Productive salespeople probably have a different way of doing things. They probably have some tricks under their sleeves that average salespeople miss. Lucky for you, if you're in sales because I knew a few of these productive people who sell for a living. I talk to them. I ask them questions.
Yes. There seem to be some things these people do differently.
No. These things are not exclusive to them. Average salespeople can do them also, but first of all, we need to know what things they do differently. There are no one thousand and one things these productive salespeople do differently. Just a few simple, day-to-day routine.
And since I'm writing this post, I've chosen how they begin their day as the subject to look at. A journey of a productive day does start at the very beginning. If you start your day with the right foot forward, you can taste the productivity and success no matter at what stage of your sales career, just like what I've written about a friend who's making a comeback to selling.
Have you ever come to a time when before you begin the day's sales call, you go blank? You have no idea what 'else' to talk to your customer. You feel that you have to tell it all. You've updated them consistently. You've done it all. So what's left?
Facing the customer with no clear detailing plan can spell disaster. Not only it creates a picture of an incompetence Pharma Sales Rep, eventually, but it will also give Pharma industry a bad name ("Why are they employing all these incompetent anyway"... that's what the customer will say), and that's unacceptable.
What can you do then?
You can use my proven way to manage this issue, and you'll get to see an immediate result that will bring you not only prosperity but a peace of mind (you can never have enough of this, trust me).
Let's get started...
- Start organizing your car boot.
I'm not kidding. As a rep, you'll know how messy your car boot can be. And you already forgot what you've have buried under the pile of clinical papers, gimmicks, your golf set, scuba diving gear, detailing bag, etc. I am damn sure that you'll find something of use after you clean up the mess... for you or your customer. Ahh heck! At least it leaves you with a tiny little car boot. Nothing to lose, right?
- Start calling
Be it your colleagues, your counterpart, your friendly competitors, your girlfriends... whoever. Get the day starts by getting some fresh dose of gossips and what's going on around their world (it's better than the newspaper anyway). Most importantly, get some inspiration from their frustration, anger, dissatisfaction, etc. Turn that into your detailing theme of the day and get on with it. Don't call your Boss though, unless you want to call it a day ;)
- Stay at home
Or go somewhere to get some inspiration (or just killing time before lunchtime). It is useless to force your way through the day unless you are clear with your direction ahead. To tell you the truth, this is my favorite way to manage my 'blank' day.
Being productive doesn't mean that we have to do millions of things at one go. There are times when we are more productive when we're not doing a single something related to selling. Salespeople who produce know how to balance those days when they go all out to bring in the numbers with days when they need to let go and take some steps back.
I hope you can find this balance ...
That's all. Maybe you have some other ways but hey... give my idea a tryout. No regret. I give you that.
How Sales Reps Can Take Better Control Of Their Time
Time management is an evergreen subject. Sales rep or not, we can use good advice to spare us an hour or two.
If we asked those around us, they would appear to know what time management is, and how to manage time.
But this is about how to do it just a bit better, to the tune of freeing up to one hour (60 minutes) a day.
Not long ago, a consultant told the President of a company that his service will help the President manage better. The President doubts that statement, and the Consultant was challenged to prove his.
He did ...
... Next, a few weeks after, the Consultant receives a check for 25,000 dollars. The President gladly paid him for it. The Consultant had shared his techniques for effective time management, and this concept was developed over time.
I'm going to share it here ...
... For free!
Even the paperback which outlines this idea cost me a few dollars but I don't mind sharing it here, and you can share it too by leading that curious mind to this post (sharing the link on Twitter or Facebook will do).
Here's the concept of time management:
(that was used by the company President and landed 25K dollars to the Consultant)1) Make an inventory of your task(s)
List all of them down in a lined A4 paper. Don't number them. Just list them down.
2) Review the listed items
This is to make sure you have captured everything on paper. Feel free to add if anything is missing.
3) Number them according to their priority
Now you're ready to put a number beside an item. But you need to put the amount according to preference.
Here's how you do it:
- i) From your review in step 2, you pick one item, or simply take the top thing on your list.
- ii) Compare that item to the next.
- iii) Put a checkmark beside the more valuable item.
- iv) Keep comparing until you reach the end of the list. Repeat for the next item until you finish comparing all items.
- v) Items with the most checkmark are Number 1. And you go on until all items are numbered.
- vi) Rewrite the new, prioritized, and numbered list.
4) Start working on the first item
Look your number one item, and start working on it.
5) Cross it off once finished
This is for self-satisfaction. Seeing a finished task, somehow, boost the spirit.
6) Go work on the next item until all items are finished
Here are a few tips when working on this time management concept:
TIP 1: Always operate from a document, even if you are the World Memory champion. Put things down on paper.
TIP 2: Always have your list handy. Review it frequently. It "forces" you to concentrate.
TIP 3: Learn to handle interruptions. You can choose to:
Get it done with immediately
Get it on your list, and schedule it
Just ignore it, and get back to your item on the list.
Can you see yourself using the idea here?
Give it a try, and leave your feedback. Let's learn from each other.
I'm positive that you can have more time to spare doing what you want, with the time management concept outlined above.
How The Issue Of Expenses Claim to Affect A Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Productivity
Remember a statement I made some times ago about how pharmaceutical sales job can provide independence, precisely career objectivity?
However, the subject I'm about to post will sounds counter-intuitive because it'll make you feel like a corporate slave.
Today I'm going to write about a sensitive subject... susceptible indeed:
Because of this subject, I got my first warning letter
Because of this subject, I was denied my full 'bonus' (or it was called ICP back then)
Because of this, some colleagues turn their faces away from me... in anger and hate!
And everything got to do with: CLAIMS.
