The Art of Pharmaceutical Selling awais

THE ART OF PHARMACEUTICAL SELLING

Awais & Ghufran |

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Awais e Siraj

Dr. Awais is an international trainer, learning facilitator and managing director of Genzee
Solutions. About 14 years earlier, he joined pharmaceutical industry after doing his MBA
from Strathclyde Graduate Business School in Glasgow, UK. He has more than a decade
of experience in Marketing and Sales in addition to Medical and Regulatory Affairs. His
last industry assignment was with Boston Scientifics‘ regional office in Beirut, Lebanon as
Country Sales Manager. An all-time learner, Awais has been enlightened by training and
education in Pakistan, United Kingdom, USA, France, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia and
Singapore.

He has a proven record of a successful manager, team leader and a professional with
winning mind-set. In his role as coach, facilitator, and consultant he has groomed people
from Micronet Broadband and Nayatel, Abbott, Amson, Ferozsons, Roche, British High
Commission, Action Aid, B Braun, Bayer – Schering, Pourateb (Iran), Khushali Bank, U
Fone, PTCL, Air Weapons Complex, Sukhi, DOVE, IYF, Habib Bank, Amgomed, UNDP,
Ericsson, National Commission of Biotechnology, Clough, Nestle, Schering Plough,
Mobilink, Ministry of Information Technology, Fauji Fertilizer Company, PSO, Getz
Pharma, Reko Pharmacal, PARCO, Ministry of Tourism, HHRD, Digital Prodigy Pvt. Ltd.
PharmEvo, GlaxoSmithKline, ICI, Medisure, Chas a. Mendoza and others.

His involvement in academic research, teaching, training and people development
connected him initially to CIIT, Islamabad, and later with Bahria University, Islamabad as
Assistant Professor in the Department of Management Sciences.

Dr. Awais has been a speaker at LUMS, University of Punjab, NUST, PIMSAT, Marketing
Association of Pakistan, National Defense University, Thames Business School, Quaid e
Azam University, National Commission on Rural Development, COMSTECH, HEC, and
COMSATS. Dr. Awais spearheaded the establishment of Leadership Development Center
(Corporate Training Initiative) at Bahria University, Islamabad.

He is also a scholar of PhD at University of Leicester, United Kingdom.

Please access his detailed CV at:

www.genzeesolutions.com www.awaisesiraj.com

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HAFIZ GHUFRAN ALI KHAN

Hafiz Ghufran Ali Khan is currently working with the Faculty of Management
Sciences of International Islamic University Islamabad Pakistan. Formerly he
remained Assistant Dean & Chairman of the faculty of Management & Economics
at Karakoram International University Gilgit Pakistan .His areas of interest are
Management, Strategic Management & HRM.
His first book published with the title of ―HIGHER EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN: ISSUES
AND MANAGEMENT” and he is also known for his research publications in globally
renowned research journals.

hghufran@yahoo.com

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are full of gratitude to:

1. Almighty Allah for giving us the life and energy to conceive and actualize this
academic endeavor.
2. Our parents, who gave us the moral support needed for this research.
3. My families, for all their love and care.
4. Our friends, who pushed me every now and then to complete this book as soon as
possible.
5. All Medical Representatives, Territory Managers, Sales Managers and Managing
Directors of different companies who implicitly or explicitly helped me in my research.
(most of them wanted anonymity. Thus individual names are not mentioned here)
6. Mr. Philip S. Lall for reading through the first edition and giving us advice.
7. Miss Saiqa Sakhi for some illustrations.
8. Last but not the least, Mr. M. Nazim Parvez for writing a wonderful preface.

And we will be more than grateful to those readers who will take the pain of giving us
some feedback after reading this book.

Dr. Awais-e-Siraj and Hafiz Ghufran Ali Khan
January 2011

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What Other Say:

“I am yet to see a book on “Pharmaceutical Selling” which is so thorough, well organized
and comprehensive, yet written in a language which should be understandable to even
the most naïve reader. Dr. Awais and Ghufran have always made great contribution to
the global pharmaceutical industry”
(Dr. Kaiser Waheed Sheikh, Chairman Medisure Laboratories and Ex – Chairman Pakistan
Pharmaceutical Manufacturer‟s Association)

"We have used the First Edition of this book and found it to be an invaluable resource for
today's medical representative. The increased emphasis on key account management and
career management in the Second Edition makes it even more of a necessary read."
(Osman Khalid Waheed, President Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd.)

“I am highly impressed by the effort made by Dr Awais while publishing a much needed
book on the art of selling in health care industry esp; pharmaceutical selling. I have come
across a number of related books but this book is unique as it not only covers the
fundamentals of this field but also provides complete guidelines to the pharmaceutical
sales persons while focusing on the customer‟s perspective. As the topics are covered so
meticulously, it would be an asset for other health care segments such as diagnostics. I
wish Dr. Awais all the best and would anxiously wait for his next book, as it would be
very easy to understand even for a layman”.
(Shabbir Halai, Country Manager Diagnostics, Roche Pakistan Ltd.)

“Unlike selling of consumer goods, Pharmaceutical selling is a complicated process,
involving a number of traits to be possessed by medical representatives. Unfortunately
not much learning material is currently available that would adequately address the
needs of those who want to join or excel in this challenging profession. “The Art and
Craft of Pharmaceutical Selling” is an exquisite effort enabling not only the beginners in
the field pharmaceutical selling but the experienced also to carry out their jobs
successfully. The realistic, practical and fundamental information provided by the author
shows his in-depth knowledge of the field, both in terms of theory and practice”
(Dr Zaffar Hashmi, Country Manager, B.Braun Pakistan)

„‟Pharmaceutical selling is one of few professions creating job opportunities for educated
youth in emerging markets like Pakistan. However for a vast majority of people there are
no means of gaining a meaningful understanding of this dynamic profession. Dr Awais‟s
pioneering text on the dynamism of pharmaceutical selling in emerging markets is ground
breaking and the open frank and realistic way in which the book is written will help a lot
of young population who are currently in this profession or are recent graduates and plan
to take up pharmaceutical selling as profession”
(Dr. Shahzad Khan, Director Marketing and Sales, Getz Pharma Pakistan Pvt. Ltd.)

VII

Preface
From induction to evolution

The Medical Representative is the strongest and most effective communication link between the
pharmaceutical industry and medical fraternity.

At present, more than 70 thousand medical representatives are working in Pakistan. There is an
average addition of 15% to 20% new jobs per annum. Although job is tough, it provides
opportunity to an average graduate to earn above average remunerations with better working
conditions.

Although the Drugs Rules (1976) and IFPMA recommend that “the medical representatives must
be adequately trained--”, no serious attempt is visible to define “adequate training” from any key
stakeholders. Availability of this book could be termed as a pioneering attempt in this direction.
Despite the economic contribution of this profession, there is hardly any literature on the subject
selected by Dr. Awias Siraj. If there is any, that is mostly alien to our norms, practices & culture.
He makes efforts to encompass all important points that a medical representative must know for
success in career. Every point has been elaborated with examples and adequate details.
Frequently, the reader is challenged with probing questions for greater understanding or
clarification. All clippings and references selected from authentic intellectual global sources are not
only relevant but also applicable in local environment.

He discusses face to face meetings or medical presentations at various types of meetings. All
representatives tend to work what is a called a 'territory'. A territory is their area or working. He
gives many suggestions regarding territory size and its management; geography, segmentation of
doctors, targeting the doctors, pre-call planning, post call planning, market research, etc. He talks
about the day to day work of the representative that tends to be target based around, sales, call
rates and other objectives set around individual personal development plans.

Dr. Siraj also gives tips to tame the boss, it could not be ignored. He adds many more instructions
for successful career progression. That‟s why it could be termed as “frontline guidelines for
medical representatives: from induction to evolution”.

I sincerely hope that the readers will discover in this attempt a new world of professional, hitherto
unknown to them – a world whose fascination may lead them to explore further the of
professional literature and discover both its rich tradition and its promise for the future.

I am also confident that Dr. Siraj would take up challenge of completing & providing complete
syllabus required for “adequate training” of medical representatives.

