Systematic Relationship Building is Key to Pharmaceutical Sales Success Pharmaceutical salespeople know their products’ features — and those of competitors — inside and out. Yet most reps have had little training in building relationships not only with the doctor, but with staff at all levels of a healthcare provider organization. And ultimately, it is trust-based relationships that foster true success. Bill Jackson Relationship Building AchieveGlobal, Tampa, Fla., helps organizations translate business strategies into results by improving the performance of their people. For more information, visit achieveglobal.com. May 2006 VIEW on Sales Training Executive Consultant Every pharmaceutical salesperson has been through it; they spend half their promotional budgets on dinner and a speaker, and the only attendees are two nurse practitioners — from an office they don’t visit. Or they spend an entire lunch hour waiting to speak with their most important doctor, only to learn a competitor has already brought in sandwiches. Today’s pharmaceutical landscape is clouded by important business issues. Standards to protect health information privacy, corporate mergers, and decreased time with doctors due to administrative procedures are among the issues salespeople have to deal with daily. Pharmaceutical salespeople are among the best and brightest professionals. They know their products’ features — and those of competitors — inside and out. Yet most reps have had little training in building relationships with not only the doctor, but with staff at all levels of the provider organization. And ultimately, it is trust-based relationships that foster true success. A Focus on Product, Not People Most organizations that belong to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) still train representatives to focus more on product features and less on tactics to influence behavior. And while product knowledge is critical, that knowledge must be supplemented with strong relationship-building skills. Traditional promotional activities are becoming less effective, meaning reps need skills to evolve as the pharma sales landscape changes. Today, most reps learn relationship building by talking to peers or via simple trial and error. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Long-term sales success depends on the ability to quickly and consistently build relationships at the doctor’s office. Strong relationships help fuel effective product launches, maximize the revenue potential of existing products, and sustain products near the end of their patent lives. Relationship Building at All Levels The relationship with the physician is critical, but doctors are not the only people sales reps need to influence to succeed. Successful salespeople also build relationships with: gatekeepers, support staff, formulary committee members, and financial decision makers. These key players each have different views of the sales rep, the pharmaceutical company, and its products and services. And they will base their views — and their trust — of the relationship differently, whether consciously or unconsciously. The good news for sales reps is relationship building is an objective, reproducible process. With a set of key skills developed through training, sales reps can build productive relationships at all levels over and over again. There are four key steps in relationship building that will lead reps to greater heights. 1. Building a foundation of trust — Without trust, no one will fully engage with a rep and truly be influenced by what he or she has to say. In every interaction, reps can learn to demonstrate that they have the best interest of the other person in mind. Delivering on commitments is a key component in building a foundation that will drive future success. 2. Developing mutual respect — Respect of the busy schedules of both the reps and the healthcare staff cuts both ways, and requires that reps appreciate everyone’s time is limited if they expect that courtesy to be extended to them. Respect also is created through deep knowledge regarding products, the industry, and key economic factors affecting doctors and pharmaceutical companies. 3. Creating rapport — The human element is an important variable in a relationship strategy. Everyone has different interests and preferred methods of interaction. Discovering and adhering to personal preferences demonstrates that sales reps care about the best interests of the people they work with. 4. Delivering value — Each player in a doctor’s office will define success a bit differently. Reps who understand how people define success, and then positioning themselves, their products, and their services in a way that supports those goals, go a long way toward delivering the value that will keep people receptive to their messages, products, and services in the future. Disembark the Catering Carousel For sales reps ready to get off the “catering carousel” to find new strategies that promote sales growth, the path is clear. Relationship building, through a systematic, repeatable process, will help engender trust-based relationships and improve receptiveness to sales messages — and take revenue and careers to new heights.

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