Is There Really A Model For Pharmaceutical Selling?

We've touched on the 'unspoken rules' for a pharmaceutical sales job that every rep need to know. 

Once reps see this rule, they can play their part more effectively in the company.

Effectively and comfortably too ...

But the real job for a pharmaceutical sales rep is to sell. 

When it comes to selling, different Pharma Companies adopt different approaches. There will be companies that have almost similar selling program, no doubt about it, but they may look similar but not the same.

Pharmaceutical selling 'remodeling' or 'commercialization' strategy or whatever 'sophisticated' term the Consultants use to describe the latest scene in the industries now; how relevant are they to your job actually?

Taking the lesson from Pfizer's 20% sales force slashed worldwide, many consultants have a lot to say to such move. 

One comment reads, "Many companies tried to compete with Pfizer's loading and 'flooding' a market strategy and no, they are forced to re-strategize."

Why? 

Because obviously, the strategy fail...

And it will take any companies that adopt the same strategy into failure, just like the sinking Titanic and it's passengers. 

No Pharma company are willing to take such high risk. Not in today's selling environment anyway.

So, they 'think' remodeling?

Questions: what model they're going for now? 

And, is there such a thing called 'pharmaceutical sales model?'

In the early days of selling

From my early days of selling Pharmaceutical products of Pharma companies giant like Roche and Pfizer, I can only describe what I do daily - see the customers, detail, ask for the order and write reports.

Some of us make it simpler; no need to know the customer, just make a phone call and fax the price list over. 

And some do make it even simpler, but that's a secret (I can make millions with it).

I never knew that such a model exists. 

Ah! 

Must be a marketing model. 

Guess what; to the reps, marketing model and sales model are no different. 

They're the same. 

And they're interchangeable.

Taking a new turn

Then, what do they mean by 'remodeling'?

In my opinion, this is just a fancy word to label a concept. 

You can call selling by labels like - hard sell, soft sell, relationship selling, social style selling, one-minute selling, SPIN selling or what-not-you selling - but selling is selling. 

It's a transference of feeling... of money... of products... of services.

No transference means NO selling happened.

Some experts argue that marketing is more significant than selling.

Some experts like Dr. Tony Allesandra, came up with a selling-marketing-servicing model.

Some experts like Dr. Michael Hewitt-Gleeson, came up with a NEWSELL (WOMBAT Selling) model (which is a basis for my Blog - Sekolah Jurujual Baru)... it's not a model actually but a concept.

And the concept is more important than a model.

How so?

Because the model is an off-spring of concept.

A new selling model?

Let's take Newsell for instance...

Newsell operates based on the concept of 'change.' This is important because you see; selling IS the change. What happened between 'before' and 'after' is change. What happened between 'prospect' and 'customer' is change:

Prospect --- (Selling) --- Customer

Can you see it?

Selling happened in between, and it's a 'change.'

Now, what drives a 'change'?

I was surprised to learn the answer first-hand; it's VIEW.

Huh?

I know. I felt the same years ago when I discover this, but that's the fact. What actually drive 'change' IS view.

A change in the
point of view

When a hypertensive patient changes his view of the needs to lower his BP to the desired goal to avoid further morbidity, he changed.

When patients with high LDL and diabetic, view his condition could be worsened if his cholesterol level is not treated aggressively, he changed.

When patients view once-a-day dosing for antibiotic makes more economic sense than thrice-a-day, they changed.

And what really changed in all these instances? 

Really; it's their view.

But the MOST crucial concept of all to be understood in Newsell is: who control the 'view-change' process? 

You or the customers?

Well, I will only reveal THAT much. 

If you want more info on this, do drop me a line or leave a comment. 

I reserve the best part; the golden nugget of Newsell concept; to those who really desire better sales results and performance.

Those who desire to 'change':

NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO YES

...to

YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO YES YES YES YES YES NO

Do drop me a line or comment; if you're serious.

In the end, we need more to be reminded than informed.