M. Nazim Parvez
Sanofi-Aventis (Pakistan) Ltd.
Date: January 31. 2011

VIII

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1
1.1 HOW TO BENEFIT?..................................................................................................................... 2
1.2 LAYOUT ........................................................................................................................................ 2
1.3 PHARMA COMPANIES AND THEIR SALESPEOPLE ................................................................. 2
1.4 POSITIVE FRAME OF MIND ....................................................................................................... 3
1.5 GOAL SETTING – THE KEY TO SUCCESS ................................................................................ 4
1.6 MISSION STATEMENT................................................................................................................ 6
Chapter II THE PILLARS .................................................................................... 9
2.1 KNOWLEDGE ............................................................................................................................... 9
2.1.1 Product knowledge ............................................................................................................ 9
2.1.2 Medical knowledge .......................................................................................................... 11
2.1.3 Market knowledge ........................................................................................................... 11
2.1.4 Theoretical selling skills ................................................................................................. 12
2.1.5 Analytical selling skills ................................................................................................... 12
2.1.6 Pragmatic selling skills ................................................................................................... 13
2.2 APTITUDE .................................................................................................................................. 14
2.2.1 Attitude .................................................................................................................................. 15
2.2.2 Passion ................................................................................................................................. 15
Chapter IIIGEAR UP FOR SALES CALL ............................................................. 18
3.1 WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? .............................................................................................. 18
3.2 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS ...................................................................................................... 19
3.3 OBJECTIVE SETTING ............................................................................................................... 21
3.4 EXAMINING YOUR WARDROBE .............................................................................................. 21
3.5 TIMING ....................................................................................................................................... 21
3.6 PREPARATION ........................................................................................................................... 22
3.7 REHEARSAL AND ROLE PLAYS ............................................................................................... 22
3.8 TRAVEL ....................................................................................................................................... 24
3.9 DISTRIBUTION AND DISTRIBUTORS .................................................................................... 26
3.10 CHEMIST FIRST! ....................................................................................................................... 26
3.11 ARRANGE YOUR BELONGINGS ............................................................................................... 31
3.12 WHILE IN THE WAITING ROOM, OBSERVE ......................................................................... 32
3.13 LIAISON WITH GATEKEEPERS ............................................................................................... 33
3.14 SHAPING INITIAL DISCUSSION ............................................................................................. 34
Chapter IVLIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION ............................................................. 36
4.1 THE SALES CALL ....................................................................................................................... 36
4.2 ON THE STAGE ......................................................................................................................... 36
4.3 FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE LASTING IMPRESSION............................................................ 36
4.4 REMEMBER THE NAME OF YOUR DOCTOR .......................................................................... 37
4.5 KNOW YOUR LINES .................................................................................................................. 38
4.6 MAKE IT NATURAL ................................................................................................................... 38
4.7 THE SPEED OF YOUR SPEECH ................................................................................................ 38
4.8 THE GAME OF FEATURE AND BENEFIT ................................................................................ 39
4.9 OWN “THEIR” CONCERNS ....................................................................................................... 41
4.10 PATIENT‟S POCKET IS THE DECISION-MAKER .................................................................... 41
4.11 BRIDGING .................................................................................................................................. 41
4.12 MODE OF COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................. 42

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4.13 CREDIBILITY ............................................................................................................................. 42
4.14 MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL ..................................................................................................... 43
4.15 VALUE PROPOSITION .............................................................................................................. 44
4.16 ACTIVE LISTENING .................................................................................................................. 45
4.17 SELLING WITH EVIDENCE ...................................................................................................... 46
4.18 ADOPT A PROACTIVE ATTITUDE ........................................................................................... 46
4.19 DISCUSS WITH CONFIDENCE ................................................................................................ 46
4.20 RESEARCH AND GENERICS ..................................................................................................... 47
4.21 IMPRESS THEM WITH NUMBERS ........................................................................................... 47
4.22 REPEAT THE NAME OF PRODUCT TIME AND AGAIN .......................................................... 47
4.23 READY MADE ANSWERS .......................................................................................................... 48
4.24 SHORT AND LONG CALLS AND A FEW IN BETWEEN .......................................................... 48
4.25 NEGOTIATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 49
4.26 APPREHENSIONS ...................................................................................................................... 49
4.27 DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS .................................................................... 50
4.28 CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY ..................................................................................... 50
4.29 TELL THEM ABOUT THE OLD DAYS ....................................................................................... 50
4.30 MANAGING TIME ...................................................................................................................... 50
4.31 TALKING TO A GROUP OF CUSTOMERS ............................................................................... 50
4.32 WHEN THE DAY IS JUST NOT RIGHT! .................................................................................. 51
Chapter V SELLING SKILLS ............................................................................. 53
5.1 OPENING .................................................................................................................................... 53
5.2 PROBING .................................................................................................................................... 54
5.3 REINFORCING ........................................................................................................................... 55
5.4 GAINING COMMITMENT .......................................................................................................... 56
5.5 OBJECTIONS.............................................................................................................................. 56
5.5.1 Misunderstanding ............................................................................................................. 57
5.5.2 When the customer is right .......................................................................................... 57
5.5.3 Uninterested customer or satisfied with another product ................................ 58
5.5.4 Disbelief ............................................................................................................................... 58
5.6 CLOSING .................................................................................................................................... 59
5.7 COMPLAINERS ARE MOST LOYAL CUSTOMERS .................................................................. 59
5.8 IS THAT ALL ABOUT “SELLING SKILLS” ............................................................................... 60
Chapter VITHE “MARKETING MIX” ................................................................. 62
6.1 LITERATURES/FOLDERS .......................................................................................................... 62
6.2 PRESCRIPTION PADS ............................................................................................................... 63
6.3 CLINICAL STUDIES ................................................................................................................. 63
6.4 GIMMICKS AND GIVEAWAYS .................................................................................................. 64
6.5 SPONSORSHIPS ........................................................................................................................ 64
6.6 CLINICAL SEMINARS AND CONGRESSES.............................................................................. 65
6.7 GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND ROUND TABLE MEETINGS...................................................... 65
6.8 OPINION LEADER LECTURES AND SPEAKER PROGRAMS .................................................. 66
6.8.1 Selecting a speaker .......................................................................................................... 66
6.8.2 Arranging a speaker program ...................................................................................... 67
6.9 LUNCH/DINNER OR TEA .......................................................................................................... 68
6.10 USE OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA .................................................................................................. 69
6.11 DAYS TO REMEMBER! .............................................................................................................. 70
Chapter VIIAFTER THE SALES CALL ................................................................ 72
7.1 ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS .................................................................................................. 72
7.2 RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEDICAL STUDENTS & FRESH GRADUATES .............................. 73
7.3 POST CALL ANALYSIS .............................................................................................................. 73
7.4 FOLLOW UPS ............................................................................................................................. 74

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7.5 REPEAT CALLS .......................................................................................................................... 74
Chapter VIII SOMETHING MORE ................................................................... 76
8.1 EXPLORING THE HIDDEN AGENDAS ..................................................................................... 76
8.2 CULTURES & TRADITIONS OF DIFFERENT CITIES & LOCALITIES .................................. 76
8.3 COST OF ONE CALL .................................................................................................................. 77
8.4 USE YOUR OWN HEAD IN ADDITION TO PRODUCT MANAGER‟S .................................... 78
8.5 FIGHT ON PRICING? SHOULD YOU? ..................................................................................... 78
8.6 DON‟T PRETEND TO KNOW EVERYTHING............................................................................ 79
8.7 DO “THEY” KNOW EVERYTHING? .......................................................................................... 79
8.8 NEVER ARGUE ........................................................................................................................... 79
8.9 DON‟T BE TOO PREDICTABLE-BE DIFFERENT ..................................................................... 79
8.10 TAKING RISKS ........................................................................................................................... 80
8.11 WORKING AT ODD HOURS ..................................................................................................... 80
8.12 CONTROLLING YOUR TEMPER ............................................................................................... 80
8.13 INSTITUTIONAL/HOSPITAL SELLING .................................................................................... 80
8.14 JOINT SALES CALLS ................................................................................................................. 81
8.15 SO! WAS IT A GOOD DAY OR A BAD DAY? .......................................................................... 83
Chapter IXIT ISN’T FUN IF IT’S EASY.............................................................. 85
9.1 “NO MEDICAL REPS PLEASE”.................................................................................................. 85
9.2 COMPETITOR LOYAL ................................................................................................................ 86
9.3 APATHETIC DOCTORS ............................................................................................................. 86
9.4 “I AM THE AUTHORITY” .......................................................................................................... 86
9.5 ANALYTICAL AND CRITICAL DOCTORS ................................................................................ 86
9.6 LOYAL AND NON LOYAL CUSTOMERS .................................................................................. 87
Chapter X EVALUATE THY “SELF” ................................................................... 88
10.1 MAKE YOURSELF DEARER FOR THE EMPLOYER ................................................................. 90
10.2 CLIMBING UP THE LADDER BY VOLUNTEERING ................................................................. 90
10.3 PROMOTIONAL READINESS AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT ............................................... 91
10.4 BROADCAST YOUR INTENTIONS ........................................................................................... 92
10.5 CREATE POSITIONS ................................................................................................................. 93
10.10 “FURLOUGH” ........................................................................................................................... 98
10.11 “KAIZEN” TRAINING AND LEARNING .................................................................................... 99
10.12 CHOOSE YOUR FUTURE TODAY ........................................................................................... 100
10.13 MOTIVATION ........................................................................................................................... 100
10.14 PLAN YOUR WORK YEAR OVER YEAR ........................................................................... 101
10.15 YOU ARE MASTER OF YOUR SUCCESS ........................................................................... 102
10.16 ARE YOU MR. PERFECT? ..................................................................................................... 102
11.17 SELF RESPECT ....................................................................................................................... 104
Chapter XIFEW LAST WORDS ........................................................................ 107
References: ....................................................................................................... a

