Tactics for Increasing Pharma Sales Productivity

I remember how a fresh graduate who wanted to make a career in pharmaceutical sales struggled hard to take care of his territory and reach targets. Nothing comes so easy. If you are capable enough, you’ll be comfortable in your job. Otherwise, when you lack basic skills and attitude, you’ll lose sales.

Once, I asked him curiously, “Tell me, how you manage to see a doctor if you find his clinic crowded with patients? Do you get an easy appointment for detailing your product?”

With an expression to unveil the truth, he said promptly, “Ah, in some cases, a doctor prefers to see a medical rep and shows eagerness to see a new medication or info about product launch. But, oftentimes, it’s not so easy to see a doctor. It’s like a ‘dog’s waiting’. When you have no patience, you’ll lose your prospects.”

In accomplishing sales targets, there aren’t any magical methods that can be applied. It all depends on what manner you make a tactical approach with your customers, recognize their requirements, give details on new drugs and convince them to begin prescribing your products. In fact, a detailed process of selling leads to sales success.

Agreed that medical sales reps are a connection between pharma companies and healthcare professionals. So, as a rep, it matters how you sell your company’s products to general physicians, specialist surgeons, pharmacists and healthcare professionals.

Well, when your company manufactures a novel drug, then it’s obligatory for your marketing department to fine tune pre-launch and post-launch activities. After that the role play of medical sales reps begins.

- Check how you are going to manage contacts and product presentations

- Check what sort of meetings and group events may be required

- Check what relevant research is readily available for product awareness

- Check how you are going to build and maintain rapport with key persons

- Check how you are going to track sales targets and sales activities

- Check how you are going to monitor competitor activity and their products

- Check what are proven strategies to improve sales performance.

Indeed, if you have an innovative product pipeline, then it truly deserves special marketing campaigns. 

The BIG question is: How are you going to create factual and impressive campaigns to engage healthcare professionals? 

Giving away free gifts, offering complimentary stay and trips and sponsoring some event are just the ways to build cordial relationships. But, marketing campaigns that create product awareness and influence a wider audience is something that’s most crucial.

Moreover, in the age of digitization, it matters how you measure customer expectations and renovate your pharma campaigns by embracing digital marketing trends and building marketing strategy across various social platforms.

It would be vague if pharma marketing and sales continues to stick on to old, traditional ways. Be innovative and try novel ways for pharma marketing opportunities, improving market presence and gaining a competitive advantage.

When you do nothing, then you achieve nothing. Talk about pre-launch preparation, post-launch activities, product marketing campaigns or optimizing sales process. In all these, what concerns most is how you set up task schedules more successfully. If there are deliberate delays in sequential phases, then you’ll find more gaps and inefficiencies.

Obviously, medical sales reps who are aspiring to advance their career should be more aware about their customers, territories and dealings.

So, focus on your goals and be firm to do what you are supposed to do. Set targets, work diligently and achieve results. Be mature, work in smart ways and adapt yourself to have an entrepreneurial mindset. This way you’ll effectively strengthen your customer relationships and reach increased sales productivity.

Image source:  drawman.blogspot.com │© Mike Manley