Pharma Sales
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Presentation Transcript
Pillars of Pharmaceutical Selling SELLING SKILLS KNOW- LEDGE TUDE APTI- Theoretical Product Medical Pragmatic Market Passion Anlytical Attitude
Patient, Efficacy Safety Cost effectiveness Job, Salary, Targets Incentives Cure, Cost Information Prescription Queries Fee Medicines Chemist Medical Representative Patient Doctor Money Salesmanship Manufacturer, Importer or Distributor Salary, Benefits The Pharmaceutical Sales Cycle Medicines Money
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Basics Pharma companies and their salespeople Positive frame of mind Goal setting – the key to success Mission statement
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Gear up for sales call Pre – Call Planning Who are your customers? Know your customers Examining your wardrobe Timing Rehearsal
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Taking care of your means of transport Traveling Distribution and distributors Chemist first! Arrange your belongings While in the waiting room, observe Liaison with gatekeepers Shaping initial discussion
PROSPECTING Identify markets, segments, competition and requirements needs to be met To find potential customers; to Qualify, Classify and Categorize Basis for the strategy for the Sales call Proper allocation of time and frequency of sales calls. A continuous process ; all changes must be known at all relevant levels
Pre-call Planning Align your objectives Do you have a clear call objective? Is the objective identified on your strategic direction? Is the objective S. M. A. R. T? What can you offer that may be of interest to the customer? Align your objectives
Pre-call Planning Do you have a clear call objective? objective? Secure a purchase order for 100 packs of a specific injection by the end of the day Gain commitment from a targeted physician to a 6-week evaluation of a specific new product Do you have a clear call
Pre-call Planning Is the objective identified in your Is the objective identified in your strategic direction/Performance strategic direction/Performance Goals? Goals? Confirm that it is a priority for your territory and division What tactics are linked to this particular strategy? Does your plan support the chosen tactics?
Pre-call Planning Is your objective Is your objective S.M.A.R.T? S.M.A.R.T? S Specific M Measurable A Achievable R Relevant T Time-bound
Pre-call Planning Do you have what they want? What influences them: What influences them: Third-party references Revenue to the hospital Delivery Support Product Availability Recognition Full line supplier Innovation and technology Price Technical Support Relationships Congress involvement. Your Offerings: Your Offerings: Clinical support Financial savings plans Free delivery Next day service International data Broad product portfolio Proprietary technology Price discounts Product in-services Professional support Symposia coordination.
Pre-call Planning Sales Tools Sales Tools Do you have all the tools and resources you need to conduct a complete call? Are you carrying a complete sales bag into every every call?
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Lights, camera, action The sales call On the stage First impression is the lasting impression Remember the name of your doctor Know your lines
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Lights, camera, action Make it natural The speed of your speech The game of feature and benefit Own “their” concerns Patient’s pocket is the decision- maker
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Bridging Mode of communication Credibility Make them feel special Value proposition
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Active listening Selling with evidence Adopt a proactive attitude Discuss with confidence Research and generics
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Impress them with numbers Repeat the name of product time and again Ready made answers Short and long calls and a few in between Negotiations Apprehensions
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Convenience Different strokes for different folks Choose your words carefully Tell them about the old days Managing time Talking to a group of customers When the day is just not right!
