Demoing Best Practices

It goes without saying that demoing a hearing aid and its accessories first-hand is a critical component of selling a hearing aid.  We have heard from a number of our customers that ReSound technology sells itself, which further emphasizes the importance of the demo.

We asked our audiologists and product training team to provide their demoing best practices:

To demo hearing aids:

• Play sounds files such as those in the RAVE system (grandchild speech, music, etc)
• If the patient comes in with a significant other, use the Live Speech module during real-ear verification to demo the difference in audibility for the significant other’s voice

To demo accessories:

• Connecting the TV streamer to the PC and play a video or music file on the PC
• Demo the Mini Mic in the office with a significant other or just with the audiologist to stream speech to the patient’s hearing aids.
• Use your cell phone to demo a phone call through the Phone Clip+ so that the patient understands how to use it before leaving

Thumper Johnson, Director of Audiology at Mid Kansas ENT, has developed a creative approach to demoing the Unite wireless accessories. She hosts what she calls “solutions-focused” events. She invites hearing instrument users to attend real-life events (e.g. the theater) where they can test-drive hearing technology in an authentic listening environment.

She recently hosted one of these “interactive test drives” at a local dinner theater.  Johnson understands that many seniors have stopped going to the theater because they can’t hear properly.  The event was designed to show them how ReSound Verso hearing aids and Unite wireless accessories could help them enjoy the theater again.  153 individuals attended the event and test drove the technology during a performance of Little Women.  Many commented afterwards about how clearly they could hear the performance.  The event resulted in 67 Verso trials and 75 units sold to-date.  Sales continue to trickle in.

In the wake of Johnson’s success, other practices are now replicating her “solutions-focused event” model in their own markets.

“The best way to sell a good product,” says Johnson, “is to let it sell itself.”