Wholesale Way

Many of us can remember our trip to a great seminar, or a multi-day trip to an important convention, with memories of the positive atmosphere and how we were able to become totally enthused by what we were to learn, our motivational engines firing on all cylinders. This is exactly what these events are designed to do, to instil that sense of excitement, ready to propel us into the market and really sell whatever product or service is in question. In most cases, pharmaceutical sales training sessions or books can be similarly motivational and there is always an important time and a place for these tools to be used by the typical sales force. However, we can never underestimate the importance of effective implementation, as when the “rubber hits the road,” a lot of that motivation quickly seems to be absorbed into the atmosphere.

This is a problem that has plagued the corporate trainer and the motivational speaker for generations. It may be relatively easy to propel a salesperson to make a plan and to thereby establish a relative goal, but the execution is often the challenge. It’s all very well talking about theoretical situations in a classroom environment, outlining the threats and challenges that are likely to be faced in the real world and implementing training to ensure that the salesperson is best prepared to cope. However, it must be understood that very many different factors come into play when the salesperson is actually engaged with the prospect and one could argue that the biggest hurdle facing the salesperson when trying to “land” a sale is the attitude or subconscious direction displayed by the salesperson him or herself.

These days, pharmaceutical sales training must be careful not to introduce impossible, sometimes psychological barriers, which would effectively stand in the way of effective implementation. Corporate goals may suggest that a 100% result is required and that the salesperson should have only one true goal in mind. Such a “set in stone” position can often result in failure, however, and we must view opportunities from all different angles. Sometimes, a relatively high percentage result is better than 100% of nothing.

The salesperson must always be coached to understand that persistence when facing adversity is critical. While it is also important to recognise when the parameters have changed so much that a goal is simply not achievable anymore, it is still nevertheless important to maintain course when surmountable obstacles are laid in the way. This requires a person to adapt and evolve and use internal motivation to dodge the final line of defence and score the goal.

The sales force must be supported in the field and anything less than total commitment from the organisation in terms of resources, training, as well as product strength and deliverability will undoubtedly result in a lower effective rate of implementation. When key account management training is under the microscope, the “point” person will not be able to service accordingly and implement effectively unless specific and unequivocal parameters have been set by senior management at the outset.

Alan Gillies is the Director of L2L Consulting, an elite pharmaceutical consultancy firm which specialises in Strategy Development and Implementation Excellence for prestigious multi-national organisations.

It’s very difficult to get ahead of the game in the pharmaceutical sales business and a training consultant must be able to look at a whole list of different criteria in order to motivate the sales force to succeed. The goal of first-rate performance is achievable if the consultant is able to help the client understand and first define benchmarks and competencies. Without the ability to measure these competencies, goals cannot realistically be set and individuals may not aspire to meet them. It is therefore important that the pharmaceutical company understands and helps to develop the framework at the outset.

Specific marketing roles must be developed according to specific sales targets. Within each role, an individual’s tasks must be identified and methods assessed. It is likely that each role within an organisation will retain certain uniform competencies, which could be regarded as core principles, but it is very important to accurately define the competencies that are specific to the role and thus must be mastered by the individuals so assigned.

As a rule of thumb, pharmaceutical sales training should take into account cutting edge methodology and utilise the experience and ability of the consultant organisation to best effect. Selling skills have become more advanced and rely less on pure number crunching and goal orientation, but rather focus on personal interaction with the buying entity. To pick up specific product knowledge, pertinent to the individual’s objective, requires a salesperson to have a clear understanding of the buyer’s position and the variety of external factors that could influence his or her decision, when it comes to decision time.

These days, pharmaceutical sales training will help to instil the company’s brand strategy and overall objectives, so that the salesperson fully understands what the company is trying to achieve from a broader perspective. The consultant will help the salesperson understand the composition of the market, how strategic marketing can help to impart knowledge of the brand and how the latest communication tools and methods can work.

The salesperson of today must be a public relations expert and be very adept at interpersonal communication. We could go so far as to say that the relationship between the buyer and seller in the modern pharmaceutical industry is based more upon an exchange of information. In addition, the salesperson really must understand what factors influence the buying decision and will come to realise that many of these are subtle and somewhat subliminal.

