In Drug and Pharmaceuticals Brands/Products can not be promoted through mediums of mass communication like TV/Radio/FM/New Paper Advertisements.
In our Industry customers are different than consumers. Brands are promoted to customers so that they can reach end-users (Consumers) i.e Patients. Hence the style of communication is much different from other Industries.
Here the core communicator is the Field force of Pharmaceutical company with Dr’s on Focus and Medical Representative in the core.
Effective communication or Sales presentation is the key to success in sales and Marketing in the Pharmaceutical field.
Let us understand the meaning of Effective Communication at different levels of Sales and Marketing Teams.
Most Important Levels which Handles Sales Presentations/Detailing is The Medical Representative and Frontline Manager/Area Manager. Coaching/Training Medical Representative is one of the Key Responsibilities of Area Manager.
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Medical Representative.
- Detailing – Promoting Brands to Dr’s with his Effective and clear communication.
- Retailing – Ability to convince Retailer/Chemist to make available/Purchase his/her brands.
- Stockist – Collecting Various sales Data/Information/Reports. Maintaining Stock levels, getting POB’s executed, Procuring primary sales orders, etc…
- Consignee/Depot/C&F – Placing Orders, Tracking stock status, Updation on promotional Material or Stocks dispatch status.
- Management/Seniors – Communicating his performance, Feedback on any given task or Assignment, Seeking help for any Sales/Field related matter, Getting grievance heard/resolved.
2. Area Sales Manager
During Joint field-work Detailing/Sales Presentation becomes critical and needs a preplanned approach to make it more effective and Dynamic. If Sales Presentation continues to be as during independent field-work and Manager limits only to Thank you and Please prescribe style of Gestures, the Purpose of “Joint” work is defeated, It also defeats the Objective and Most important Job of Area Manager that is On Job Coaching/Training.
During JFW Following needs to be taken care
- Pre-call Planning on role play in Dr’s Chamber.
- Defined communication between the Participants (Maybe ASM ZSM, SM, PMT)
- No echoing of Text or USP’s
- The objective is to present the product/brand more effectively.
- On job Coaching/Training on Effective Sales presentation must be in Focus.
- The medical representative must be taken through Probing, Asking Questions, Demanding Prescription, Presenting/Using Samples/Literature/Gifts skills, and Most importantly Objection Handling skills.
- Demonstrate – Evaluate – Coach – Attempt – Demonstrate must be the Model to Train/Coach.
“Remember an Effective Sales Presentation overcomes Many hurdles of undefined Objection”
