driving better sales results.

In your response, emphasize that relationship-building is at the heart of successful dental sales. Explain how establishing trust with clients leads to long-term partnerships, customer loyalty, and new referrals, and detail efforts you've made to create and maintain these relationships.

Provide an overview of your time-management strategies, such as prioritizing tasks, utilizing scheduling tools, and setting realistic milestones. Share how these techniques help you remain organized, meet deadlines, and ultimately contribute to sales success.

Discuss your perspective on feedback as an opportunity for growth and development. Explain how you actively seek feedback, reflect on it, and implement constructive criticism to improve your sales techniques and overall performance.