May 25 2010
Several Great Points On Specialised Training And The Skill Set
To establish market superiority in the pharmaceutical sales business requires a large degree of analysis and the establishment of certain criteria to enable the training consultant to analyse effectively and to get the most out of the sales force resource. The goal of first-rate performance is achievable if the consultant is able to help the client understand and first define benchmarks and competencies. Without the ability to measure these competencies, goals cannot realistically be set and individuals may not aspire to meet them. Framework development is therefore very important, if the pharmaceutical company is going to take full advantage of its potential.
Specific marketing roles must be developed according to specific sales targets. Within each role, an individual’s tasks must be identified and methods assessed. It is likely that each role within an organisation will retain certain uniform competencies, which could be regarded as core principles, but it is very important to accurately define the competencies that are specific to the role and thus must be mastered by the individuals so assigned.
As a rule of thumb, pharmaceutical sales training should take into account cutting edge methodology and utilise the experience and ability of the consultant organisation to best effect. Selling skills have become more advanced and rely less on pure number crunching and goal orientation, but rather focus on personal interaction with the buying entity. Each individual buyer is somebody different and there are many external factors influencing the decision-making process, but the salesperson must be fully aware of that individual’s position before he or she is able to accurately and confidently disseminate the correct product knowledge and advice.
These days, pharmaceutical sales training will help to instil the company’s brand strategy and overall objectives, so that the salesperson fully understands what the company is trying to achieve from a broader perspective. The consultant will help the salesperson understand the composition of the market, how strategic marketing can help to impart knowledge of the brand and how the latest communication tools and methods can work.
Today’s salesperson must be very good at communicating and understand the intricacies of public relations. We could go so far as to say that the relationship between the buyer and seller in the modern pharmaceutical industry is based more upon an exchange of information. In addition, the salesperson really must understand what factors influence the buying decision and will come to realise that many of these are subtle and somewhat subliminal.
If an account is determined to be principle and essential to the pharmaceutical company’s existence going forward, key account management training must ensure that the individuals responsible for handling these accounts are up to speed. These individuals will require specific skill sets, which will undoubtedly extend far beyond typical sales and closing skills. The pharmaceutical company must understand that the key account is looking for more than might be immediately obvious and that a straightforward, two-way interaction is not sufficient for success. Everyone involved in servicing this account must be consciously aware of the special techniques applicable, whether or not a particular individual is actually responsible for hands-on deployment.
Alan Gillies is the Director of L2L Consulting, an elite pharmaceutical consultancy firm which specialises in Strategy Development and Implementation Excellence for prestigious multi-national organisations.