How to Create Opportunities Where They Don’t Exist

Early in my medical device sales career, I waited for opportunities to come to me.

A hospital would issue an RFP or call about purchasing equipment, and I would jump into action. I was excited, thinking this could be the path to my next sales success. I was wrong. The problem? I often got beaten on price.

Then I learned an important lesson: If you wait for the RFP, you may already be late to the party.

After enough losses, I changed my approach. Instead of waiting for opportunities, I started creating opportunities where they didn't exist.

It changed my sales career.

In complex sales, I believe four L's can signal that we're already in trouble:

LATE: We enter the customer's buying journey after requirements, competitors, and expectations have already been established.

LOST: We don't understand the customer's business problem, cost of inaction, or compelling Why Now.

LOW: We're calling on contacts who may like our solution but don't own the problem, control funds, or have decision-making authority.

LONELY: We have no internal sponsor or champion advocating for us when we're not in the room.

So, I started doing the opposite.

I got there early, before an opportunity existed. I built relationships with executive-level stakeholders who owned important business problems and had influence and access to funding.

I became obsessed with discovery: What's changing? What problems are you experiencing? What happens if nothing changes? Why address this now?

Most importantly, I stopped leading with my products.

Instead, I educated customers about industry trends, shared insights, helped them anticipate potential landmines, and became a trusted advisor. I stopped thinking of myself as another sales rep trying to get an appointment.

The biggest mistake we make is waiting for customers to tell us what they want—and then competing to provide it.

Sales acceleration happens when we arrive earlier, ask better questions, build stronger relationships, and help customers recognize problems and opportunities they haven't fully considered.

Don't just find opportunities. Create them.