Medical Reps Detailing Tips

One of the keys to success as a medical representative is effective detailing. It’s a crucial step in convincing doctors to prescribe your product. In this post, you'll find some helpful tips on how to present your product when you're detailing during your sales call.

Product Detailing in The Pharma Business

When you visit doctors, do you know what they really expect from you?

Detailing isn’t the first thing you do when you meet with them, but it's one of the key tips for medical reps to succeed in pharmaceutical sales.

If you’re looking to fully understand the role of a medical representative and the responsibilities that come with it, this article on Medical Rep Roles and Responsibilities breaks it all down. It covers everything from daily tasks to long-term goals, giving you a clear picture of what’s expected in this dynamic field.

Check out the full article here for a deeper dive into the career.

Before we dive into all the juicy tips, there are a few things you need to understand first:

• What is pharmaceutical detailing?
• Why is detailing so important for medical reps?
• How does the detailing process actually work?

What is Pharmaceutical Detailing?

Simply put, pharmaceutical detailing is a face-to-face promotional activity where you, as a medical rep, present information to doctors using materials like product brochures. In today's world, it’s become more tech-savvy, with e-detailing tools like iPads, laptops, or tablets to help convey key messages and convince doctors to prescribe your product.

 

Why is Detailing Important for Medical Reps?

Detailing is a big part of your job as a medical rep. It's something you're regularly evaluated on because it's essential to the role. In some pharma companies, detailing becomes a key focus because it drives sales. At the end of the day, sales generate income, and income is vital for the company you represent.

 

How Does Detailing Work?

It all starts with preparation. Pharmaceutical call planning is essential. This is where you plan to meet the doctor’s expectations and figure out what they need from you. Once you’ve got that down, you’ll know exactly what to bring and how to present it during your visit.

After each call, you’ll record what happened and set a goal for the next visit. There’s no big secret here—it’s about being consistent, planning ahead, and continuously improving your approach.

 

Medical Representative Product Detailing Tips

Here are 13 tips to help you master product detailing as a medical rep:

 

1. There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Approach

There's no single "right" way to persuade doctors—what works for one person might not work for another. It’s all about figuring out what works best for you. Whether you’re using old-school methods or modern strategies like SNAP or Value-Based Selling, the key is finding what helps you meet your goals.

 

2. Know When You’re in for a Long Call or a Short One

Sometimes you’ll have longer calls, where you need to go into detail about the product, answer questions, and follow a step-by-step process. Other times, you’ll have quick calls where you just hit the main points and schedule the next meeting. Knowing what kind of call you’re in will help you tailor your approach.

 

3. Is It a Technical Call or a Follow-Up?

If it’s your first time meeting the doctor, you’ll likely be doing more detailed explanations about the product and company. Follow-up calls, on the other hand, are about continuing the conversation and moving forward in the sales process.

 

4. Are You Meeting a Decision-Maker or Someone Else?

When you’re meeting with a decision-maker, you’ll need to be thorough since they’ll be the ones making the final call. If it’s someone else, your focus might be on updating them and keeping them informed on the process.

 

5. GPs vs. Larger Institutions

With general practitioners, you’ll often need to explain the product in more detail and show them how it can benefit their practice. With larger institutions, you might have to deal with multiple layers of decision-making and even bureaucracy before anything moves forward.

 

6. Be Prepared

Know your product inside out. This includes the product information and any relevant materials. Don’t hesitate to ask your brand manager, sales manager, or anyone knowledgeable about the product if you need clarification. The more you know, the more confident you’ll be.

 

7. Practice Makes Perfect

Mock detailing with colleagues is a great way to prepare. Practicing your pitch, getting feedback, and refining your delivery will help you feel more confident when you're with actual clients.

 

8. Track Your Performance

After each call, take a moment to review how it went. It helps to have someone else observe, as they may notice things you missed. Write down what you did well, what you could improve on, and what you should continue doing in future calls.

 

9. Keep Polishing Your Skills

It takes time to master detailing, so keep practicing and refining your approach. You never know when your product portfolio might change or when a new opportunity might come your way, so always be ready to adapt and grow.

10. Local vs. Multinational Pharma Companies

When detailing for a local pharmaceutical company versus a multinational one, your approach may need to adapt. Local companies often have the advantage of understanding the local market and healthcare landscape more deeply. Doctors might appreciate that the products are tailored for local conditions and might even be more affordable.

