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You are here: Home > Business > Sales > Prescription for Success: The Role of the Pharmacy Call in Pharmaceutical Sales |
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Casual Articles - Prescription for Success: The Role of the Pharmacy Call in Pharmaceutical Sales
How to Write Better Advertising Copy tients as any other licensed pharmacist.”A successful marketing plan relies heavily on the pulling-power of advertising copy. Writing result-oriented ad copy is difficult, as it must appeal, entice, and convince consumers to take action. There is no magic formula to write perfect ad copy; it is based on a number of factors, including ad placement, demographic, even the consumer’s mood when they see your ad. So how is any writer supposed to pen a stunning piece of advertising copy -- copy that sizzles and sells? The following tips will jumpstart your creative thinking and help you write a better ad.KNOW THE BASICSAll good advertising copy is comprised of the same basic elements. Good advertising copy always:Grabs Attention: Consumers are inundated with ads, so it’s vital that your ad catches the eye and immediately grabs interest. You could do this with a headline or slogan (such as VW’s “Drivers Wanted” campaign), color or layout (Target’s new colorful, simple ads are a testimony to this) or illustration (such as the Red Bull characters or Zoloft’s depressed ball and his ladybug friend).Pro DON’T: Hospital pharmacists’ recommendations: Tim is a hospital pharmacist in Maine who welcomes drug reps. “Reps are a great source of information for me. I know that if I tell a rep that a patient had an unusual reaction to their drug, the rep is going to pass that on to their company to investigate. Drug companies are highly motivated to check it out and follow up, which helps me serve my customers better.” Recommendations for pharmaceutical reps when calling on hospital pharmacies. DO: DON’T: Which brings us back to the bottom line: Pharmacy calls are sales p How to Use Your Newsletter to Research Your Market After the countless hours of product training and skill development and relationship building, your efforts culminate when a prescription is filled at the pharmacy. A few decades ago, in the early days of automatic banking terminals, the management at Citibank made a somewhat reluctant decision to introduce automatic tellers. They were anxious to cut costs, but they assumed that customers would rather deal with human tellers, had they the choice. Therefore, they compromised and reserved human tellers for people with more than $5,000 in their accounts. Depositors who weren't in such a fortunate position were relegated to the machines. It soon became clear, though ,that the machines were wildly unpopular. Citibank stopped using them a year or two later. "Well," thought the bankers, "we were right all along. People just won't get used to dealing with machines." It seemed as if one of the most promising inventions of the time would be laid to rest for good. Fortunately for everybody (except perhaps for Citibank), an executive from a rival bank tried to put himself into the collective shoes of bank clients. His gut feeling was that small depositors felt comfortable enough with the When you consider that pharmacists talk to the same physicians that you talk to, about treating the same patients that you talk about treating, it’s obvious that pharmacists play a vital role in your success. Why wait any longer to establish or improve your relationships with pharmacists in your territory? A licensed pharmacist is a pharmaceutical specialist. Although physicians are experts in disease diagnosis and treatment, pharmacists are experts in pharmaceutical disease management. Many physicians rely on pharmacists to train patients to use metered-dose inhalers, blood pressure monitors and injectable medications. Physicians also assume that pharmacists will monitor potential drug-drug interactions and recommend appropriate drug substitutions. A pharmacist is a patient care provider. He or she is a link between patients and medical professionals, and can triage routine illnesses like a cough, cold or the flu. Patients count on their pharmacist to tell them how to take their medications, what outcome to expect, and how to react if something goes wrong. A pharmacist is a pharmaceutical sales partner. Pharmacy support is crucial for successful pull-through programs, patient education, and supplemental physician contact. A pharmacist may be able to provide information about managed care formularies and drug pricing, as well as alert you to patient questions or concerns. Pharmacy calls are sales presentations Conduct basic pre-call planning to identify your goal for the call. Do you need authorization to display prescription vouchers or coupons? Do you want to inform the pharmacy staff about a new drug launch? It should only take a few minutes to mentally outline what you hope to accomplish, but those few minutes make a difference. Begin