As an account is designated as principal and very important for the pharmaceutical company’s ongoing performance, key account management training must ensure that those individuals who deal with that particular account are trained in the intricacies. These individuals will require specific skill sets, which will undoubtedly extend far beyond typical sales and closing skills. The pharmaceutical company must understand that the key account is looking for more than might be immediately obvious and that a straightforward, two-way interaction is not sufficient for success. Everyone involved in servicing this account must be consciously aware of the special techniques applicable, whether or not a particular individual is actually responsible for hands-on deployment.

Alan Gillies is the CEO of L2L Consulting, a cutting-edge pharma consultancy firm which specialises in optimising productivity and performance within international companies by applying tailored organisational strategies.

The recent landmark passage of health care reform legislation in the United States surely represents one of the most significant milestones in the global health industry and will certainly drive changes that will be far-reaching for all pharmaceutical companies and their marketing operations. The common marketing landscape has been changing in recent years, in part in response to the lengthy worldwide recession and this has provided notable challenges for every pharmaceutical company and supporting consultant organisation. What seemed to work before does not work anymore and as such, organisations have been forced to become more strategically aligned, focusing more on the consumer, in order for them to be heeded in the marketplace.

The United States legislation could be viewed, on the one hand, as being a potential boon for pharmaceutical companies, as upwards of 30 million people could be expected to be brought into the insurance coverage arena, with consequent potential for enhanced sales. On the other hand, many new pieces of legislation will lead to different procedures and the establishment of new standards, forcing the very make-up of the market in the US to change out of all recognition, challenging budgets like never before. In short, the composition of the redesigned market is yet to be ascertained.

With such a large number of potential end-users entering the marketplace, new methods of information dissemination will undoubtedly take hold. As the digital communication age continues to mature, pharmaceutical marketing methods may increasingly rely on online programs and channels, as health care providers also turn to these channels to solicit clients and to communicate with patients.

As information is disseminated online, consumers may in increasing numbers be driven by social media and word of mouth stimuli and healthcare providers may find that they have to rework their positions, as those who recommend products to the final marketplace. Not surprisingly, pharmaceutical sales training techniques and approaches will need to be continuously modified, so that the company’s message is not diluted or delivered in an inefficient manner, within this new and evolving communications framework.

We’re likely to see a move towards enhanced healthcare awareness and preventative measures in the new era and publication and marketing of services or products in these fields will become more finely directed and delivered. The pharmaceutical company must revisit its position and understand how important it is to be seen as an educator and as a good role model when it comes to preventative and good health care practices. Furthermore, it still remains to be seen how a restructured healthcare market will take into account the revision of funding sources, as a shift is made within insurance markets and as new consumers enter the picture. At this point, key account management training will be even more important as these accounts are redefined in the new era and pharmaceutical sales training re-purposes itself.

In short, as the entire United States healthcare industry is reinvented and restructured, changes may be expected in the way that pharmaceutical marketing is conducted, in all markets. The entire business continues to be very dynamic as the World’s economies emerge from recession and as new communication methods demand different approaches to marketing, to commute to bring the appropriate message to the right ear.

Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of L2L Consulting, specialising in enabling pharmaceutical companies to achieve new heights of productivity and performance, throughout all levels of management and revenue generating activities.

It’s no longer acceptable for a pharmaceutical company to operate according to the mantra that “bigger is better,” based on the concept that the more people engaged in the marketplace, the better the return. At one time, pharmaceutical companies used to look at each other and judge effectiveness based on how big the workforce was, as more volume would undoubtedly lead to enhanced revenue and a more than fruitful rate of return at the bottom line. All this approach resulted in was market saturation and this occurred even as the market was reinventing itself, anyway. There is more emphasis now on “niche” products and marketability and as such there is more demand for dedicated training and focus, rather than a blanket approach to the issue. Sales force effectiveness is coming under scrutiny like never before, as it is realised that an oversized sales force could not only be neutralising, it could be detrimental to the success of the company.