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Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

Pharmaceutical selling is different…..entirely different from the usual ―selling.‖
The primary difference is that the person who is in fact paying for the drugs is not the
decision-maker. The decision making authority is someone else……the doctor. The
patient or the end user, in turn is the doctor‘s customer. So basically two customers
need to be satisfied, the doctor as well as the patient.

The job of a pharmaceutical salesperson is also very interesting in the sense that
he has nothing to ―sell‖ to his customer on the spot, nor can he deliver a live
demonstration. He has to sell the concept, the research, the features and benefits and
the scientific knowledge, a job much more difficult than is perceived. But still there are
thousands and thousands of pharmaceutical sales people worldwide doing a fine job
and satisfying their ever-demanding customers.

The role of a pharmaceutical salesperson has shifted over the years from a
typical salesperson to that of a consultant or a facilitator. Knowledge has made the
difference. A lot of customers now depend on him for advice on the use of one drug or
the other as the bank of information is increasing in size day by day and human
capacity to comprehend all of this remains limited.

Using these notions as the basis, this book is primarily intended for the use of
frontline pharmaceutical salespersons. Different companies have given them different
names (like Medical Representative, Medical Information Officer, Scientific Promotion
Officer etc.) but the job stays the same i.e. the conversion of the organization‘s products
into money. Even the General Manager or Chief Executive Officer of the kind of
company in question is a salesperson because he has no right to ‗exist‘ unless he is
able to convert his products into money.

Nevertheless, this book aims at providing support and guidelines to the
salesperson who is currently engaged in active selling of his designated products. The
entire text encompasses his day to day operations of a pharmaceutical salesperson and
the intricacies he might encounter while doing his job.

After completing this chapter, you should be able to:

 Understand how to benefit from this book.
 Explain the nature and business of Pharmaceutical Companies.
 Describe the Knowledge Base and Skill Pool of Pharmaceutical Sales People.
 Explain the importance of Positive Frame of Mind.
 Understand why Goal Setting is ―Key to Success‖.
 Define Mission Statement and elaborate its utility for yourself and your
organization.

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1.1 HOW TO BENEFIT?

You will derive maximum benefit from this book if you:

 Take pride in your job and career.
 Take a positive view of the information given in this book.
 Believe that whatever is given in this book is just a guideline and that contingencies
will continue to crop up every now and then.
 Apply the suggested techniques wherever required and not otherwise.

1.2 LAYOUT

The book starts with elementary discussion; for instance the daily routine of a
salesperson. In the later sections, it addresses the difficult situations that may come
forth in his working life from time to time. A beginner in this profession will probably find
all parts interesting. An experienced salesperson will find the latter part more worthy of
reading and practicing as the book is aimed at integrating a lot of information that is
already available and being practiced but piecemeal.

1.3 PHARMA COMPANIES AND THEIR SALESPEOPLE

In Pakistan as well as other developing countries, there are usually two types of
organizations selling pharmaceutical products:

 Research based companies:

Produce and market drugs, developed and researched by themselves. (usually
multinationals)

 Generic companies:

Acquire raw material of already researched and marketed drugs around the globe
and produce the finished products. (also called local companies)

The competitive advantage of multinationals is the research and development of
new drugs and therapies. Furthermore, through mergers and acquisitions, they have
erected high barriers of entry into their specific therapeutic segments. About 30
companies enjoy 46% of the value market share in Pakistan. (IMS 2009)

There have been times when the multinationals or ―the giants‖ used to rule the
pharmaceutical market but the trend is changing now. Local companies are developing
themselves much more professionally and have begun to give tough time to the
multinationals. Although far greater in number but the local companies now take almost
54% of the total value share of pharmaceutical market in Pakistan.

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The MNC‘s (multinationals) are considered to take good care of their employees
in terms of monetary benefits and training. It is generally believed that the multinationals
are more organized and well structured. The working environment is congenial and they
provide more chances of self-development. The job is relatively secure and the hiring
firing phenomenon is methodical. Decision making process is not limited to a single
individual. Moreover, they spend generous sums of money on promotional activities and
are more respected by the customers than the local companies, thus making the job of
the sales force a lot easier.

Local companies have also undergone a paradigm shift over a period of years.
Previously they had the reputation of being tough employers with centralized decision
making powers. Employees were scared of their attitudes. But now, those who really
want to grow and develop themselves are working on business strategies similar to or
even better than those adapted by the multinationals. They are changing their image of
―seth‖ organizations to the professionally organized and managed companies.

Local companies take good care of their employees through reasonable
remuneration and necessary training and development, not forgetting to keep the
morale of their field staff high by constant motivational activities. Local companies have
also evolved systematic decision making in their management instead of a ―one man
show.‖

From a salesperson‘s perspective, the point to be take into consideration is:

If you are thinking of a career in pharmaceutical selling, concentrate more on the
personal initiative rather than the repute of the organization. It is not the organization
which makes or breaks people, it is the people who make or break the organizations!
Whether it is a multinational or a local pharmaceutical concern, a lot depends on the
individual or the employee. There is always room at the top. You will definitely reach
your destination if you are taking the right steps in the right direction.

1.4 POSITIVE FRAME OF MIND

A positive frame of mind leads to enthusiasm, which in turn leads to a presentation
that exudes stimulation and a certain ‗glow‘. Smiles, warm handshakes, a feeling of
pride and an upright posture will separate you out from the rest. Your enthusiasm will
hold the customers‘ attention.

You need to have this trait right from the start of your job. How can you make a
customer prescribe a product for his patients unless you are positive about it? The
excitement only comes from within and a customer is most likely to forget a presentation
that is devoid of excitement. (How many successful political leaders have you come
across who deliver a speech or presentation without zeal and zest?)

Difficult circumstances are an opportunity. If you can learn how to convert a crises
into an opportunity, your life will be full of opportunities. My boss once asked me about

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my ‗problems‘. I said I don‘t know if there is any word like that. I only have challenges
and therefore never had problems. People who think positively are far more likely to see
challenges rather than problems or opportunities rather than difficulties. Positive
thinking has a tremendous ability to enhance your performance, productivity and quality.
When we feel positive, we definitely give a better output.

There are various biological explanations of this as well. A negative frame of mind
has lower levels of Serotonin (Neuro transmitter) which is responsible for overall health
and well being including the mood and energy. A positive frame of mind will have higher
levels leading to better mental as well as physical health. This is due to the boost to the
immune system that a positive frame of mind can give you from positive hormones.

The best outcome of a positive mental attitude is a ‗can do‘ attitude. People who
are successful in life more often than the others are able to identify opportunities where
others find problems. The positive mental attitude coupled with the drive and motivation
to succeed, converts an opportunity into a reality. There is lot to be exploited from a
positive mental attitude. Isn‘t it opportunity that many around you have a negative frame
of mind?

How to change your negative frame of mind to positive one? Look at your life and
crises. Who is responsible for this crises? Who is benefiting? For example if war is a
crises, then all those selling the equipment of war are making windfall profits. If rising
prices is a problem, how are you going to fight your case for a salary raise? If security is
a problems, imagine how many people are employed because of safety concerns. If ill
health is a problem, this is an opportunity for you to sell your drugs.

1.5 GOAL SETTING – THE KEY TO SUCCESS

The key to being successful in this competitive world, not only as a salesperson
but also as a human being, is setting goals. A goal is a specific, measurable result that
you produce in a pre-determined time in the future.