each call with an introduction and a statement of purpose. Most people recognize you before they remember your name, so until you have developed a relationship, put the pharmacist at ease by re-introducing yourself on each call. Get right to the point of your visit. A clear statement of purpose will help the pharmacist assess how much time they need to spend with you, and whether or not they can afford that time right now. “May I have two minutes of your time to tell you about a new indication for Hoozlefritz extended release tabs?” is more helpful to a pharmacist than, “Hi! I’m the new Hoozlefritz rep.” Deliver your information succinctly and factually. Pharmacists do not prescribe medications and do not want to be “sold” on the merits of your product. They do, however, want to know the indication, dosing, mechanism of action (MOA), pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile, and occurrence of side effects. This is vital information for their consultations with physicians and patients. Close your call by asking, “What can I do to be a resource for you and your customers? Here are specific suggestions from pharmacists in three different settings that you are likely to encounter in your territory: retail chain, independent and hospital pharmacies. Retail chain pharmacists’ recommendations: Suzanne, a licensed pharmacist in Tennessee, agrees. “My customers are the drug rep’s end customers. For both of us, “success” means making our customers healthier.” Chain pharmacists across the country agree that pharmaceutical reps can be more effective if they DO: Paul says, “One of the drug reps in the area launched a prior auth product in a crowded therapeutic class. I stocked her vouchers at each of my stores, and she informed her target physicians of this. Physicians appreciated the simplicity, patients were happy about getting a free trial, I benefited from the increase in customer traffic, and this rep led the country in sales.” DON’T: Independent pharmacists’ recommendations: Consensus of independent pharmacists is that reps will be more successful if they DO: “I’ve worked in both settings, and I’ve seen a lot of drug reps overlook independent pharmacies”, says Alan, a pharmacist in Wisconsin. “Maybe they think that because we’re small we’re not “real” pharmacists. But we have the same educational background, and we have the same interactions with doctors and patients as any other licensed pharmacist.” DON’T: Hospital pharmacists’ recommendations: Tim is a hospital pharmacist in Maine who welcomes drug reps. “Reps are a great source of information for me. I know that if I tell a rep that a patient had an unusual reaction to their drug, the rep is going to pass that on to their company to investigate. Drug companies are highly motivated to check it out and follow up, which helps me serve my customers better.” Recommendations for pharmaceutical reps when calling on hospital pharmacies. DO: DON’T: Which brings us back to the bottom line: Pharmacy calls are sales pr Guidelines For Georgia Incorporation sful pharmaceutical sales reps prepare and execute pharmacy calls with the same care as they approach physician calls.Incorporation in Georgia is a fairly easy process, and you can do it by yourself or hire an attorney or make use of the services of firms that specialize in helping people incorporate for a reasonable fee. People have begun to realize the benefits of incorporation, which are many and have begun to incorporate without hesitation.Incorporating In Georgia: 1. Make sure which legal structure to opt for your new venture and proceed carefully making sure all conditions are met.2. A name has to be selected and registered after making sure that it is no copy of any existing registered business name or that it is not one that has been reserved. The name has to be appropriate for the nature of your business and not be obscene and must not exceed 80 characters including any punctuation or space used. It has to end in the words or their abbreviation “Incorporated,” “Corporation,” “Company,” or “Limited.”3. There has to be a minimum of one or more incorporators, and they have to file the articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State of Georgia. A fee of $100 is Conduct basic pre-call planning to identify your goal for the call. Do you need authorization to display prescription vouchers or coupons? Do you want to inform the pharmacy staff about a new drug launch? It should only take a few minutes to mentally outline what you hope to accomplish, but those few minutes make a difference. Begin each call with an introduction and a statement of purpose. Most people recognize you before they remember your name, so until you have developed a relationship, put the pharmacist at ease by re-introducing yourself on each call. Get right to the point of your visit. A clear statement of purpose will help the pharmacist assess how much time they need to spend with you, and whether or not they can afford that time right now. “May I have two