In the previous article, we took a look at job issues of pharmaceutical sales rep of today. Maybe, that issue is relevant to this side of the world, but if you reside over here, then, it will be something of benefit for you to know. You can use it to prepare yourself to answer the pharma sales job interview or to get the feel of the pharma market dynamic.
In today's post, however, we're going to jump into a specific area for those already in the industry selling medicines or devices. As long as pharmaceutical reps use the brochure to discuss with prospects or customers, the tips below will work wonders.
But the wonder is not in knowing them - it's in applying them.
We talked about this some times ago. If you recall correctly, when we know something, we have knowledge. If we want to have skills, we need to put in the hours of practice. Skills, of course, are the ones that produce the result.
So, dig into the tips, and right after that, put in your hours to practice them.
In today's post, however, we're going to jump into a specific area for those already in the industry selling medicines or devices. As long as pharmaceutical reps use the brochure to discuss with prospects or customers, the tips below will work wonders.
But the wonder is not in knowing them - it's in applying them.
We talked about this some times ago. If you recall correctly, when we know something, we have knowledge. If we want to have skills, we need to put in the hours of practice. Skills, of course, are the ones that produce the result.
So, dig into the tips, and right after that, put in your hours to practice them.
Here are some concise tips I'm going to share
for fellow pharmaceutical sales rep using a brochure
to promote their company products:
It is well known that brochures are part of detail aids, which also includes things like videos, clinical papers, and material that's quickly gaining popularity -- digital detail aid.
Digital detail aids are becoming more popular due to the advancement of technology. I've already seen some companies using the iPad as a tool to present their marketing materials. In fact, I'm using my tablet laptop to detail to healthcare providers.
And perhaps, that's the thing pharmaceutical sales reps need to consider as they go along.
So here are some tips to consider:
Sales closing is a mystery.
No one knows exactly how it happens.
That is why countless books have been written on that subject, and more are being written.
Some people say it happened due to the product ...
... Some, the materials used during sales.
And there are those who don't believe in closing ...
I happen to belong to this group.
But what actually people don't get is, I don't believe that the salesperson closes the sales. The prospects or customers did! That actually what it meant by "not believing in closing."
Let's take the example
Digital detail aids are becoming more popular due to the advancement of technology. I've already seen some companies using the iPad as a tool to present their marketing materials. In fact, I'm using my tablet laptop to detail to healthcare providers.
And perhaps, that's the thing pharmaceutical sales reps need to consider as they go along.
So here are some tips to consider:
- Use the pen as a pointer. Many beginners (and even some veterans) forget to use the pen to point to critical vital messages. Instead, they use their index finger which looks inappropriate in such instances.
- Be familiar with your brochure. 'Familiar' does not imply knowing everything words for words but knowing which section is relevant to the customers' situation.
- Make it relevant. Some reps think it's cool to be able to articulate brochure page by page, but they're missing the main point: Make the page (and key message) relevant to your customers' situation.
- Know when to let go. And it's also essential to know when to take it back since some customers are known to take the brochure from the reps' hands. Make sure you act tactfully.
- Make sure it's charged. When using hi-tech gadgets, like iPad, or anything similar, it's pretty embarrassing when everything goes blank during your presentation. The most straightforward step to avoid that is to charge it fully beforehand (I charge almost daily).
- Leave it behind. The brochures are meant for customers and not for reps detailing bags.
Did The Brochure Close The Sale?
 |
| "I swear it was right there in this brochure!" |
Sales closing is a mystery.
No one knows exactly how it happens.
That is why countless books have been written on that subject, and more are being written.
Some people say it happened due to the product ...
... Some, the materials used during sales.
And there are those who don't believe in closing ...
I happen to belong to this group.
But what actually people don't get is, I don't believe that the salesperson closes the sales. The prospects or customers did! That actually what it meant by "not believing in closing."
Let's take the example
of using a brochure to close sales:
Pharma or other companies, design brochures as a sales aid.