The first step in setting up a clear goal is the creation of a mental model. Think and
dream your goal as if it is happening here and now. But do not forget to link this goal to
what you are and what you can do in the foreseeable future. The goals have to be
SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable yet challenging, Realistic and Time bound.
The more specific your goal is, the more quickly you will be able to identify, locate,
create and implement the necessary resources for its achievement.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Imagine you are around 22 years of age and that
your grandfather is alive and you seek his advice on a lot of issues ranging from career
to your marriage. Now imagine yourself and grandfather and giving advice to your
grandson 50 years down the road when you will be 72 and he will be 22, what would
your advice be? What kind of environment he would be living in? What would you be
doing at that time? If he asks you what have you been doing in the last 50 years, what
would you tell him? (Or like to tell him?)

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50 years is not really a long time. You must have heard about this from your elders
that it only looks like yesterday that I was kid and used to play like you. Even if you
divide 50 into 5 year slots, you can only have 10 brackets of 5 years which is not difficult
to plan, year over year, month over month.

Don‘t be scared. Take a paper and pen and write 1 to 50. Now try to write down
one thing that you will be doing each year that will have a significant impact on your life.
Starting from your career to your marriage, family, children, and grandchildren plan you
can even have your obituary. (Why not?) How and where you want to die and under
what circumstances? How much do you wish to leave in this world in the shape of your
movable and immovable assets? How do you wish to be remembered by your children
when you leave this world? This will give you a very clear picture of your goals for the
next 50 years. We all believe in death and heaven but we never want to die because we
are not prepared and have not planned for the most obvious.

I am a strong believer of logical incrementalism. It is an approach whereby you
reach your destination step by step. The same can be applied to pharmaceutical
salespersons. Divide you goals into small steps and log every success until you reach
the final destination. Doing nothing all year and waiting for one big leap seldom works.
The so called ―baby steps‖ will give you the confidence and courage to run, when you
actually need to. (Fig. 1)

Never give up on your goals. Whether it's trying to meet the no-see physician,
increase market share or get your product on formulary, don‘t give up. Be persistent.

Don't let frustration, discouragement or circumstances prevent you from reaching
the success you desire and deserve. In an effort to sustain and persist, you must
encourage yourself on a regular basis and share your goals with a confidant who will
give you the encouragement and support it takes to succeed.

Think and rethink until you commit your heart and soul to the goals. Once you
have written them down and committed yourself, list down as many sets of action as
possible, that you will undertake in order to achieve those goals.

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Another way is to draw a mind map. On a clean sheet of paper, write ―my life‖ in
the middle and encircle it. Now, write down as many things as possible that revolve
around this throughout your life and see connections of all with one another. You will
soon realize that the paper is a little too short for this but don‘t take another one. Think
on each point critically. Delete things that are not critical to you and your life while not
forgetting those which really are. For example, if you think that playing golf or traveling
around the world fascinates you the most but you will never have resources to do it
because your children are your priority, you could be grossly wrong. If you write it down
now and work towards it, you will definitely be able to do it in your life time.

Imagine yourself as a product or a brand and do a SWOT analysis (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) to see yourself in your own mirror:
• Strengths could be your capabilities, positions held, education, special talents,
relationships, extroversion, flexibility, adaptability etc.
• Weaknesses could be some inherent shortcomings like procrastination, administrative
difficulties, negative attitude, skill deficiencies, lack of initiative, poor computer skills etc.
• Opportunities could be task forces, new positions, special assignments, mergers, new
business opportunities etc.
• Threats could be your competitors, environment, negative colleagues with career-
limiting advice, people who distract, a poor reputation based on bad judgment in the
past etc.

1.6 MISSION STATEMENT

A mission statement is a formal, short, written statement of the purpose of a company or
organization. The mission statement should spell out its overall goal and provide a
sense of direction. It provides the framework or context in which all strategies are to be
formulated. Historically it is associated with Christian religious groups; indeed, for many
years, a missionary was assumed to be a person on a specifically religious mission. The
word "mission" dates from 1598, originally of Jesuits sending ("missio", Latin for "act of
sending") members abroad.

It is now a common practice that the organizations prepare a mission statement. A
lot of organizations are going to great lengths to put their mission statement right. This
is indicative of the fact that mission statement is something good and very much
desirable.

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According to Janet E. Lapp, ―A mission statement is a clear statement, understood
by you and everyone in your organization. It is the first and most fundamental step to
take before deciding on any change. A lack of a mission statement that is lived by the
organization is the main reason that organizations go off-track during change. A mission
pulls people into the future.‖

You are likely to be more successful when clearly focused on, and living a mission
everyday. Even though good mission statements are not difficult to create, some
organizations might spend up to a year on them because they understand its
significance and importance.

Do you think individuals should not have a mission statement? Why not? Since your
most important organization in life is ‗yourself‘, write a mission statement of your own.
Why do you exist? What is the core purpose of your existence? As mission statements
give enlightenment to the organizations, they do the same or even better for the
individuals. Write a mission statement of your own. After you finish, look at it again and
again before sleeping. Next morning, again look at it carefully and make the changes if
required. It is really hard to believe that you will get it right the first time. Review it over
and over until you are satisfied that you have incorporated the following in your mission
statement:

 An honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.
 Your career objectives.
 Your current job in the light of your career objectives.
 Your long and short term goals.
 The means to achieve your goals.

Now that you have jotted down a clear mission statement of your own, turn to the
next page and enjoy the rest of the book.

SUMMARY

If you are thinking of a career in pharmaceutical selling, concentrate more on the
personal initiative rather than the repute of the organization. It is not the organization
which makes or breaks people, it is the people who make or break the organizations!
Whether it is a multinational or a local pharmaceutical concern, a lot depends on the
individual or the employee.

The best outcome of a positive mental attitude is a ―can do‖ attitude. People who are
successful in life more often than the others are able to identify opportunities where
others find problems. Positive mental attitude coupled with the drive and motivation to
succeed, converts an opportunity into a reality. There is lot to be exploited from a
positive mental attitude.

The key to being successful in this competitive world, not only as a salesperson but also
as a human being, is setting goals. A goal is a specific, measurable result that you

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produce in a pre-determined time in the future.

A mission statement is a formal, short, written statement of the purpose of a company or
organization. The mission statement should spell out its overall goal and provide a
sense of direction. It provides the framework or context in which all strategies are to be
formulated. You are likely to be more successful when clearly focused on, and living a
mission every day. Even though good mission statements are not difficult to create,
some organizations might spend up to a year on them because they understand its
significance and importance.

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Chapter II THE PILLARS


 Understand that
o ―Knowledge‖ required to be a good sales rep includes
 ―Product Knowledge‖
 ―Medical Knowledge‖
 ―Market Knowledge‖
 Elaborate the significance of ―Theoretical Selling Skills‖.
 Explain the benefits of ―Analytical Selling Skills‖.
 Describe ―Pragmatic Selling Skills‖.
 Understand the strategic importance of Aptitude, Attitude and Passion.

Pharmaceutical selling, like any other selling, stands on three key pillars:

 Knowledge
 Skills in Selling
 Aptitude

Many would argue that there are other factors as well. They cannot be ignored, but
lets make the rest, a part of these three. (Fig. 2)

2.1 KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge can be further divided into the following types:

2.1.1 Product knowledge

Nothing is a substitute of prudent and confident product knowledge. The reason
why pharmaceutical salespeople are respected around the globe is that they share and
refresh the knowledge of their customers every now and then. Thus they are the
partners of their customers. A lot of people in medical profession actually wait for the
salesperson in order to get first hand information about the drugs.

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Summary of Product Characteristics
The following information about an ethical pharmaceutical product is
(Modified from Professional Sales Management 2nd Ed. McGraw Hill 1992)
considered bare minimum:

 Product Name
 Composition
 Indications
 Pharmacological properties
 Dosage and method of administration
 Side effects
 Contraindications
 Interaction with other drugs
 Use in pregnancy and lactation
 Special precautions (if any)
 Presentation
 Price

The following information becomes essential part of the selling process:

 Product features and benefits
 How this product is different from the rest (unique selling point)?
 Competition and competitors‘ products (competitive edge)
 Scientific evidence of all the claims in the shape of published clinical data
 Availability

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Knowledge about the history of the organization, its achievements so far and its
products in the pipeline can also be of great advantage. In addition to that, the customer
would really be very delighted if his basic queries are responded with utmost clarity and
promptness.