The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling Selling skills Opening Probing Reinforcing Gaining commitment Objections Misunderstanding When the customer is right Uninterested customer or satisfied with another product Disbelief Closing Complainers are most loyal customers Is that all about “selling skills”
Selling Skills Establishing the Clinical Need “No Need = No Sale No Need = No Sale”
Selling Skills Basic steps to an effective sales call:
Selling Skills Basic steps to an effective sales call: Opening Exercise: Write an opening statement of your call and share it with your colleagues
Selling Skills Basic steps to an effective sales call: Opening Probing
Selling Skills Basic steps to an effective sales call: Opening Probing Reinforcing
Selling Skills Basic steps to an effective sales call: Opening Probing Reinforcing Offering a Solution
Selling Skills Basic steps to an effective sales call: Opening Probing Reinforcing Offering a Solution Handling Objections
Selling Skills Basic steps to an effective sales call: Opening Probing Reinforcing Offering a solution Handling Objections Gaining commitment
Building a Call Gain Gain Commitment Commitment Handling Objections Offering a Solution Reinforcing Probing Opening
Openings What defines of a strong opening? opening? Of interest to the customer Successfully gains favorable attention Identify why you are there Consistent with your call objectives Tailored to the customer’s profile Encourage the customer to further discuss. What defines of a strong
Reinforcing What is What is “reinforcing? reinforcing?” Statements which… Paraphrase the physician concerns Confirm “the need” Establish a sense of urgency in the eye of the customer.
Reinforcing Why do we “Reinforce? Add value to the approach in the eyes of the physician To establish a strong need for the product or program you wish to introduce. Why do we Reinforce?”
Offering a Solution What does the solution statement What does the solution statement accomplish? accomplish? It fulfills the customer’s new found “need” It builds value to the product or program you are about to deliver It serves as a problem solving statement to the conversation It gives you the right to get a prescription the right to get a prescription or introduce a program.
Gain Commitment Implied needs versus specific needs Implied needs versus specific needs Implied Needs: Implied Needs: When the customer states dissatisfaction When the customer agrees that his/her current modality or drug has a shortcoming but they can “live with it” Explicit Needs: Explicit Needs: When the customer specifically states that he/she wants or needs to make a change When the customer customer suggests the next action steps.
Gain Commitment Before planning the follow-up call, Before planning the follow-up call, consider: consider: How do I feel about the call? How effective was my plan? Did I accomplish/advance my call objective? What went well that I should keep? What didn’t go well that I should change? What do I see as the next step with this customer?
Selling Skills – Handling Objections Brainstorming on common Brainstorming on common objections... objections... Product performance / desired outcome Price Product familiarity Product reliability (actual and perceived) Clinical need / relevance to practice.
Objections Why customers raise objections? Why shouldn't they raise objections?
Why are we scared of objections? We are scared that the customers ask for more favors than the business they generate for us. We are also responsibility. Scared of critique and criticism scared of
Part I Objection Types Misunderstanding When the customer is right!(Real Objection) Uninterested customer or satisfied with another drug (Lack of Interest) Skepticism/Disbelief
Misunderstanding An erroneous impression about the characteristics of a product or company Usually develops when the customer fails to get a first hand knowledge of your products or the company It can also be due to lack of proper communication in the previous calls whereby the information was communicated in a crude manner
Misunderstanding It is also possible that your company representatives have never visited the doctor before and hence his information about the product or the company is derived from not very reliable sources
Real Objections When the customer is right! Know the misunderstanding and a real objection There is hardly any ideal drug available in the market. So any customer can come up with an objection, which is true in letter and spirit difference between a
Lack of Interest Uninterested customer or satisfied with another drug (Lack of Interest) An uninterested customer is usually the one who is prescribing an old and established product from a competitor and is quite satisfied with it. This kind of customer is usually the one who hates change and is not willing to take risks, whether it concerns his own practice, his personal life or a new medicine
Skepticism Skepticism/Disbelief Disbelief or skepticism comes usually from a very choosy customer. Unfortunately a live demonstration cannot be made in case of pharmaceutical products. (Unless it’s an instrument or a procedure) Hence you will have to rely on the clinical trial data and published scientific evidence in leading medical journals
Objections Complainers are your most loyal customers - Don’t avoid them
Objections The rule for handling objection is simple: “Do whatever it takes to make things right when things go wrong – No matter what” T. Scott Gross (1998)
Handling Misunderstanding Misunderstanding can be detected through customer signals Customer signals can only be picked through active listening Hold for a second Probe very gently for further clarification. Do not embarrass the doctor by saying, “What are you talking about? Your argument is totally baseless.”
