Pharmaceutical selling skills

PharmaceuticalSellingskills

Submitted to:

Respected Mam Sadia

Submitted by:

Saba Ahmed Pharm- D The University Of Faisalabad

Contents: • Aim

• What Is Selling?

• Philosophy of Selling

• The 7 basic selling steps

• Objectives of Greeting and Opening

• Asking Questions

• DAPA Method of Selling

• Presenting the benefits of the Product

• Handling Objections

• Selling the Price

• Closing A Sale

AIM

To Create an Outstanding Success for Your Brands

Understand in depth, the role of Sales Team

Develop a Framework for an Effective Sales Approach

What Is Selling ?

To satisfy a Need / Want with your product for Mutual Benefits.

Philosophy Of Selling

Selling = Motivating Doctor’s Commitment

Medical Rep

DOCTOR

All good reasons why a doctor

should prescribe your product

All the things that a doctor has to

give up

BY ASKING

The 7 Basic Selling Steps

1. Pre call planning 2. Opening

3. Questioning

4. Presentation

5. Handling objections

Projecting the right company

image

Targeting

Call preparation

Utilize waiting time

• Identifying the right doctors

1. Pre call planning

• Posture, Facial Expressions, Dressing & Grooming

• Observe different things• No. of patients, sex, age,

economic status

• Review last call• Objective selling: S.M.A.R.T = Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time bound

Types of opening:

Opening is the skill of capturing the doctor’s attention and focusing the sales call.

Steps of opening:

• Greeting• Rapport building• Purpose of call• Initiating business discussion

• Need/Benefit opening:• Identify a known or presumed

need• Offer a product feature & benefit

to satisfy that need.• Opening as a question• Stimulating opening

2. Opening

Closed Questioning:

• Questioning is used for the purpose of gaining information to use in the sales call.

• Start with open questions and then move to close questions.

• Invites an extended doctor response

• Start with What, When, Why, Where, Who & How

• Invites a “Yes” or “No” reply from the doctor

• Start with Do, Will, Is, Should

Choice Questioning:

• Give doctor two or more positive options in order to rule out a negative “No” response.

3. Questioning

Open Questioning:

Presentation is zeroing on the doctor’s identified Needs/Wants with appropriate Product

Features and Benefits.

During Presentation:

• Sit up straight in front of the doctor• Look confident and speak with

enthusiasm.• Hold the Detail Aid in front and use a

pen to focus doctors attention• Don’t look at the Detail Aid, look at

the doctor. Observe his/her actions.• If interrupted, do a brief recap before

continuing• Don’t be distracted by surroundings

4. Presentation

Skepticism:

• Can be question, comment or query.• Shows interest of the doctor in your product.

Misunderstanding:

• An incorrect negative perception because of misinformation.

• To handle this provide the right information.

• A doctor’s doubt that your product can actually deliver the stated benefit.

• Offer proof (clinical studies, references)

Real Objection:

• A real short coming or disadvantage of your product.

• To handle real objection, minimize the impact by focusing on the advantages.

5. Handling objections

Hidden Objection:

Indifference:

• Doctor is not interested in your product because doctor is satisfied with competitor’s product or doctor has never used that type of product.

• Identify a need that can not be satisfied by the doctor’s preferred product.

• Doctor does not openly raise an objection because the doctor is disinterested.

• How to handle: Ask doctor if they have concerns.

5. Handling objections

Real success of a sales call depends on the use of effective closing.

AfterPresentation:

• Review all the benefits accepted by the doctor

• Ask for business (trial use, continued use, expanded use)

• Wait for a response.

6. Closing

Post call analysis is the process of evaluating and recording the outcome of the call, in order

to plan for future calls.

Afterleaving the chamber:

• Evaluate the Call• Record Call Information• Set Objectives for next meeting with

the doctor.

7. Post call analysis

Objectives Of Greeting & Opening

Positive atmosphere

Exchangeof names

Start a gentle conversation

Simply connect

Asking Questions

Questions are used to PROBE information from doctors

Questions starting withWHATWHEREWHYHOWWHOWHICH

are very useful

DAPA Method Of Selling

D

A

P

A

efine the doctor’s requirement for your product.

cceptance by the doctor of the requirements.

rove that your product can fulfil the doctor’s requirement.

cceptance of the proof by the doctor.

*Presenting the Benefits

NEED

FEATURE/OFFERING

BENEFIT

what the doctor wants?

what do we offer?

what the doctor gains?

*Handling Objections

When D to A from DAPA is not done

Objection – An Obstacle Or An Opportunity

It’s a doctor tactic to get a discount

The doctor is confused due to hidden cost or competition

A habit of asking questions

A strategy to postpone decision making

When Do Objections come?

How do we tend to feel?

Dejected

Angry

Challenging

Frustrated

Defensive

How Should We React?

Pause

Stay calm.

Don’t get aggressive.

Don’t get defensive

Do not disturb the customer. Let him/her speak first.

Kinds Of Objections

Unspoken Objection

Objection that we hear and can answer

Objection that we hear and cannot answer

&

&

Handling the unspoken objection Doctor frowns

Doctor smiles (sarcastic)

Doctor looks elsewhere

What do you do when such an Objection Comes?

PAUSE and then convert it into a SPOKEN OBJECTION by asking:

You are thinking something Sir?

Anything particular Sir?

Handling the objections we hear and can answer

When you hear an Objection:

Pause

Probe gently

When you hear an Objection:

Probe gently

Give your best possible solution?

Are you satisfied with my answer?

&

Handling the objections we hear and cannot answer

Product features that meet the doctor’s needs

Features we offer but doctor does not need

Find Out:

Why the doctor may not need it?

How long will the doctor not need it?

Will the doctor ever need it in future?

Features the doctor wants, but we do not have

Find Out:

Why does the doctor want it?

How important is it? 1) Essential 2) Desirable 3) Useful

Can we explore an alternative?

&

Selling The Price Effectively

Psychological aspects of price:

Price is the only weapon that the doctor has.

Make sure YOU believe in your own pricing.

Make the doctor feel that you are there to help and not to fight.

Selling The Price Effectively

The right stage to present the price:

NOT UNTIL the doctor has REALISED the BENEFITS of your product

What does a customer pay for?QUALITY

BENEFITS

CONSISTENCY

RELIABILITY

REPUTATION

BRAND NAME

SERVICE

YOU

Selling The Price Effectively

SANDWICH METHOD

Selling The Price Effectively

SANDWICH METHOD

STEP I: present the BENEFITS of your product

STEP II: put the price in front of the doctor

STEP III: JUST CONTINUE with explaining him/her the features that he/she will derive out of this price

*Selling The Price Effectively

Handling Price Objection

STEP I: doctor objects

STEP II: Medical rep : what are you comparing with, sir?Doctor : competition, perception, budget, past experience

STEP III: Medical rep : how much is the difference we are talking, sir?Doctor : 20% (the faster he says this, ITS FALSE)

STEP IV: express the difference

STEP V: demonstrate the benefits passable when compared to the difference

*Closing The Sale

What prevents a medical rep from closing EFFECTIVELY?

FEAR

DOUBT

UNCERTAINTY

Why a medical rep may not close well?

Too Early

Too Late

Too Meek

Too Aggressive

Doctor’s objections not resolved completely

Sales process not followed

When to close?

• The DOCTOR has understood your product completely

• The DOCTOR has developed trust in your company

• The DOCTOR has a desire for the benefits for his/her patients