You ought to know every possible detail about your product. Since this is seldom
possible, the key is to have all the information at hand and produce it whenever desired.
Otherwise you must know the sources from where this information would become
available. However, be careful and do not promise anything to the customer that is
beyond your reach. Do not promise a time frame, which you think, is far too little to
retrieve that information. If, in any case, you fail to get hold of the desired information,
please do get back to the customer and inform him that you could not secure what he
asked for. This will certainly create a more positive impression instead of never
responding to a query.

It is sometimes argued that ―a managers‘ job is to manage‖, and ―a salesman‘s
job is to sell,‖ whatever his field of activity may be. If this holds true, then how someone
can sell aircraft engines if one does not know anything about the drag and lift? The
knowledge of ―what‘s inside‖ is not only essential but of paramount importance in the job
of any salesperson. All the techniques of ―selling‖ become secondary unless a
salesperson masters the technicalities related to a product that is to be sold.

2.1.2 Medical knowledge

Medical knowledge here refers to the knowledge of basic anatomy and
physiology of the human body. No doctor would expect from a pharmaceutical
salesperson to remember the names of all the cranial nerves and their branches but
they certainly do not expect the statement ―All the food goes into the liver directly‖ or
―The heart cleans the blood and soul.‖

In addition to the basic anatomy and physiology, pathology of the diseases
relevant to their area of activity also plays a major role. Followed by pathology is the
knowledge of diagnosis and modes of treatment that are available for that disease. All
of this seems too much but the fact remains that the more you know about the medical
background, the more confident you are in your conversation with your customer.

2.1.3 Market knowledge

This should be provided to you from your marketing department. Information
about the following can really make the difference:

 Which is the leading organization in your segment? Why?
 Which is the most prescribed product in your segment?
 Is this an old or a new product?
 What are its features and benefits?
 What are its annual sales?

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 What are its sales strategies?
 What are its promotional tools?
 What are its selling techniques?
 What is the target group?
 Why is this being prescribed more than any other?
 What are the strengths and weaknesses of that organization?
 What are the areas where you can prove your product as distinct from the
competitor drug?
 Who are the other competitors?
 If I am the market leader, how can I contribute to sustaining leadership?
 Are there any expected new entrants in this segment?
 Who are the key customers?

Market Knowledge helps businesses, nonprofits, communities, and cooperatives
identify, define, and pursue specific markets. When it comes to answering the pressing
questions businesses face every day, nothing compares to market knowledge. Market
knowledge provides insight into the strengths and weaknesses of competition, the
pricing and profitability of products, and ultimately, the current and future needs of
customers.

SKILLS

Skills can be classified as under:

2.1.4 Theoretical selling skills

Theoretical selling skills involve the discussion of opening, probing, closing,
gaining commitment and the like. A full chapter of this book is dedicated to these skills,
as their significance should never be underestimated. Somehow, they are perceived as
a source of intimidation for new as well as experienced pharmaceutical salespersons.
Now, even the doctors know about them. The moment you try to involve them in a
dialogue through probing, they will immediately withdraw from the discussion on the
pretext that ―here comes the selling skills!‖. Experience however, shows is that if you
are subtle and indeed skillful, your job may become a piece of cake.

2.1.5 Analytical selling skills

As the word indicates, analytical selling skills involve the study of any given
situation through the data or information available, in order to support the selling
process. Salespeople, who are quick at reading and interpreting the data and acting as
the situation demands, will be the ones who triumph.

Collection of information should be the first aim. You need to be as much
inquisitive and curious as possible. Penetrate into networks of people and their thinking.
Use your personal judgment while exploring the data in order to collect useful

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information and not junk. This may include information about gatekeepers and decision-
makers. Sales data of recent past can suggest the trend. Historical perspectives are
indicators of future course of action. But this does not mean that the norms will not
change. Any change in persons or responsibilities can alter the rules of the game.

Once the desired information/data becomes available, a thorough and systematic
analysis must follow. Put different pieces together. Examine the data from various
perspectives. Look into the rationale of different behaviors. Dissect the data i.e. break it
down into smaller elements. Don‘t ignore the details. Reach to a logical conclusion.
Derive your action plan from that conclusion.

Imagine yourself as the key negotiator for your company‘s top ten products for
their inclusion in the formulary of a key hospital. These drugs will only hit the list if your
are sharp in your analytical skills. You must analyze the factors that play a role in this
deal. These factors can be trivial like a change in the venue of the purchase committee
meeting or as complicated as a last minute modification in the delivery schedule of
drugs. If your analytical skills are not as sharp as they ought to be, it is highly likely that
the competitors will be victorious.

Don‘t think that data and analysis is not required for one-on-one selling. Having
personal information about your customer is also a form of data. For example, a prior
analysis of what excites him and what puts him off can place you in a commanding
position during your sales call. So don‘t ignore even minute details about your
customers.

2.1.6 Pragmatic selling skills

Pragmatic or practical skills are simple: Think about practical problems of your
customer and their practical solutions. These problems can be simple or intricate. Your
customers are normal human beings and they have problems too. However, at every
stage of their career, their problems are different. Addressing these problems and
making yourself part of the solution will cement your relationship and bring extended
prescriptions.

For instance during the last year of their medical education, they need
information about house job vacancies and their future career. If you can arrange a
seminar on the topic or set up their meeting with career advisors, your services will be
long remembered. Once out of their basic medical education and over with their house
jobs, they look for specialization opportunities. Give them information about possible
fields of specialization. You can tell them about the job openings and scholarships in
Pakistan as well as abroad. If you work for multinationals, you can also help them
through your embassies/foreign missions. Inform them about the addresses of useful
Web-sites.

After specialization, they usually intend to settle down and run their own clinics in
addition to their affiliation with hospitals. Think of helping them in their search for
business loans. If required, guide them towards companies who offer medical

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equipment on soft terms and create business synergies. Spread the news of their
presence in the town through the word of mouth. If they see more patients, you will get
more business.

Other opportunities could be the discussion about new research and
development in their area of interest or giving them information about continuing
medical education. Change your image from a ―pharmaceutical salesperson‖ to
―consultant.‖ Make them successful in their career. Own their basic concern: how to
treat patient in the shortest period of time with minimum amount of money! Help them in
finding new ways and means in order to stay effective. The core objective of the entire
exercise is to be a partner in their success. Make yourself valuable for them. (For further
discussion on the same, please refer to 4.9 OWN ―THEIR‖ CONCERNS)

Practical thinking seldom goes waste. During my research interviews, I came
across people who were ―proud partners‖ of their customers, right from their early days
of medical education. They are now professors/heads of departments and key opinion
leaders. The medical representatives of those days also advanced in their careers to be
the sales managers or MD‘s but their long-term relations kept paying them off during all
these years.

One word of caution: don‘t do it to the extent that your customers start taking you
for granted and turn you into their problem solver rather than a pharmaceutical
salesperson.

2.2 APTITUDE

Aptitude is generally described as the natural or inherent ability to undertake an
assignment or a set of activities. It may also refer to personal or professional life
responsibilities. Aptitudes somehow delineate the path to victory. Those who have the
aptitude or the natural talent will certainly outdo the ones without a propensity towards a
certain profession or career.

Therefore, while selecting a career, it is generally suggested to introspect and
decide if you have an aptitude for a certain profession. Although there are specific tests
to assess the aptitude for a specific profession, they may not be readily accessible to
all. However, asking yourself the following set of questions before undertaking the job of
a pharmaceutical salesperson might help:

 What kind of a person I am? Extrovert? Introvert? Shy? Outspoken? Social animal?
Lone ranger?
 Do I like to travel? Hate? Not quite like it but can do it?
 Is the profession of ―selling‖ suitable for me?
 Can I excel in this profession?
 What are the things I can do and what are the things I cannot do?
 Will I be able to do this job with all my will and intent?

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The job of a pharmaceutical salesperson requires a mixture of talents. Sometimes you
need to be extrovert and sometimes a lone ranger. You will be travelling most of the
times. You will come across such a wide variety of people and behaviors that you will
feel frustrated and dejected if you don‘t like networking and mingling with people. It is
recommended that one should have a true and fair assessment of his aptitude versus
the job requirement before joining this profession.

An aptitude is an innate, acquired or learned or developed component of a competency
(the others being knowledge, understanding and attitude) to do a certain kind of work at
a certain level. Aptitudes may be physical or mental. The innate nature of aptitude is in
contrast to achievement, which represents knowledge or ability that is gained.

