These Questions Help You Plan Your Sales Call Even From Home

This is the beginning of your pharmaceutical sales skills. Regardless of your operational area, your channels, be it hospitals, teaching hospitals, institutions, GPs, pharmacies, your skills will be rooted in your roots. From home or should I say 'base.'

 

So, where is your base?

 

I don't mean geographically even though that's the answer I'll get most likely, but your 'real' base? The answer is not as severe as you might think because the answer was already given to you... your 'channel' is your base. Let me explain...

 

When I say channel, what I'm referring to is actually 'who you'll be seeing or calling and where they're at.' You might be calling on:

• Pharmacists in the purchasing departments of private hospitals
• Doctors in GP
• Nurses in community health centers
• Pathologists in the labs
• Lecturers in medical teaching institutions

 

Regardless. Start. Study your support first with these questions to get you rolling:

• Who to see?
• Who's in charge?
• Can he or she make the purchasing decision?
• How's the account like?
• How's the track record? Are they a reliable paymaster?
• How are they doing with the distributors? Do they have an account with them?
• Who else are they buying from?
• When is the most convenient time to see them? When is the worst?
• What do they generally require from reps?
• Any special working conditions? Unspoken rules?

 

Feel free to add to the list.

 

Don't worry about finding answers; your most reliable sources might be right at your fingertips. By that I mean you can get info from your buddy, your colleagues, your boss, your predecessor, your friendly competitors, or you can dial the channels' phone number and get answers firsthand. Are we clear so far?

 

At this point, do not rush to prepare yourself thoroughly for the call. Not just yet. If we use the analogy of a game, we should inspect the host ground before making a trip, check out the potholes, etc.

 

Contrary to what 'other' pharmaceutical training materials (not the one you're reading now) tell you, doing homework is essential. Period. Heed this advice, and you won't turn up like clowns when you actually visit them. Are we OK so far?

 

Next, we'll look at your ideal preparation before the actual call. You should do this before entering their cubicles, offices, rooms, etc.

 

In the meantime, have you done your 'homework'?