Your detailing here should focus on the product's cost-effectiveness and how it aligns with local needs.

For multinational pharma companies (MNC), you can leverage their global reputation, R&D capabilities, and clinical trials. Doctors often trust the rigor and innovation that comes with larger, globally recognized companies.

When detailing for these companies, it’s important to highlight the product’s research backing, international usage, and proven efficacy. Emphasizing how these products meet global standards while addressing local health issues can make your pitch more convincing.

 

11. Generic vs. Original (Branded) Products

Detailing for generic products versus original (branded) products requires a clear understanding of what each offers. Generic products are known for being more affordable while maintaining the same active ingredients as branded ones. When detailing generics, your focus should be on cost savings without compromising on effectiveness.

Highlight how generics offer the same therapeutic benefits at a lower price, making them ideal for cost-conscious healthcare providers and patients.

On the other hand, branded products often have the advantage of extensive clinical trials, reputation, and proven track records. When detailing branded products, it’s important to emphasize the unique research and development that went into the drug, its high level of trust among doctors, and how it can provide innovative solutions that generics might not offer.

In many cases, branded products come with more support from the pharmaceutical company in terms of education, patient programs, and follow-up studies.

 

12. Medicines vs. Medical Devices

Detailing medicines versus medical devices involves a shift in focus.

With medicines, the emphasis is typically on pharmacological properties—such as dosage, side effects, drug interactions, and how the medication fits into a treatment plan. Doctors want to know the clinical evidence, safety profile, and patient outcomes when prescribing a new medication. Your detailing should aim to answer those questions clearly and concisely.

For medical devices, the focus shifts toward functionality, ease of use, and patient benefits.

Detailing devices often involves demonstrating how the product works, its technical features, and how it can improve patient care or make a healthcare provider’s job easier. You might need to conduct hands-on demonstrations or provide examples of real-life case studies showing successful outcomes with the device.

Additionally, addressing concerns like training, implementation, and after-sales support is crucial when detailing medical devices.

Sidenote: If you’re considering a career in medical device sales, understanding the job role and what it entails is crucial. This article on Medical Device Sales Jobs provides an insightful look into the responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities in this growing field. You can check out the full breakdown here for more information.

13. Single vs. Multi-Brand Detailing

When it comes to single-brand detailing, you’re typically focusing on one specific product or product line from a single pharmaceutical company. This approach allows you to dive deep into the features, benefits, and clinical data of that one product, offering a more detailed and focused presentation.

It’s crucial in single-brand detailing to know your product inside and out—every feature, study, and use case—so that you can answer any questions confidently and position the product as the best solution for the doctor’s patients. This method is often more straightforward, as you’re not dividing attention across multiple products.

On the other hand, multi-brand detailing involves promoting several products, often from different categories or even different manufacturers. In this case, your challenge is to balance the benefits of each product while ensuring the doctor doesn’t feel overwhelmed.

With multi-brand detailing, it’s essential to tailor your approach depending on the doctor's specialty and needs. You may need to quickly highlight the key benefits of each product without going too deep into each one, focusing on how the different products can complement the doctor’s treatment options. Organization and prioritization are key—knowing which product to emphasize based on the doctor's interests can make a significant difference in how successful the detailing is. 

By understanding the differences between these categories and tailoring your approach accordingly, you’ll be more effective in your detailing efforts, no matter the product or company you represent. With these tips, you can refine your detailing skills and develop your own unique style. The more you practice, the better you'll get, and soon enough, you'll be a master at product detailing.

 

Medical Representative Product Detailing Practice

When it comes to product detailing as a medical representative, the key is practice—and lots of it! Product detailing is all about effectively communicating the benefits, uses, and features of the pharmaceutical products you're promoting.

But the truth is, no matter how much you prepare, the best way to master it is to actually get out there and do it.

Start by knowing your product inside and out. Understand the clinical data, the benefits for patients, and how it compares to competitors. Then, practice your pitch with colleagues or even in front of a mirror.

But the real learning happens in the field. When you’re face-to-face with doctors and healthcare professionals, you’ll gain experience in answering tough questions, handling objections, and figuring out how to best tailor your approach to different personalities.

So yes, study your product, know the science behind it, and role-play if you need to.

But the most effective way to get better at product detailing is by getting out there and doing it—real-world practice is where the magic happens...