2.2.1 Attitude

All attempts to master knowledge and skills will fail to deliver the desired results if
you ignore the element of a winning attitude. Attitude is sometimes defined as a
―persistent tendency to feel and behave in a particular way towards some object.‖
(Luthans 2010) An attitude is a personal thought process, which gears us up to achieve
goals, exercise authority & power, and develop affiliations.

The difference between aptitude and attitude is simple: Although you do not have
control over your aptitude but you can influence your attitude as per your own wishes.
The starting point of taming the attitude is to get a fair evaluation done by your near and
dear ones or your mentor (if you have one). The next step is to understand what
constitutes ―the right attitude‖ requirements of your job. Once this is done, a conscious
and incessant effort can bring an attitude change. But remember that attitudes do not
and will not change overnight. Give the old ones enough time to die down and new ones
to set in.
An attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's degree of like or
dislike for an item. Attitudes are generally positive or negative views of a person, place,
thing, or event—this is often referred to as the attitude object. People can also be
conflicted or ambivalent toward an object, meaning that they simultaneously possess
both positive and negative attitudes toward the item in question.

2.2.2 Passion

Passion is nothing short of a burning desire. With knowledge, skills and aptitude,
you can score up to 99%. Passion brings in the last 1%. From another perspective,
passion helps you in securing a place among the top 1%.

Passion means obsession with your job and career. Doing your job and
delivering results usually suffices but doing it with excitement, fondness, and love
means something else. People who are in love with their jobs and profession are the
ones you usually see at the top. Involve your emotions in your job and see how you and

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your sales will grow. Add a little spice, spirit and flare. Top it up with a resolution to
stand out.
Passion ( from Latin verb patior meaning to suffer or to endure) is an emotion
applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Passion is an intense emotion
compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something. The term is also often applied
to a lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity or love.
Passion can be expressed as a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or
compelling emotion towards a subject, idea, person, or object. A person is said to have
a passion for something when he has a strong positive affinity for it. A love for
something and a passion for something are often used synonymously.

SUMMARY
Nothing is a substitute of prudent and confident product knowledge. The reason why
pharmaceutical salespeople are respected around the globe is that they share and refresh
the knowledge of their customers every now and then. Thus they are the partners of their
customers. A lot of people in medical profession actually wait for the salesperson in order
to get first hand information.

Medical knowledge here refers to the knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology of
the human body. In addition to the basic anatomy and physiology, pathology of the
diseases relevant to their area of activity also plays a major role. Followed by pathology is
the knowledge of diagnosis and modes of treatment that are available for that disease. All
of this seems too much but the fact remains that the more you know about the medical
background, the more confident you are in your conversation with your customer.
Market Knowledge helps businesses, nonprofits, communities, and cooperatives identify,
define, and pursue specific markets. When it comes to answering the pressing questions
businesses face every day, nothing compares to market knowledge. Market knowledge
provides insight into the strengths and weaknesses of competition, the pricing and
profitability of products, and ultimately, the current and future needs of customers.

Aptitude is generally described as the natural or inherent ability to undertake an
assignment or a set of activities. It may also refer to personal or professional life
responsibilities. Aptitudes somehow delineate the path to victory. Those who have the
aptitude or the natural talent will certainly outdo the ones without a propensity towards a
certain profession or career. Therefore, while selecting a career, it is generally suggested
to introspect and decide if you have an aptitude for a certain profession. Although there
are specific tests to assess the aptitude for a specific profession, they may not be readily
accessible to all.

Passion means obsession with your job and career. Doing your job and delivering results
usually suffices but doing it with excitement, fondness, and love means something else.
People who are in love with their jobs and profession are the ones you usually see at the
top. Involve your emotions in your job and see how you and your sales will grow. Add a
little spice, spirit and flare. Top it up with a resolution to stand out.

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Chapter III GEAR UP FOR SALES CALL


 Realize that preparedness is important for every sales call.
 Define and Know your Customers.
 Set clear Targets/Goals for all sales calls.
 Understanding that your appearance is important in the eyes of customer.
 Appreciate the importance of time and appointments
 Rehearse and practice all sales calls through role plays
 Have comprehensive knowledge of Distribution Channels and Distributors.
 Recognize why visiting a chemist before physician is critical.
 Know how to develop liaison with Gatekeepers.
 Be ready for engagement at all times.

3.1 WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS?

A pharmaceutical salesperson is blessed as well as unfortunate at the same
time. He knows that not every person living in an area is his customer, only the medical
practitioners are. This allows him a sigh of relief. He has eliminated the non-desired
elements. But then comes the tough part. Who, out of those medical practitioners are
the real customers? The famous Pareto‘s Law now seems to laugh at him. Can he
identify the 20% customers who will give him 80% of the business? If this law holds
true, (which I believe most of the time it does) and he is able to identify those 20%, 80%
of his job is already through. (Fig. 3)

Targeting the top 20% of customers is not as simple as it seems. First of all, it is
extremely difficult to draw a line between the top 20% and the rest of 80%. Suppose you
are lucky enough in identifying the top 20%. Now comes another uphill task. These 20%
will inevitably be the busiest practitioners in town because they see 80% of the patients!
That‘s why they write so many prescriptions. They are the most difficult people to break
in. You might face a lot of frustration in convincing them to prescribe your product
because there is big group of other salespeople delivering the same information. Hence
the share of securable time gets smaller and smaller. At this point of time you really
think of giving up. Should you give up? The answer is obviously NO.

So what should you do to secure the prescriptions from top 20% of your
customers? The key is to know more about them through colleagues and social
networks. You need to ―break-in,‖ not alone at their practices but maybe at a place
where they like to spend their leisure time or at a

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place where they are a bit comfortable and relaxed. The aim is to get as close to the
customer as possible so that when you send your visiting card at his clinic he should
have no difficulty in recognizing your name.

3.2 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS

Prospecting according to Pareto‘s Law is easier said than done. While preparing
a database of your prospective customer, don‘t forget (besides basic information about
name, home address, office address, telephone numbers, email address, date of birth,
date of marriage, name of spouse, number of children) to include:

 Medical School (City/Country)
 Year of graduation.
 Postgraduate Education/ Degrees/ Diplomas/ Training Courses.
 Key areas of interest.
 Clientele (rich, middle class or poor)
 Does the doctor receive the type of patients who can afford your drugs?
 An average number of patients per day.
 Prescription habits.
 Prime mover
 Those who have the courage to try and experience new drugs and like to be
known as the drivers of change.
 Early adopter

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 Those who will adopt new therapies without hesitation and much skepticism.
 Middle and late majority
 They are basically followers of the leaders.
 Lingerer
 Those who are ―forced‖ by the trends to change themselves.
 Demographics of the locale
 Include basic information like population, number of adults, children, ratio‘s of
male female population, disease prevalence.
 Any specific instructions about the visiting pharmaceutical salesperson.
 Make a special note of the timing and visiting instructions (if any) for medical
representatives.
 Talkative/Non communicative/Serious/Jolly good fellow/indifferent /difficult /easy
/snobbish etc.
 Rapport with his patients.
 His potential for your products.
 Does he honor his commitments to the salespeople?

The second last point is very important for the job of a pharmaceutical
salesperson. If the doctor is not able to prescribe your products (for any reason
whatsoever) you are simply wasting his time as well as your own. You could capitalize
the same in another doctor‘s clinic.

The last point cannot at all be neglected. A ―closing‖ in pharmaceutical sales
does not end in the shape of a signed contract. It is purely verbal. A doctor may claim
that he is writing X number of prescriptions of your product in one day but do make an
attempt to find out if the chemist or the staff of hospital say otherwise. Some doctors
use the idea of saying ―yes‖ instead of entering into a discussion with the salesperson.
They think that by saying yes, they will end the conversation with the medical
representative pretty soon. These customers can cause more harm than benefit. So
prepare yourself to tackle this sort of customer.

Dustin Graigner and Thomas Stovall, in their article ―Learn how customers work‖
have argued that the key difference between top performing sales professional and
those who fall short is in ―knowledge‖ of the customer and his or her business.