They suppose to help medical representatives or salespersons to deliver critical messages, and most of the time, brochures are used during face to face interaction. Reps meet the customers, probe for problems, and offer solutions, as outlined in the brochures.
Pretend for a moment that the reps do not exist ...
... Also, pretend that the brochures somehow reach the customers in specific ways.
But they're in the customers' hand now.
Would the customers place in order just because of that?
What power does the brochure have that causes the "close" to happen?
How persuasive is the brochure?
Perhaps, to put it sarcastically, does the brochure wear skirt?
You can't shove closing down customers' throat for them to digest it.
No!
Closing is mental, emotional and it's intangible.
You can't possibly see the chemical and neural process of sales close as it about to happen ...
... Nor can you change it to work in your favor.
If you, a life form, can't only do these, how can a mere, lifeless form do it?
You know the answer.
The next time your boss scolds you for not closing the sales, tell him to send the brochure instead.
Oh!
It really helps if you can make the brochure looks prettier, like putting on the skirt?
I'm sarcastic again.
And I made no apology.
None gave, and none took.
Just hate it when the boss makes us go through product training or mock detailing sessions, just because the sales are low.
If these lifeless form can do the job, send them instead.
Why recruit salespersons there?
They don't get it yet -- pretty brochures don't close the sales.
Marketing materials get distributed during sales meetings or conferences.
What follows is a 'mindless' session on how to implement them.
The assumption here is:
The better the sales reps are handling them, the better the outcome.
But here are the problems:
1) How did marketing come up with the materials in the first place?
The background work in designing the material is always "obscure."
2) How do they measure their effectiveness?
Measuring how many times reps use the materials is off-target because:
i) The materials are not meant for the reps.
How well they use them is not an accurate measurement.
ii) The materials suppose to target prospects' responses.
There's no clear indication that marketers are tracking this.
These problems can be fixed:
The main thing that needs to be changed is the orientation -- from salespersons based on prospects based.
Prospects need to be the center of attention.
The most effective way to do this is through constant contact.
As for discussion purposes, three things need to be considered when coming up with materials by marketing to salespersons:
1) Who the ideal prospects are
2) What to say to them
3) How to say it
Prospects are unique. No two prospects are the same.
They vary through, at least, two main aspects:
Demographic
Psychogenic.
Quick check:
How does your company's marketing team/department profile prospects?
Are they clear about this?
Once the "ideal" prospect is identified and thoroughly profiled, what message do we convey to them about our company's service or product?
Are we saying the same old thing for the past 100 years?
Why?
If we are going to say a different thing, why we choose to do so?
Having the right message or better known as "positioning" is only one side of the coin ...
... How we say it to the prospects is another side of the coin.
In fact, this could be the deciding factor for a successful marketing campaign.
Why?
Products and services nowadays have minimal differentiation factors.
In the pharma industry, for example, drugs in the same therapeutic area are just "look alike."
Take insulin as an example:
Prospects see insulin from different companies as that -- insulin.
How then, do we differentiate ourselves from the competitors?
A: In the messages and how we deliver them.
Finding the most targeted messages, most relevant to prospects, and deliver them in the most effective ways, are the simple success formula.
To do that, marketing needs to start from the most fundamental -- the target market.
From there, the flow is smoother.
A marketer can see what to say and how to put a thing in the right perspective to prospects. There will be no question about their choice of marketing materials. Everything will fall nicely into its place.
Which material will produce the best sales outcome for a company?
It's for the prospects to decide.
The age of "product-driven" sales has faded at fast speed.
When I do a web search for "writing a medical brochure," I was taken to pages where companies are promoting brochure design, design software, and the like ...
... Except for About.com
I feel I can save time by clicking the "image" tab in Google if I was really looking for images.
To be honest, the result pages were off-base. But it's a good thing because I control the searching and I can move on to find what's relevant for me.
I end up at a medical copywriter website.
