How to Start Sales Conversation

How to start sales conversation

Doctors opinions about sales reps (US and Europe)

Longitudinal study od doctor attitudes during in a period of 2 years*:

Trust: 44% doctors still trusts pharmaceutical

companies 19% mostly do not trust to pharma

companies* Mackintosh, International Journal of Medical Marketing, 2004

Doctors opinions about sales reps (US and Europe)

Comments of doctors that participated in survey:“Less commercials, more expert

information,including risks and side effects”

Time devoted to med reps 38% doctors that participated in a survey plan to

spend less time with med reps in the future

What doctors prefer?

57% doctors would be prepared to spend more time with med reps if they brought *:

Additional useful information Educative materials for patients Nonbiased scientific studies

* Mackintosh, International Journal of Medical Marketing, 2004

What should pharma companies do?

There are two options that pharma comapies could chose:

1. Shorten converation so that is lasts 30 seconds

2. With right approach to the doctor made conversation last longer up to 15 minutes

What should pharma companies do?

If you chose second approach, at the beginning you should take care about three things:

First impresion Introduction to sales convesation Sales conversation

So, let’s start...

First impresion

What influences doctor’s perceptions?

Pharma company image

Percieved values: ethics, honesty, trust

Perspetion of med rep: similarities, intresting

Image of med rep

Visit outcome

Longterm cooperation

Recomendations

Wright & Lundstrom, International

Journal of Medical Marketing, 2004

Company image

Definition of comapany image: perception of company actions

Company image influences all stakeholders

Company image

Customer preferences :1 Pfizer 7.602 Bristol-Myers Squibb 7.203 Johnson & Johnson 7.194 Merck 6.885 Eli Lilly 6.786 Amgen 5.687 Pharmacia 5.578 Wyeth 5.329 Abbott Laboratories 4.9110 Schering-Plough 4.80

Company success:Johnson & Johnson 6th;Merck ranked 11th; Pfizer 20th, Eli Lilly 29th Bristol-Myers Squibb 32n

Magazin Fortune, 2002, according to Wright & Lundstrom, International Journal of Medical Marketing, 2004

Percieved values

In order to gain trust, following values should be incorporated in mer rep’s approach: Patient wellbeing – ethics Good knowledge of product characteristics

– scientific and not commercial approach Provision of correct drug information –

disclose all information both favourable and less favourable (side effects, health risks...)

Perception of med rep

Physical appearance – neatly dressed

Attitude: friendly relationship, openess

Similarities – common values, interests

Getting to the doctor...

Environment Cold – warm atmosphere? Private or public? Diploma or familiy pictures? Rewards, newspaper’s

articles? Sports medals,

achievements...

Attitudes toward work Sistem of values Personality type (DISC)

Beginning of conversation

Introduction Nurse:

Meet and greet Remember her name

Doctor: Handshake

Matching doctor’s handshake: if strong respond equaly, if weak respond with mildly stronger handshake

Addressing doctor: Name or surname?

Suitable topics: Compliment, common acquitance, event, observation

Not suitable: Get down to business or too personal topics

Establish equal level relationship with doctor – partners in process of discovering new information on drugs

Beginning of conversation

Help in establishing equal level

NLP approach: each person codes her experiences using diminantly one type of representation means: picture, sound or movement.

Why is that important? Reveals the way thinking – what kind of information are

relevant to doctor Gives you chance to adapt to doctor’s style – if you are

percieved as similar, good relationship is more likely to ocurre

Important to know when asking questions Easier to spot doubts and objections

NLP

Recalling pictures

Construction of picture

Recalling sounds

Construction of sound

Internal dyalogue

Kinestetics representation

Behaviour of different types Visual type: stiffed, loud, gestures in front of eyes,

usual sentence – “I can see what you mean...”

Auditive type: moderate voice intensity, bows head on the side when listening, might avoid looking in the eyes when listening, usual sentence – “I hear that you really understand my needs...”

Kinestetic type: relaxed posture, deep voice, speaks slowly with long breaks, usual sentence – “I feel that we understand each other...”

Adjustmens strategy Discover the type of the person

Act similar to other party in two areas: posture and tone of voice

Imitation – adequate and inadequate

Sign of success

If visiting doctor for the first time

Present yourself: Explain how frequently you will see each

other State the purpose of the visits – longterm

and shortterm goals Explain benefits doctor/pharmacist will

have from this business relationship (latest information, scientific research, benefits for the patient…)

Ask premision to ask questions and than – do it!

Questions

Each section of your presentation should finish with question. Purposes of questions are different and might be: To raise interest Discovering needs Verify facts Clarify objections Get several small “yes”

Tips..

Good presentation is: Prepared in advance Good organized Given in a clear and understandable way

Non-verbal: Gestures that should be omitted: crossing

arms, tapping on the desk...everything associated with haste and nervousness

Thank you!