In our current economy, pharmaceutical sales training must have two distinct components — the all-important product education and the dispensation of latest, cutting-edge techniques and approaches, to ensure that the salesperson is able to survive in this new era. While the salesperson must always be focused on “winning,” it is not acceptable to approach the art of landing a sales contract at any cost. The value of the new contract must be assessed in terms of its strategic goal and logistical impact, quite apart from its economic benefit. Sometimes, a profitable sale “on paper” might turn into a very different outcome, when other factors are assessed.

These days there is not so much difference between success and failure, as margins are so thin and therefore sales force effectiveness is a highly important metric. Knowledgeable consultants understand how important this element of pharmaceutical sales training is and how they should focus on high levels of morale, productive engagement and less waste among the sales force. Motivation is a very delicate subject and is far from just the provision of relevant financial bonuses for the salesperson. Indeed, sometimes financial compensation is not a primary driver and the organisation must be able to determine what really pushes each individual on the sales force. Be careful not to set a goal that is deemed to be relatively easy to accomplish, as a salesperson might subconsciously “throttle back” as significant progress is accomplished.

Sales force effectiveness can have a high impact on not only volume, but thin margins and high costs, so individual performance can have a ‘knock on’ effect in other areas. To start off with, the organisation should look at where it is right now, what factors it is using to measure success and how these factors, or metrics, may or may not be detrimental. Size the sales force correctly, so the territories are adequately serviced and the company’s voice is heard to best effect. How many sales calls does the salesperson make on any given day and is an inordinate amount of time spent travelling or on other non-productive activities?

Whether engaged in detailing or not, every single moment that the salesperson spends with a professional should be optimised and this should be a cornerstone of key account management training.

Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of L2L Consulting, specialising in enabling pharmaceutical companies to achieve new heights of productivity and performance, throughout all levels of management and revenue generating activities.

One of the ongoing challenges facing the pharmaceutical company is the attraction, motivation, management and handling of key salespeople. After all, the company has built a great position for itself in the market and has put a lot of effort into developing its product line and polishing its reputation. Every organisation is, of course, very dynamic and its ongoing success will depend on the correct, but complex interaction of many moving parts, on an ongoing basis. Most notably, the all-important clients must be handled very carefully and certain key account management policies and techniques must be developed, so that mature relationships proliferate.

Much will hinge on the success of key account management training and an organisation may be stringent in the development of policies and procedures and very clear at the senior level about its objectives. This element is so important that much attention should be given to communication with sales staff through pharmaceutical sales training, with the result that further communication, two-way, between the company and its client is always fruitful.

So important is the level of communication, that relationships between the buyer and seller can hinge entirely on this element, as tenuous as it might be when based on interpersonal and effective relationships between two key people — the client representative and the key account manager at the pharma company.

When it has been established that an account must retain “key” status, the pharmaceutical company must define the nature of this relationship very clearly and must communicate the appropriate elements of this definition throughout the company through good pharmaceutical sales training. This will ensure that any responses are always well engineered and stable. Not all parts of this policy can be automatically rolled out as we have to remember that human foibles can often interject. Never put so much attention on a certain individual at an interface, so that the relationship breaks down if something goes wrong. It is much more preferable to build a variety of different tiers of communication between the company and client organisations, be they informal or formal, thereby negating the effects of catastrophic failure.

As over delivery is so important, the pharmaceutical company should set up and maintain a regular process of planning, review and maintenance, so that the relationship is fully serviced.

When an important relationship is in the process of development, we should remember that financial considerations are not the only motivators in question and both parties should see the dissemination of confidential information as an important ingredient, going forward. In this respect, it is critical that the pharmaceutical company identifies the all-important receiving role within the client organisation and the individual who fills this role, so that a sharing of information can be facilitated. The challenge is to establish a sophisticated level of interpersonal relations and communication, without placing too much emphasis on the importance of any one individual within either organisation. In this way, should one “key” individual be removed or depart for whatever reason, ongoing function may be retained.

Alan Gillies is the Director of L2L Consulting, an elite pharmaceutical consultancy firm which specialises in Strategy Development and Implementation Excellence for prestigious multi-national organisations.