The words Know Your Customer in the financial sense describe the process by
which a bank or financial institution checks the identity, background and other aspects
of the source of wealth of potential and existing customers. Also known as KYC, (Know
Your Customer) legislation and regulation require firms to obtain evidence of identity of
a customer at take-on and to keep a record of that evidence for as long as there is a
relationship with a customer. Legislation and regulation also require a firm to keep up to
date its knowledge of a customer throughout the life of the relationship, so that changes
in the customer's activity can be assessed and dealt with – all with the principal aim of
preventing Money Laundering and Financial Crime.

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3.3 OBJECTIVE SETTING

It‘s now time to set an objective for the call that you are about to make. The
objective can be as simple as building rapport to a much complex situation like securing
the orders of a newly introduced product from the nation wide formulary. In either case,
a specific objective helps a lot in developing and maintaining control of the sales call.

An objective is a specific step, a milestone, which enables you to accomplish a goal.
Setting objectives involves a continuous process of research and decision-making.
Knowledge of yourself and your unit is a vital starting point in setting objectives.
The objectives must be:

 focused on a result, not an activity
 consistent
 specific
 measurable
 related to time
 attainable

Objective setting is the key part of any planning, this exercise aims to answer two basic
questions: "Where do we want to be?" and, "When do we want to reach there?"

3.4 EXAMINING YOUR WARDROBE

The kind of clothes you wear make the difference between a cold and warm
reception. People feel more confident in nicely cut outfits and have no hesitation in
talking to anybody. Wearing a tie with a shirt and trousers cannot solve the problem.
You have to make the right selection for the occasion and according to the weather. A
lot has been written about the appropriate usage of clothes but I suggest that:

 You should select a decent combination.
 Avoid using flamboyant colors.
 The knot of the tie should be carefully done and its length should be close to the belt
around your waist.
 In winter, suiting is not mandatory but if you can afford one, get it tailored from an
expert or buy a ready made one.
 Spend a little extra money and do not compromise on anything less but exquisite
apparel. It will definitely pay you back.
 Take extra care about body odors in the summer as well as winter. Make frequent
use of the deodorant and fragrances.

3.5 TIMING

Who wants to sell his products? The doctor or you? If it is you then you should
take care of the preferences of customer. Investigate the times at which he is available,

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not to his patients but to the salespeople. Does he see a salesperson during his routine
working hours? After hours? Before the start of his practice? On weekends only?
Specified days? Specified timings? He loves to see the salesperson waiting? Whatever
the case maybe, you have to find an appropriate meeting time that suits him and not
you.

3.6 PREPARATION

Preparation starts from day one and continues till the last second before you
enter in the doctor‘s office. The better prepared you are, mentally as well as physically,
the better will be your presentation and communication. If you are better organized, you
will take much less time in doing your job and thus save yours‘ as well as the doctor‘s
time. Preparation is the key to good luck. According to one sportsman: ―The more I
practice, the luckier I become.‖

3.7 REHEARSAL AND ROLE PLAYS

A rehearsal for a pharmaceutical salesperson would not mean learning one piece
of information by rote and then reproducing it in front of a dumb customer. It is much
more complex. The success lies in knowing dozens of lines and then reproducing them
as and when considered appropriate.

Rehearsing:

 Leads to confidence.
 Maintains flow of conversation.

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 Gives you psychological control.
 helps in convincing the customer and
 Gives spontaneity to conversation.

The most common practice or rehearsing in the industry is through ‗role – playing‘. For
many reps, this is the most dreaded and scary activity. Instead of writing a few pages on
how this on how this activity becomes nerve – wrecking for most of sales reps, I would
only point out some things that you could draw out of this and make it fun instead of a
curse.

‗Proper preparation prevents poor performance‘ is the most obvious reason for role –
plays.. (Jamie St. Peter) We all know it's true. You get better at anything when you
practice. The second reason role-play is crucial for sales reps is the dynamism of
pharmaceutical business and reps are always being given new information about their
product, new ideas and new tools for selling. The customer is the last person you
should be trying this on for the first time! Through role-playing with your colleagues,
you're able to get everything clear in your mind in advance so you don't end up turning
your customer into a guinea pig. Instead, you walk into that customer's office knowing
you're ready to flawlessly execute the call, completely prepared to meet any objections
he might throw your way.

Practicing your sales calls through role-play also gives you the opportunity to observe
your colleagues in action and learn their best practices. How do they use detail aids?
Articulate the product information? Handle objections? You may like to pick up one
activity that will give you a leading edge over your competitors. Rehearsing also gives
an opportunity to your managers an coaches to see areas for improvement and provide
guidance where necessary. Training plans and product messages can then be adjusted
so everyone gets the help they need to succeed.

It is a great idea to have some scenarios for role plays in advance. This is more fun and
more engaging. These scenarios are more fun if borrowed from real life and real people
include some of the challenges and objections you or your colleagues face in the field. If
you write the scenarios on index cards, they will provide a clear structure for role-play
and help keep you and your colleagues focused and on-task.

An interesting exercise could be as follows:

Make two rows of reps and make them stand in front of one another.
Keep a distance of about two feet from the person standing on the sides.
Designate one row as Physicians and the other row as reps.
Give one minute each.
The Reps get one minute and they are given a task which could be as follows:
o Reinforce your call
o Describe a new study

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o Introduce a new product
o Describe one feature and one benefit of a product X
o Handle an Objection
o Introduce a new indication
 Etc.
Exactly after one minute the role changes: Physicians become reps and reps
become physicians
This cycle can continue for about 5 or ten role plays
Benefits
o Reps will be able to react ‗on their feet‘ at all times with all customers

You can rehearse anywhere. Start from the mirror; your best friend because it will just
listen and not talk back. (Fig. 4) Make a group with another colleague. Rehearse
together for at least half an hour a day and pay attention to the feedback. A movie
camera is a mirror with a memory. The camera never lies; you're going to see what
you're doing wrong and what you're doing right. You can play your recordings time and
again till you are satisfied with your presentation. Do it with your area/territory manager,
training manager or product manager. They will be more than happy to help you out.

Simulations and role-plays are even more interesting if you invite doctors to participate.
This will give reps an excellent opportunity to practice their skills on a living, breathing
physician, but in a controlled and nonthreatening environment. At the end of the role-
play, ask the doctors to score their reps and provide feedback on their performance. It's
a good idea to provide the "doctors" with some scoring guidelines in advance so they
know what the learning objectives are and what skills the reps should demonstrate.
Reps should rotate through the stations, calling on different "doctors" for a specific
amount of time. At the conclusion, I suggest debriefing as a group and sharing success
stories.

Take your pre-call planning to the next level by role-playing with yourself. Write down
opening statements and probes, and practice them out-loud in your car. Better yet,
practice at home in front of the mirror. Say your statement, and then pretend you're the
doctor and respond to what you just said. Then reply. (Word of warning: You'd better tell
your spouse or roommate that you're going to be doing this -- otherwise they might think
you're a little weird!)

3.8 TRAVEL

Travelling is an essential part of the pharmaceutical salesperson‘s life. You
should be meticulous about your means of transport. It does not really matter if you are
travelling by public transport, motorbike, motor car or even bicycle, don‘t forget to make
sure that:

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 You have thoroughly checked all the routes and timings if you are using a public
transport. You have reserved your seats (if required) all the way.
 Your driving machine is in perfect working order, will take you to all your planned
meeting places and bring you back safely, without any trouble.
 You have paid all the taxes and your documents are complete.
 You have valid driving licenses for respective driving machines.
 You have made an alternate arrangement if in any case your means of transport
breaks down.
 Your vehicle will remain safe wherever you take it. (Either it is comprehensively
insured or you park it at designated parking areas only)

Your first travel is to get out of your home and reach the office or your first
meeting point. If in the morning you get ready wearing your best suit and come down to
find out that your car or motor bike has some problem with the ignition, your whole day
is gone! Why not have checklist in the earlier evening to make sure it will kick off in the
morning.

Assuming that your means of transport is all good but you do not have the
shortest route to reach your destination or the shortest route is busy or blocked at
certain specific times. Do you happen to be there at the busiest of times? You have
calculated a distance at your average speed but there are three schools and two
markets en route. How much time do you think you will have to wait or what will be your
average speed then?

When you are travelling out of town, you are like a lone climber on his way to
mount Everest. There are hardly any climbers who reach the top without their gadgets.
So whenever you are out of your base station, don‘t forget to carry all that may be
required during that visit. I have myself made a very detailed list of things that I usually
carry. The necessities might vary from time to time and place to place but if your visit is
thoroughly planned on the night before, you will hardly miss a thing.

