New Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Guide Module 4: Product Presentation

Product presentation is a crucial aspect of the whole pharma sales job description. This is the time when the rubber meets the road. The previous preparation, directly and indirectly, is meant for setting up an adequate representation of products.

The key is to be a super focus and relevant to the HCPs. You have come this far so better make sure that it counts.

Objectives

Upon completion of Module 4 - Product presentation, you're able to:

• a) Develop and deliver Impactful Opening Statement (IOS)
• b) List products features and corresponding benefits
• c) Develop skills to present products effectively

Overview

Of all the steps in the selling process for new pharma sales reps, this is the step they must rehearse the most. It could be the turning point where prospects turn to buyers, where apathetic turn to interested, and resigned to attentive.

The tool is ready at your disposal - your words and more importantly, how you deliver them.

Module 4 is summarized below:

1. Impactful Opening Statement (IOS): Preferably, it is short and punchy.
2. Additional Features and Benefits: The chosen ones need to be of most relevance to the HCP.
3. Deliver the Presentation: The message is delivered with confidence and enthusiasm.

4.1 IOS: Impactful Opening Statement

IOS zooms in on the most essential benefit to HCPs.

From the info gathered in the previous exercise, you have determined or predicted what could be valuable and beneficial to them, offered through your product. You can now weave this into IOS.

The three components of IOS:

• i) A specific need
• ii) A solution
• iii) Product name

Gaining HCP Interest

There are times when you can use IOS together with questions or comments about HCP's practice.

For example:

REP: I understand you're taking on a lot of new, elderly patients these days?
HCP: Yes. That new retirement community has brought in quite a few new people.

Then REP links an issue of HCP to the medical treatment problem to be presented:

REP: Ms. Receptionist was telling me that many of the new elderly patients you're seeing are mild to moderate hypertensives.
HCP: Yes, that's the case with many of the new patients I've seen so far.

4.1.i) Impactful opening statement:

Now, the REP can smoothly introduce the medical treatment problem and complete the IOS.

Need:

REP: When treating elderly hypertensive patients, it's vital to gain effective blood pressure control with a low risk of side effects, and without affecting other medical conditions that so commonly co-exist in this group (medical treatment problem).

Solution:

REP: An active anti-hypertensive agent with a very low incidence of side effects, and one with no contraindications would provide you with maximum flexibility and success in treating your elderly patients (product benefit).

Product name:

REP: Dr, Product X fits this profile exactly!

Medical Treatment Problem

At times, you'll find it useful framing HCP needs as a medical treatment problem.

Example:
When treating elderly hypertensive patients, it's essential to gain effective blood pressure control with a low risk of side effects, and without affecting other medical conditions that so commonly co-exist in this group

Medical treatment problem:
Controlling blood pressure without worsening other medical problems

Solution:
An active anti-hypertensive agent with a very low incidence of side effects with no contraindications

Exercise 4.1. Identify Medical Treatment Problems and Solutions

1. What, in your own words, is the medical treatment problem for the example below? What solution would you present?

Treating bronchitis can be complicated because so many of the antibiotics available have an inadequate spectrum, especially concerning H.flu coverage. Choosing the wrong medicine can result in a lack of efficacy, leading to lost workdays for the patient and increased office visits for you.

Medical treatment problem:...

Solution:...

2. Describe another medical treatment problem and solution for your product.

Medical treatment problem:...
Solution:...

Paint A Patient Picture

It has proven to be very useful and practical when reps can create an image of a specific patient when introducing a need for HCP.

In the previous example of REP's IOS for Product X, the picture was 'elderly hypertensive patient.' This is effective for REP who was focusing on a need of Dr. HCP, created by the influx of elderly patients.

4.2 HCP Benefits

There are basically 5 main benefits that capture HCP interest:

• i) Product efficacy: How well the product treat the disease?
• ii) Patient compliance: Patients find it easy to complete the treatment course.
• iii) Product safety: Lower risk or fewer adverse events from taking the products.
• iv) Tolerability: The better patients feel from taking medicine, the better it is.
• v) Cost-effective

Exercise 4.2. Write Impactful Opening Statements

You are promoting your product to each of the following HCP. Determine a need or medical treatment problem, and the product benefit. Proceed to write the IOS for each of them.

1. Dr. Nice is a popular GP and has so much business. She has a considerable waiting list for new patients. Many of her patients are elderly who take up a lot of her time chatting about their complaints and ailments.

Need/MTP:...
Solution:......
Product:......

2. Dr. Bella is a GP whose office is located in the best neighborhood in town. Many of his patients are busy professionals in stressful jobs. They tend to be health-conscious, but the pace of their lives takes its toll.

Need/MTP:......
Solution:...
Product:.....

4.2.i) Additional Features and Benefits

Here are some points to consider when presenting additional features and benefits:

a) Emphasize benefits, benefits, and benefits
b) List as many as required to gain HCP interest
c) HCP looks for solutions, not products

For any given features, ask "so what?" at the end of them will lead you to their benefits.

Practice identifying essential benefits from your product features.

Exercise 4.3. Present Your Product

Revisit your Call Plan strategy in Module 2. Write out a presentation using the following guideline:

Gain HCP Interest:......
IOS:
Need:.......
Solution:......
Product:.......
Additional Features and Benefits:...

4.3 Deliver The Presentation

What you say is important ...

... How you say, it is even more significant.

When you present, pay close attention to your enthusiasm, clarity, sincerity, and confidence.

The following simplified checklist includes four abilities and observable behavior (OB) on how you deliver your presentation:

4.3.i) Delivery checklist

1) Enthusiasm
OB: tone modulated, smile

2) Clarity
OB: clear explanation, logical flow, well-paced, clear pronunciation, a suitable choice of words

3) Sincerity
OB: looked at audience, believable message

4) Confidence
OB: projected voice, upright posture, gestures congruent with the message

Check other modules for this pharmaceutical sales training manual free:

Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Module 5 | Module 6 | Module 7 | Module 8 | Module 9