"Medical copywriter? Hmm...this is interesting," I thought to myself.
If I was personally asked about the copywriter's website, I want to suggest to him to build a blog instead of static HTML pages.
But I don't know his audience, or whether his website approach has served him well or not so, I just leave my thought at the door.
I just thought that having the "interactive" element of a blog is more appealing.
But that's just me.
And I'm no copywriter.
I actually came to that copywriter's site through another copywriting company website. The medical copywriter was a guest writer to one of the articles found at the company's site.
In that particular article, the medical copywriter was walking the readers through an example of a brochure which he wrote for one medical device company.
He walked through every element alphabetically.
This is close to what I was actually looking for, but its position/rank in search engine result pages (SERP) was quite low. Others can easily miss the opportunity to see the value that the article offers.
I find the guide to be valuable enough. I was troubled by my company brochure that, in my opinion, does not add any value to prospects.
The current brochure was lacked:
1) Objective.
Why the brochure designed that way? Is it to capture lead? Is it to inform? What is it for?
2) Information Dump.
The numbers and graphs fill the brochure.
There's no clear story flow because the brochure was not created with (1) in mind.
3) No call to action.
What do we want the prospect to do after they digest the brochure?
Or the prospects already understood that they supposed to throw the brochure away once they finished reading it?
I know that an excellent brochure provides a good impression, and serves as the gateway between prospects and pharma company. That's why understanding how to write a folder better is essential.
I'll continue to search the web for best practice in brochure writing.
If I came across an interesting finding, I'd post it here.
And mayhaps, you'll benefit from it too.
PS. Notice anything good about your current company brochure and the way it's written? Why not share it with us below?
Related reading: Tips for the medical sales rep to detailing like a sales champion
They suppose to help medical representatives or salespersons to deliver critical messages, and most of the time, brochures are used during face to face interaction. Reps meet the customers, probe for problems, and offer solutions, as outlined in the brochures.
Pretend for a moment that the reps do not exist ...
... Also, pretend that the brochures somehow reach the customers in specific ways.
But they're in the customers' hand now.
Would the customers place in order just because of that?
What power does the brochure have that causes the "close" to happen?
How persuasive is the brochure?
Perhaps, to put it sarcastically, does the brochure wear skirt?
Closing is not organic:
To say this plainly, it's not physical or tangible.You can't shove closing down customers' throat for them to digest it.
No!
Closing is mental, emotional and it's intangible.
You can't possibly see the chemical and neural process of sales close as it about to happen ...
... Nor can you change it to work in your favor.
If you, a life form, can't only do these, how can a mere, lifeless form do it?
You know the answer.
The next time your boss scolds you for not closing the sales, tell him to send the brochure instead.
Oh!
It really helps if you can make the brochure looks prettier, like putting on the skirt?
I'm sarcastic again.
And I made no apology.
None gave, and none took.
Just hate it when the boss makes us go through product training or mock detailing sessions, just because the sales are low.
If these lifeless form can do the job, send them instead.
Why recruit salespersons there?
They don't get it yet -- pretty brochures don't close the sales.
Which Marketing Materials Produce The Most Desired Result?
 |
| "So, am I the desired material?" |
Marketing materials get distributed during sales meetings or conferences.
What follows is a 'mindless' session on how to implement them.
The assumption here is:
The better the sales reps are handling them, the better the outcome.
But here are the problems:
1) How did marketing come up with the materials in the first place?
The background work in designing the material is always "obscure."
2) How do they measure their effectiveness?
Measuring how many times reps use the materials is off-target because:
i) The materials are not meant for the reps.
How well they use them is not an accurate measurement.
ii) The materials suppose to target prospects' responses.
There's no clear indication that marketers are tracking this.
These problems can be fixed:
The main thing that needs to be changed is the orientation -- from salespersons based on prospects based.
Prospects need to be the center of attention.
The most effective way to do this is through constant contact.
