In highly regulated life sciences environments, creativity is often seen as a liability. But what if constraints are actually the catalyst for better, more effective sales strategies?

In this episode, Dr. Shannon Gregg is joined by her colleague and mentor, Dr. Dorene Ciletti—Professor and Program Director at Point Park University and former sales leader in financial services and healthcare—to challenge the myth of “thinking outside the box.” Together, they explore why the most successful Sales Operations teams excel by thinking inside it.

You’ll learn how regulation can drive sophisticated problem-solving, how improv techniques like “Yes, And” translate into real-world bid defense strategies, and why small, risk-aware innovations can create long-term Trusted Advisor relationships. From reverse brainstorming to reframing the scientific method as a creativity tool, this conversation offers practical, repeatable frameworks for selling smarter in complex, risk-averse environments.

If you’re navigating strict SOPs, competitive buying committees, or high-stakes sales conversations, this episode delivers laboratory-tested approaches to turning constraints into conversion.

In life sciences sales, technical brilliance often breaks down when it meets human scepticism. How do you simplify complex science without diluting your expertise—and still earn trust? In this episode of The Life Sciences Sales Lab, Dr.Shannon Gregg is joined by legendary presentation expert Patricia Fripp to explore how clear communication, storytelling, and structure drive better sales conversations. This discussion reveals how top performers turn complexity into clarity—and clarity into confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How visual language helps scientific audiences remember your message, not just your data
• A simple Situation–Solution–Success framework to build credibility through client stories
• The “Imagine With Me” technique to lower resistance and open minds to innovation
• Why the last thing you say matters most—and how to use it as a competitive edge
• How effective rehearsal (not last-minute practice) elevates sales performance and team mentorship

Whether you’re preparing for a high-stakes bid defense or a virtual demo, this episode will help you transform dense information into a compelling do-along that moves decisions forward.

In the world of life sciences, we often fall into the trap of the "Harbor Tour"—dragging our prospects through every single feature, button, and technical spec of our software or service. But as our guest today discovered when the "scales fell from his eyes" as a buyer: your prospects don't want to see how the car battery works; they want to know the mileage.

Dr. Shannon Gregg is joined by Peter Cohan, the founder of the Great Demo! methodology and author of Doing Discovery. Peter shares his journey from a bench chemist who successfully freeze-dried beer to a global sales leader who revolutionized the way we present solutions to scientific audiences.

In this episode, we dissect:

-Doing the "Last Thing First": Why flipping your demo upside down and leading with the end-state dashboard or report is the fastest way to engage senior leadership.

-The "Curse of Knowledge": How to avoid the trap of assuming your prospect’s workflow and instead use discovery to surface their "perceived uniqueness."

-Buyer Enablement vs. Sales Process: Why we must stop dragging prospects through our CRM stages and start mapping our actions to their internal buying journey.

-The "Menu Approach": A tactical masterclass in handling large, diverse audiences (like 175 Swedish scientists) by letting them choose the agenda.

-The Least Expensive Form of Proof: How to determine the "minimal viable proof" needed to secure an order—from social proof to technical demos—without wasting months on unnecessary POCs.

Whether you are a Sales professional looking to reduce friction in the sales cycle or a leader aiming to truncate the "change management" burden for your clients, Peter’s insights provide a laboratory-tested framework for driving real results.