One Thing That Will Make All Your Sales Strategies Work

Some times ago, you discovered the importance of having a stable structure for your sales training to make it useful. You actually were taken through my personal story as a pharmaceutical sales rep that reveals things we missed if our training lack structure.

But that story does not end there ...

If you are about to implement new strategies for your pharmaceutical sales, then this post is about to tell you one thing that will make all your sales strategies work. All. No matter if you're selling for Pharma or Diagnostic.

Heck! Even if you're running out of ideas, this one thing will guide you out of the maze and straight to victory. In fact, this one thing is not a 'thing.' It's more of an attitude. A habit. And it is...

Listening to your customer.

By now, you should've known all the drills to a successful sales process and the strategies under each of them. I'm talking about...

• Prospecting
• Qualifying
• Presenting
• Asking for commitment

...and that's just a super brief categorizing but no matter how shrewd you are with your prospecting, how thorough your qualifying criteria was, how flashy your presentations were, and how hard you press for the commitment, if you DIDN'T listen to your customer, you're doom to fail from the beginning!

Let me illustrate that with two of my most prominent experience - a recent one and not-so-recent one:

First Example: It's Not About RM 2000.00

This story was a not-so-recent one. It happened for the last 2 years. The consequences from the 'event' were that all the Reps from the whole hospital division covering an area were banned from entering the department.

Here's how the story goes...

One day, the Head of Department (HOD) for O& G, Dato' G, was asking for sponsorship. And this was more like a partnership kind of support since the department was using the company's brand of antibiotics way before that.

It's unlikely that this one sponsorship will influence the current or future decision making or prescription.

Plus, Dato' G was a very reasonable man. He seldom asked for sponsor unless he's offered, but for that particular occasion, he sees it as something mutual. He called the Repin and stated his motion.

It took him almost a few weeks, but not yet a month before he received a reply. To his disappointment, the Company agrees to a sum of RM 700.00 or RM 1000.00 the most.

Dato' had asked for RM 2000.00...

So the 'finger pointing' game begins.

When the dust settles, another company agreed to sponsor the whole amount and Dato' received that in 3 days! The previous company finds themselves in the pit hole when the Rep come to the department and saw a big sign right outside the main department door:

"The Rep from this Company is not allowed in this Department."

The sad thing is, they react too late and the damage was already done.

But the saddest thing of all, it's not about the RM 2000. No! Far from it...

According to an M.O who serve under Dato' G, what happened was actually the Organizing committee led by Dato' had printed hundreds of invitation cards for the event. And that particular company name and logo were also printed on them.

So Dato' assume, this going to be one mutual, highly beneficial event. Sadly, the Rep didn't bother to ask. She didn't bother to go a bit deeper and lend her ears to listen more carefully. No matter how excellent her closing skills or presentation skills, after the event, nothing else matters.

Sad but true.

And here's another story, fresh from the farm...

Second Example: It's not about the Oversea trip

One of the Private Hospitals Lab Manager on the East Coast was offered a sponsorship to attend a course overseas. Since this happens right after the lab installs a new Analyzer, maybe there's a trace of reward in the offer.

The offer was made. The arrangement for the trip was taken care of, but there's one caveat...

The GM of the hospital was told about the whole thing by someone else. Not by the persons involved. And not upfront. In fact, he's the last to know!

And that cuts him deep...

So he rejected the request based on not encouraging this kind of 'reward' practice and guess what...

Another problem crops up from the other end!

The sponsored could not believe it that her request was rejected. She's even more furious when her colleague from another hospital get to go. She accused the management of practicing 'double-standard.'

Even when she applied leave to attend the event, it got rejected as well.

The effort from the Company to reconcile and straighten the whole issue go in vain. More damages are seen in the making and only time can tell the future of the business for that company in the hospital.

But you know what? All these could have been avoided by simply listening.

Listen to both sides of the story.

Nobody is a victor nor a victim here. Nobody should feel that way. If a mutual, win-win solution needs to be devised, merely listening to both parties will kick things in the right direction.

I know. Because I witnessed both stories right before my eyes, and trust me when I said, "Listen."

Do just that and watch all your strategies work every time.

By the way, the second story is still in the making. Maybe I'll let you know the ending. Just can't tell you when :-)