minutes of your time to tell you about a new indication for Hoozlefritz extended release tabs?” is more helpful to a pharmacist than, “Hi! I’m the new Hoozlefritz rep.” Deliver your information succinctly and factually. Pharmacists do not prescribe medications and do not want to be “sold” on the merits of your product. They do, however, want to know the indication, dosing, mechanism of action (MOA), pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile, and occurrence of side effects. This is vital information for their consultations with physicians and patients. Close your call by asking, “What can I do to be a resource for you and your customers? Here are specific suggestions from pharmacists in three different settings that you are likely to encounter in your territory: retail chain, independent and hospital pharmacies. Retail chain pharmacists’ recommendations: Suzanne, a licensed pharmacist in Tennessee, agrees. “My customers are the drug rep’s end customers. For both of us, “success” means making our customers healthier.” Chain pharmacists across the country agree that pharmaceutical reps can be more effective if they DO: Paul says, “One of the drug reps in the area launched a prior auth product in a crowded therapeutic class. I stocked her vouchers at each of my stores, and she informed her target physicians of this. Physicians appreciated the simplicity, patients were happy about getting a free trial, I benefited from the increase in customer traffic, and this rep led the country in sales.” DON’T: Independent pharmacists’ recommendations: Consensus of independent pharmacists is that reps will be more successful if they DO: “I’ve worked in both settings, and I’ve seen a lot of drug reps overlook independent pharmacies”, says Alan, a pharmacist in Wisconsin. “Maybe they think that because we’re small we’re not “real” pharmacists. But we have the same educational background, and we have the same interactions with doctors and patients as any other licensed pharmacist.” DON’T: Hospital pharmacists’ recommendations: Tim is a hospital pharmacist in Maine who welcomes drug reps. “Reps are a great source of information for me. I know that if I tell a rep that a patient had an unusual reaction to their drug, the rep is going to pass that on to their company to investigate. Drug companies are highly motivated to check it out and follow up, which helps me serve my customers better.” Recommendations for pharmaceutical reps when calling on hospital pharmacies. DO: DON’T: Which brings us back to the bottom line: Pharmacy calls are sales p How to Make Big Sales Even if You Don't Have the Money to Deliver macists in three different settings that you are likely to encounter in your territory: retail chain, independent and hospital pharmacies.One of the biggest thrills that you will get as a business owner is getting a large order from a great customer. The sort of order that lets you ring the cash register and take your business to the next level. Unless, of course, you can’t afford to pay your suppliers. Then you risk losing the client, the order and this big opportunity.Going to the bank to try and get financing is often an exercise in futility. Unless your business has strong assets, three years of operating history and audited financials, there is little chance that a bank will provide financing such as a business loan, line of credit or letter of credit. However, there are other alternatives. If you own a company that is a distributor, reseller, importer or wholesaler you should consider purchase order financing.Purchase order financing provides you with the necessary funding to pay your suppliers, deliver the products and ultimately make the sale. As opposed to most bank financing, it is relatively easy to qualify for. The main requirement is that you have purchase orders from good customers, ma Retail chain pharmacists’ recommendations: Suzanne, a licensed pharmacist in Tennessee, agrees. “My customers are the drug rep’s end customers. For both of us, “success” means making our customers healthier.” Chain pharmacists across the country agree that pharmaceutical reps can be more effective if they DO: Paul says, “One of the drug reps in the area launched a prior auth product in a crowded therapeutic class. I stocked her vouchers at each of my stores, and she informed her target physicians of this. Physicians appreciated the simplicity, patients were happy about getting a free trial, I benefited from the increase in customer traffic, and this rep led the country in sales.” DON’T: Independent pharmacists’ recommendations: Consensus of independent pharmacists is that reps will be more successful if they DO: “I’ve worked in both settings, and I’ve seen a lot of drug reps overlook independent pharmacies”, says Alan, a pharmacist in Wisconsin. “Maybe they think that because we’re small we’re not “real” pharmacists. But we have the same educational background, and we have the same interactions with doctors and patients as any other licensed pharmacist.” DON’T: Hospital pharmacists’ recommendations: Tim is a hospital pharmacist in Maine who welcomes drug reps. “Reps are a great source of information for me. I know that if I tell a rep that a patient had an unusual reaction to their drug, the rep is going to pass that on to their company to investigate. Drug companies are highly motivated to check it out and follow up, which helps me serve my customers better.” Recommendations for pharmaceutical reps when calling on hospital pharmacies. DO: DON’T: Which brings us back to the bottom line: Pharmacy calls are sales p Reasons To Exhibit: How Small Or Medium Sized Businesses Can Benefit From Exhibitions his. Physicians appreciated the simplicity, patients were happy about getting a free trial, I benefited from the increase in customer traffic, and this rep led the country in sales.”Exhibitions are a great opportunity for marketing your business direct to trade. With so many traders and or consumers located at one time, in one relatively small location, exhibitions offer an invaluable platform on which promote and advertise your product or company. Exhibiting is such a powerful marketing tool and also one where you get to meet clients and traders face-to-face. Additionally, exhibitions in highly accessible cities such as London can attract visitors internationally, offering you the chance to network far afield. There are though certain things you must consider such as which exhibition to best exhibit at, what goals and targets you should set, how you can best prepare for an exhibition, and what training your staff will need. Below we discuss how you can best use exhibitions as a powerful marketing tool for your business.Choosing the best exhibitionIt may seem obvious that you need to evaluate the best exhibition at which to exhibit, especially considering that it does involve a certain level of cost to market your business this way. Ne DON’T: Independent pharmacists’ recommendations: Consensus of independent pharmacists is that reps will be more successful if they DO: “I’ve worked in both settings, and I’ve seen a lot of drug reps overlook independent pharmacies”, says Alan, a pharmacist in Wisconsin. “Maybe they think that because we’re small we’re not “real” pharmacists. But we have the same educational background, and we have the same interactions with doctors and patients as any other licensed pharmacist.” DON’T: Hospital pharmacists’ recommendations: Tim is a hospital pharmacist in Maine who welcomes drug reps. “Reps are a great source of information for me. I know that if I tell a rep that a patient had an unusual reaction to their drug, the rep is going to pass that on to their company to investigate. Drug companies are highly motivated to check it out and follow up, which helps me serve my customers better.” Recommendations for pharmaceutical reps when calling on hospital pharmacies. DO: DON’T: Which brings us back to the bottom line: Pharmacy calls are sales p How A Business Growth Specialist Can Turn Your Business Into A Success tients as any other licensed pharmacist.”How does a business growth specialist differ from someone who specializes in marketing, sales, or even in business management?When you hire a specialist, you’re hiring someone who understands their area of expertise, and can help you improve the way you are currently doing business with that technique. They may offer you ideas, strategies, and even individual techniques to help you get your business back on track, and moving in a forward motion.But the one thing most specialists won’t do is guarantee you growth. They will help you improve your current systems, but whether or not the ideas you paid for will help grow your business is another matter entirely.A business growth specialist will help you create strategies that will help you improve the leads, and ultimately the sales of your business. They will have strategies to share that can help you find prospects, and turn them into quality leads. And while all of this can cost a considerable amount of money, its important to keep in mind that what you put into this type of service can ultimately double or e DON’T: Hospital pharmacists’ recommendations: Tim is a hospital pharmacist in Maine who welcomes drug reps. “Reps are a great source of information for me. I know that if I tell a rep that a patient had an unusual reaction to their drug, the rep is going to pass that on to their company to investigate. Drug companies are highly motivated to check it out and follow up, which helps me serve my customers better.” Recommendations for pharmaceutical reps when calling on hospital pharmacies. DO: DON’T: Which brings us back to the bottom line: Pharmacy calls are sales presentations. And just like prescriber calls, pharmacy calls are powerful tools to improve patient care and drive your business. If you make the effort to develop productive relationships, you will find that every pharmacist in your territory is an extra person on your sales team!
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