As for discussion purposes, three things need to be considered when coming up with materials by marketing to salespersons:
1) Who the ideal prospects are
2) What to say to them
3) How to say it
Prospects are unique. No two prospects are the same.
They vary through, at least, two main aspects:
Demographic
Psychogenic.
Quick check:
How does your company's marketing team/department profile prospects?
Are they clear about this?
Once the "ideal" prospect is identified and thoroughly profiled, what message do we convey to them about our company's service or product?
Are we saying the same old thing for the past 100 years?
Why?
If we are going to say a different thing, why we choose to do so?
Having the right message or better known as "positioning" is only one side of the coin ...
... How we say it to the prospects is another side of the coin.
In fact, this could be the deciding factor for a successful marketing campaign.
Why?
Products and services nowadays have minimal differentiation factors.
In the pharma industry, for example, drugs in the same therapeutic area are just "look alike."
Take insulin as an example:
Prospects see insulin from different companies as that -- insulin.
How then, do we differentiate ourselves from the competitors?
A: In the messages and how we deliver them.
Finding the most targeted messages, most relevant to prospects, and deliver them in the most effective ways, are the simple success formula.
To do that, marketing needs to start from the most fundamental -- the target market.
From there, the flow is smoother.
A marketer can see what to say and how to put a thing in the right perspective to prospects. There will be no question about their choice of marketing materials. Everything will fall nicely into its place.
Which material will produce the best sales outcome for a company?
It's for the prospects to decide.
The age of "product-driven" sales has faded at fast speed.
Is Writing Medical Brochure A Mystery?
 |
| "Let my writing do its magic on this brochure. Hopefully, I'll get a raise." |
When I do a web search for "writing a medical brochure," I was taken to pages where companies are promoting brochure design, design software, and the like ...
... Except for About.com
I feel I can save time by clicking the "image" tab in Google if I was really looking for images.
To be honest, the result pages were off-base. But it's a good thing because I control the searching and I can move on to find what's relevant for me.
I end up at a medical copywriter website.
"Medical copywriter? Hmm...this is interesting," I thought to myself.
If I was personally asked about the copywriter's website, I want to suggest to him to build a blog instead of static HTML pages.
But I don't know his audience, or whether his website approach has served him well or not so, I just leave my thought at the door.
I just thought that having the "interactive" element of a blog is more appealing.
But that's just me.
And I'm no copywriter.
I actually came to that copywriter's site through another copywriting company website. The medical copywriter was a guest writer to one of the articles found at the company's site.
In that particular article, the medical copywriter was walking the readers through an example of a brochure which he wrote for one medical device company.
He walked through every element alphabetically.
This is close to what I was actually looking for, but its position/rank in search engine result pages (SERP) was quite low. Others can easily miss the opportunity to see the value that the article offers.
I find the guide to be valuable enough. I was troubled by my company brochure that, in my opinion, does not add any value to prospects.
The current brochure was lacked:
 |
| "Look, you only need to get this right one time..." |
1) Objective.
Why the brochure designed that way? Is it to capture lead? Is it to inform? What is it for?
2) Information Dump.
The numbers and graphs fill the brochure.
There's no clear story flow because the brochure was not created with (1) in mind.
3) No call to action.
What do we want the prospect to do after they digest the brochure?
Or the prospects already understood that they supposed to throw the brochure away once they finished reading it?
I know that an excellent brochure provides a good impression, and serves as the gateway between prospects and pharma company. That's why understanding how to write a folder better is essential.
I'll continue to search the web for best practice in brochure writing.
If I came across an interesting finding, I'd post it here.
And mayhaps, you'll benefit from it too.
PS. Notice anything good about your current company brochure and the way it's written? Why not share it with us below?
Related reading: Tips for the medical sales rep to detailing like a sales champion
Can you share the article of the medical writer or the website link? thank you
ReplyDeleteHi there!
DeleteI believe what you're looking for is on this blog. Do you have a specific request?