Technically, as a Pharma Sales Rep, MOST if not all of your expenses are claimable. You can claim your gas, your mileage when traveling, your food and beverages, your lodging, your costs for entertaining customers, and prices for 'budgeted' promotional activities like video shows, Continuous Medical, and Pharmacy Education and the like.
Many pharma companies have different claimable items...
Like from the example above, some Pharma companies allow unlimited petrol claims. Some provide a petrol card. Some allow mileage claims. Some give a fixed car allowances. Some allow claiming for buying oranges for Chinese New Year, for example. Some only allow greeting cards.
Usually, all these rules and regulations can be found in the companies' P & P: policies and procedures. Or check with HR and Finance for clarification.
Many Pharma companies have different claiming procedures.
For example, last time in a Pharma company I used to work for, the petrol claim was written receipt from the pump attendant is allowed. After a while, the company ONLY acknowledges the printed receipt. And the latest, each Pharma Reps were given Amex Card. So petrol, lodging, and meal claims were directly charged to their Amex account.
Every month, all they need to do was to key in the transaction into an 'online expenses record' system. Fancy ey?
Would you like that to happen to your company?
Actually, the Bosses and Accountants DO like it. It makes their job more relaxed, I guess...
Many Pharma companies have different claiming problems...
Rest assured, if that problem affects the company, it'll change the reps as well.
What kind of problem is there?
There are Rules and Regulation problems. This might seems like a 'clean and clear' problem. I disagree. When I got my first 'warning letter' from the company for this issue, I was CLEAR with the regulation. But the company was NOT transparent with my POSITION.
Have you been to the West Pahang area before? Bentong, Raub, Mentakab, Kuala Lipis, Kemayan, Triang, Mentakab, Temerloh... does any of this area 'rings a bell'?
How many gas stations over there have Amex or even credit card processing facilities?
I heard some of you say, "Many!"
Obviously, you've never been to ANY of the places I've mentioned above.
One of my Team Members was accused of having written petrol claims with following receipt numbers... translation: fraud! As the manager in charge, I was called in to write a letter of explanation.
I wrote close to two pages of emails, explaining why 'using' written receipt in the first place. And furthermore, at that point in time, the company had not implemented the printed receipt regulation yet. Amex was not compulsory.
Guess what? I got 'penalized' for that reason. I was labeled as 'inefficient,' 'irresponsible,', and 'careless.' I still kept the letter I got until today. It serves as a reminder that: you can be on the right side. But your right-hand does not equal your 'Boss' right side... or the HR manager right side... or Sales Director right side.
Bear in mind, these people OWN the company. And they got just a 'bit' over the edge and think they own YOU as well.
Heck!
So my advice to my fellow Pharma reps:
Yes, you can 'memorized' all the Rules and Regulation, right to the letter, but greed and personal ignorance will triumph in the end. Be careful with all your actions. It doesn't pay to play safe (I know I did. I hold the lowest manager claim every year, relative to my area of coverage). Just be careful.
Know WHO you report to and WHAT they inspire to (some are just downright 'a**-kissers').
That's ONE problem (I'll just address the major ones)...
Next, the irregularities of Pharma Sales and Finance or Account Departments Policies. Well, let's face it. These two departments are light-years away different. For a Pharma Sales Rep, ensuring a stable relationship with customers is one of the critical responsibilities. Most of the time, this could be easily achieved through sponsorship.
Not until recently. When Mr. Serbane and Oxley came up with their two-sense, right after Enron sank like the Titanic, no activities that deem '...can influence prescribing habit or influence research outcome,' i.e., Sponsorship, are encouraged.
What was the effect of my fellow Pharma Sales Reps?
I still vividly recalled sitting in a hotel meeting room, listening to Upper Management preached their version of doing business with 'less' sponsorship and entertainment.
Hell yeah!
It just goes to show how often the Senior Leadership Team spent their 'precious time' on the field... not putting golf balls but sitting face to face with 'honorable' customers whom they want the SalesForce to really look after.
My advice, suck it up to fellow Pharma Contenders. Our 'rice bowls' are more important than 'sacred' voices behind office table who claim they know everything about the marketplace... of course, if we're talking during Bilbo Baggins time, the Wizards, the Orcs, the Dungeons, and Dragons...
This advice goes without saying that we have to make 'financial' sacrifices. Make sure it's the one you'll recuperate through your incentives and 'claim tricks' (I can't elaborate more or else 'they'll' send me another warning letter ;-)
The biggest blunders of all (I save the BEST for last)...
Many Pharma Sales Reps think they're SMARTER than the company and their Boss.
If not, I strongly suggest you play on the safe side, so you don't get hurt (sing it like Kelly Clarkson).
Because:
Like it or not, it's their job to find your mistakes so that they can be deemed as efficient and influential (since many a**-kissers want to please them).
And the company can always hire one person, dedicated to screening through your claims and sponsorship request. You can say you have followed policies and fill in the form but hold on... those 'zeroes' doesn't add up to the R.O.I. Then they follow with something like, "Put yourself in our shoes, would you sponsor this type of customers? What's the ROI?"
But before that, they said, "Do not sponsor because you want to make the sponsorship as a reward to your customers. It should be genuine..."
The bottom line... original request gets rejected!
And you, my fellow Pharma sales reps, are left with angry customers just waiting to switch your brand to others... without thinking twice. Sad huh?
Enuf rant already.
Remember to make sure you carry out the 'right' action. Back-up your activity. Double or triple back up if you must. Choose to know who's the mole on top of ya and count your blessing.
This is what I call proactive, and Stephen Covey said, "It's a habit of highly effective people."
If you're no longer fed by them, have FUN spilling all the beans.
I'm 'having fun' every single day.
No comments:
Post a Comment