New Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Guide Module 2: Call Preparation

Prepare to Make the Call

Preparation is one of the most essential parts of a successful sales call for pharma reps. Regardless if they are new or seasoned, fail to prepare means preparing to fail!

HCPs typically, don't have much time to spare talking to reps these days and looks like it's going to get lesser as we move on.

But preparing to make the sales call does not have to be hard or complicated. It could be as simple as gathering info and plan the flow of the call.

What matters is the central message gets through, and it sticks. To get to that, we'll start at the very beginning - stepping into the shoes of the targeted HCPs.

Objectives

Upon completing Module 2: Call Preparation, you're able to:

1) Identify the information needed when entering the sales call and identify the sources to get it.
2) Describe the concern of typical HCPs.
3) Detect useful info about HCP from the profile database and design question to uncover more info.
4) Come up with specific, realistic, and result-oriented objectives for the sales call.
5) Develop a call plan to achieve the goals.

Gathering Information

There are three useful sources you can use to get the information when it comes to your targeted HCP. They are Database, Environment, and Support Staff.

List down the kind of info you could possibly gain from each source:

a) Database
b) Work/Office Environment
c) Support Staff

Describe the HCP Perspective

It's time to get into their shoes. How do they see what you have from their point of view? It might be useful to remember that they want to buy, but hate to be sold!

How could you add value to their practice?

Getting on to their side is essential. People readily open to you when they feel that way. It shows your understanding and empathy.

Exercise 2.1 Describe general HCP perspective

Based on what you already know of your audience, describe the following:

a) Factors that affect HCPs time management
b) Other business concerns
c) Formulary concern (mainly for institutional or Government)
d) A typical patients list/profile
e) Patients needs
f) Role of their support staffs with regards to their practice and patients

Exercise 2.2. Describe individual HCP perspective

Some of the info may be obvious to you, based on given resources. You can place them under 'What I Know.'

Some info you need to gain by reading between the lines. Put such info under 'What I Surmise.'

Create a two columns table, with the header for each, and cover these subjects (put them in rows):

i) A special area of interest
ii) Circle of influence
iii) Other benefits
iv) Frequent referrals
v) Affiliations

Is there other info you need?

How and Where could you get it?

HCPs perspective influence selling

Successful selling, more often than not, revolves around effectively managing HCP perspectives and attitudes that spring from it. Three useful areas to look into are:

1) Their attitudes towards pharmaceutical companies and industry
2) Their previous experience dealing with both
3) Prescribing habits

Planning your sales call

The primary purpose of planning is to anticipate what you might encounter during a real sales call. It's to get you ready. The planning process involves four steps:

i) Info review
ii) Objective setting
iii) Develop a strategy
iv) Rehearse

Set the objective

This will be primarily based on what you expect to achieve from meeting the HCP. What commitment you're planning? List what you plan to make.

Think long term

You probably would not meet your expectation from a single visit. That's why it's crucial to have a long term view of things. You can incrementally work towards achieving your objectives, as long as you're clear of what they are.

These will include:

a) Wanting more info about the product
b) To try products for few patients
c) To prescribe for absolute indication first
d) To recommend it to peers

Meaningful objectives

What makes an objective meaningful? It must, at least, have three things:

1) The specific - objective is focused and concrete
2) Result-oriented - it might enlist particular action you want the HCP to take
3) Realistic - it must not be wishful thinking. It must be practical and real enough for them

Exercise 2.3. Set objectives for 3 customers

Based on what you've learned, set the call objectives for three of your customers.

Check other Modules for this independent pharma sales rep training:

Module 1 | Module 3 | Module 4 | Module 5 | Module 6 | Module 7 | Module 8 | Module 9