One of the biggest safety hazards these days is cell phone. We are very tempted
to use it while driving. I have even seen people driving a motorbike with the phone held
between shoulder and ear! If you really think connectivity is important, use a hands free
kit. For God‘s sake avoid sending a text message while driving. This is a real killer of
you as well as others.

If you are traveling for business meeting, remember to take all necessary information
and equipment. Presentations, product samples, pens and notepads, literature, posters,
overheads and any necessary equipment like laptops, cords and batteries, you need to
carry all. You can‘t figure out what you may need where?

Have all contact numbers handy. You may need an air ticket, a train time table, a taxi
cab, limousine, bus, or a rental car. Sometimes you may even need a ‗vehicle recovery‘

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service in case you meet an accident. How about having some emergency numbers like
Police, Medical help and the like?

Make use of traffic news on the radio. They will tell you which roads are expecting
blockages and the time schedules of these blockages. This will help avoid unnecessary
delays

Last but not the least, confirm all appointments before leaving home. It may cost of Rs.
2 to make a phone call and Rs. 500 to make a personal call only to find out that the
meeting was cancelled due to some unknown reasons.

Avoid road rage and aggressive driving, not because you have to demonstrate that you
are a good citizen but it is in your interest to keep your mood and your outlook cheerful.
Moreover it is now a common practice to identify your job and industry by your outlook.
If I can easily ‗smell‘ a pharmaceutical rep from at least a 100 yards, so can others. In
order to establish the dignity of your profession, avoid unnecessary clashes.

Traveling is time consuming and exhausting but there is no escape. If you make it fun
you job becomes a round the clock fun.

3.9 DISTRIBUTION AND DISTRIBUTORS

The main point of interaction between yourself and your line manager is the
office of your distributors. (Usually) When sitting at your distributor‘s office, don‘t waste
your time in sipping a cup of tea. Do go to the contact person and ask for sales figures.
This will be an eye opener for you and a clear indication of your performance. Ask him
about the availability of stocks and the safety stocks so that your products stay in the
market.

Ask the distributor about the work plan of his team. In case of complaints from
the chemists, try to make yourself available in the area when distributor is visiting the
chemists so that the issues are promptly resolved. This will ensure an even availability
of your drug in the market.

3.10 CHEMIST FIRST!

Chemist has always played a pivotal role in pharmaceutical and biotech distribution
chain because of its position as the actual point of monetary transaction between end
consumer and the company. However its role is now changing from a mere retailer to
dispenser, educator, counselor and medical services provider. Patients as well as
physicians are in regular contact with the local pharmacy at all times.

Pharmacists are important because they:

Advise patients on product usage.
Can suggest generics and/or alternates.

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Communicate with physicians more often than reps.
Are well informed about how products are used, who uses them, the most
popular dosages and formulations, competitive information, and buying
decisions.
Can refuse to allow shelf space for your drugs.
Can also suggest drugs to those who ask him for advice regarding Over the
Counter or potential Over the Counter drugs.
Guide/misguide you regarding the prescription habits of nearby doctors.
Influence both physician and consumer‘s choice.
Give you feedback on pricing, clinical concerns, adverse effects and dosing etc.

Before you try to establish a relationship with pharmacist, review some pertinent information
about the pharmacy itself. You should know:

The size of the pharmacy
The demographics of its customers
o Customer's attitudes, opinions and desires
Important location factors
o Proximity to a hospital or Shopping mall
o Reliance of pharmacy's business is on individuals or hospital.
Buying and pricing behavior of pharmacy
Range of products on shelf
Contracts with hospitals for local purchase
Contracts with clinics
Status of relationship with insurance companies
Return goods policy
Stocking policies
Last but not the least, knowing the pharmacists' names and the names of key
personnel is a must.

Pharmacists are primarily concerned with:

Health of their patients
Business

As health care professionals, pharmacists are required to maintain drug information,
inform doctors and patients of drug interactions, advise patients of possible side effects
and maintain records. They need relevant clinical information to reinforce efficacy,
safety and other product-related benefits. They also need educational materials to give
to their customers. (This may sound a little bit too optimistic in a local setting but things
are changing and changing fast!) Pharmacists are now ever interested in products and
rely on reps to keep their technical knowledge up to date. And when pharmacists are
better-educated, they help reps further patient education. In fact, they can be ideal
partners in patient education because they frequently have more time with doctors.
Reps should cultivate this side of their relationships.

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As business people, pharmacists have other needs. They need to increase sales,
reduce costs, increase profit and improve service. They are interested in companion
sales to improve sales of a product. They are concerned with fast delivery, handling
credit or order problems, returns, education and personal customer attention. Any
business information reps can provide on deals or co-promotions of highly prescribed
products is of great interest to pharmacists. They also turn to reps for help with other
issues, such as delivery, credit problems and returns.

So while reps need to use the same professional approach, product knowledge,
competitive product knowledge and market share knowledge that they use when selling
to other health care professionals, they also need to use some basic business
knowledge of retail economics.

Good chemists usually have comprehensive science background, including
extensive training in pharmacology. Many physicians now depend on pharmacists to
educate their patients about dosing, drug interactions and side effects because they are
short of time and want to shift their responsibility. If physicians are experts in disease
diagnosis and treatment, pharmacists now have to be experts in pharmaceutical
disease management. Pharmacists are also expected to train patients in proper
techniques for using sophisticated medications like metered-dose inhalers, blood
pressure monitors and injections. Physicians also sometimes rely on pharmacists for
monitoring potential drug-drug interactions and recommend appropriate drug
substitutions.

A lot of walk – in patients trust pharmacists to know the details about disease and
medication and to make recommendations about common diseases like cough, fever,
cold and flu. Sometimes they even seek advice on long term management for diseases
like hypertension and diabetes, often looking for cheaper and better choices. Patients
count on pharmacists to tell them how to take their medications, what outcomes to
expect and how to react if something goes wrong.

Pharmacists can have a tremendous impact on ‗marketing‘ activities of drugs within
their territories. Pharmacy support is crucial for successful medical camps, patient
education and supplemental physician contact. A pharmacist has ready information
about the purchase procedures at all clinics and hospitals, competitor prices and patient
feedback about safety and efficacy of drugs.

It should not come as surprise that the pharmacist can replace one brand of drug
with another, or replacing one molecule of drug with another from the same family with
or without informing the patient. In this case who gets replaced and who gets
replacement? Although it isn't appropriate for a pharmacist to recommend that a
physician prescribe your drug instead of your competitor's, the more educated a
pharmacist is about your product, the more effectively he can present relevant
information (including benefits) to prescribing physicians.

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There are usually three categories of chemists: retail chain, independent and
hospital pharmacies.

For retail chain pharmacists, make an effort to develop partnerships with
pharmacists in addition to their purchase departments. Following are the usual
expectations of pharmacists from a sales representative:

Offer their business card every time and make it easy for pharmacy staff to
contact them
Respect their time
Objective clinical information.
Invitation to educational programs with physicians
Sponsor separate programs for their local pharmacy organization
Walk the talk. (Keeping promises)
Understand that pharmacy customers are the first priority.
Educate the pharmacist about potential side effects.
Ask for the opportunity to schedule an educational lunch presentation.

You may ask the chemist about the recent prescribing habits of the doctor. Ask him
about your competitors‘ products. This will help you modify the very objective of your
call. Suppose you planned to detail drugs A, B, C and D to the doctor in that call. At the
chemist shop you came to know that A, C and D are doing fine. You must immediately
focus your attention to B instead of A, C and D. While you emphasize on the
prescription of B, don‘t forget to thank him for prescribing A, C and D and ask for an
extended business. The physician will definitely realize that your market intelligence is
pretty strong.

The chemist can also tell you if the drugs of your competitor are being prescribed
more than your drugs. In that case you can always deal with the competition first,
instead of following the usual plan. You can also catch and deflect exaggerated and
inflated claims made by your doctor.

Clear, reliable and understandable information is at a premium, and retail
chemists have a wealth of information regarding physician prescribing patterns and
physician preferences for certain companies.

Provide the latest product information to him even before your product is
launched. This will motivate him to order a few stocks of your drug. Independent
chemists have a strong sense of competition vis-à-vis chain store chemists. The
independent chemists have the time to offer more individual attention and get to know
their customers better. You can help these independent chemists maintain customer
relationships by supplying product information and patient education literature.

One visit is not enough to establish a relationship with the chemist. You cannot
start grilling the chemist with questions immediately. They must take time to establish
rapport and provide value by offering information and answering questions. Don‘t forget

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