What is the Meaning of Pharmaceutical Sales?
The other day I was talking to my students and addressing them the importance of Sales. Out of 10, 8 students were keen to have their career in Marketing( and wanted to stay strictly away from sales) and the two were interested in KPO or in Supply Chain Management.
As usual, I asked why you are not interested in sales?. and got the same answers too.
Then Suddenly I asked them a question: What is Sales? What is the meaning of Sales?
And to my great surprise, there was pin-drop silence in the class and they were rubbing each other shoulders.
The Dictionary definition of Sales is the exchange of a commodity for money; the action of selling something.
But what is the Operational definition of Sales? How a Sales Manager or a Training Manager will define the definition of Sales to their sales team members? The answers seem too obvious and easy but when we start writing the definition, our own operational definition in the context to our own organization, then it becomes very challenging.
When I asked from the experienced Pharmaceutical sales professionals, how do you define sales, they also didn’t have the specific answer.
When I asked their Frontline Managers, how do you define sales, their response was just as expected, we go to the Doctor and detail the product and when the patient purchases from the chemist, then sales happen. But is this the right definition? No Sir. Certainly not.
When asked, what scientific sales model is used for Pharmaceutical Sales? Out of 10, 5 will say AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) model and remaining 5 will say I don’t know.
But sales happen, it takes place: but the legitimate question is how?
During a training session, when I asked the field sales professionals, How many of you would like to have a list of the Doctors who were/are prescribing your company products? All the participants raised their hands?
Tip: In-fact, there is no such accurate list. The prescribers list which you get is a reference list which just fixes up your geographic domain so that you can work easily. In my opinion, every pharmaceutical field sales professional develops its own prescribers list. "He works upon that list and earns its own prescribers."
- So, the one word meaning of Sales here is: WORK.
And since the pharmaceutical sales professional works hard on that list, hence the
- two words meaning of sales is: WORK HARD.
So, it means there is no magic, there is no short cut or secret formula –one has to work hard, one has to cover its own mile, they have to put their own potion of hard work.
When we get initial success in sales, we consider our self very lucky and we give credit to our skills, and tell to our colleagues and Bosses, that since we're meeting the Doctor regularly, and by chance the patient came and I was also there and the Doctor asked me about my product and then he prescribed.
Now, here they are saying that I was there and I feel lucky that I was in the right place and the right time and hence I started getting the support. But we forget one more word here, which I would like to add here is Prepare. So, now the sales formula becomes = Work, Hard, Prepare.
So now, can we say that if we work hard, if we are prepared, then we will get the sales? No Sir! Still, this is incomplete. Unless and until we are not Engaging our customers, we will not get the sales.
So, engage the Doctors with your product knowledge, with your territory knowledge, with your services and he /she will start supporting you.
So, now, the sales formula becomes =Work Hard, Prepare and Engage. But is it the complete formula? No Sir!, still it is incomplete.
Unless and until you are not demanding the prescriptions, you are not taking Commitment from the Doctors, you will not get the sales.
So, now the sales formula becomes: Work Hard, Prepare, Engage, Commitment.
Since now the field sales professional is working hard, he/she is fully prepared, engaging the doctor and taking the commitment too and eventually he/she gets the sales.
But is it enough?
As this is just the initial sales, what about Repeat Prescriptions? What about the prescriptions of other products? So, here now the field professional has to ensure through his hard work, through his preparedness, engaging nature and commitment level, he/she should get continuous repeat prescriptions. Not only he should get continuous repeat prescriptions, but he should also motivate the Doctor to such an extent, then he/she should come into the category of KEY OPINION LEADER(KOL) and should start doing Brand Advocacy, should give him more referrals, and even a testimonial too.
So, now the formula looks like: Work Hard, Prepare, Engage, Commitment, Repeat prescriptions, Brand Advocacy.
To a great extent, this looks almost complete definition. But still, I believe, there is some shortfall in the definition and that is Practice.
Practice all the above steps cited, and then you will be highly successful.
So, the complete definition/formula for Pharmaceutical sales is :
WORK HARD+PREPARE+ENGAGE+COMMITMENT+REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS+BRAND ADVOCACY+PRACTICE.
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Speciality Care Advisor | Oncology | Haematology | Bristol Myers Squibb| Ex -Abbott| Ex -GSK
5yAbsolutely true and practical!
4 Years Experience in B2B sales in finance domain
5yGood Article Sir...!
Beeok Healthcare
5yExcellent Article Dr.
Product Manager at Aristo Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.
5ySir ive started my journey from sales and now I'm into marketing . And having worked in sales for a considerable good amt of time, if definately helps in understanding the market better and plan campaigns effectively.
Visiting Faculty--Management & Certified Career Counselor
5yVery nicely explained. The journey to marketing department has to start from sales. I am always surprised to see students eager to take marketing posts without any desire to experience sales. Unfortunate but true.