Earlier Drug companies and medical representatives relied on interpersonal communication with the doctors to influence physicians’ prescribing behavior. Today as most industries are building serious marketing strategies to boost up their sales, the drug companies are also catching up to do the same. Planning and implementation of inputs and activities and simultaneously creating effective marketing strategies that will help the medical representatives to discover the specific needs of the doctors and concerns of the consumers.
Traditionally continuous data and information were collected by the medical sales team to prep the medical representatives to get into the field. Now, there are a large number of approaches through which the medical representatives can fully reach doctors. There is a whole lot needed to remodel and revamp the entire structure of Pharmaceutical selling otherwise the industry will lack behind drastically and eventually die.
Different effective marketing strategies for medical representatives are:
Empowering the reps with latest and relevant data
Since data is available everywhere now, it is important for the medical reps to be prepared with up-to-date and interactive content. By doing so, they will have more opportunities to involve the doctors into the dialogues and excite the curiosity of the products or services. Another way to grab the attention of the physicians is to show them better ways to find an easy way to navigate medical data. Previously the medical reps performed a scripted conversation in front of the doctors. In today’s time the doctors do not have time, so the medical reps can share relevant and latest data with doctors and can easily promote their products.
Researching every perspective is the key
This job doesn’t require great qualifications but a good medical rep should have an ample amount of knowledge about the product, competitors’ products, wants and buying patterns of individual doctors, requirements of patients and overall market conditions, This can be achieved through continuous market research and impactful sales design.
Communicating with doctors should the main priority
It is important to reach the doctors through Conferences, Meetings, Workshops and approaches in a professional manner. Calling them and contacting Chemists should always be done to get feedback and follow-ups.
Utilizing Technology
By adopting new and right marketing strategies to create strategic marketing vision and principle to influence consumer and doctor behavior. The use of new technologies, digital media, Internet marketing plans, social network sites is the best marketing strategy that will provide a good business model. If they want to improve the profitability initially they have to invest more money and adopt new technologies along with their direct sales force team.
Working on appearances and attitudes.
No one buys from an untidy and unprofessional person, medical reps should look presentable, professional and should have genuine manners along with polite nature. Carrying every useful material that could be needed such as lists of Doctors, Stockists, Chemists to be met, and the area/location to be worked for the day in your pocket. Following code of conduct, not misusing samples and promotional inputs or commit to anything that the company has not authorized. Wearing tidy clothes and a positive attitude. Always greet the doctors nicely with a smile.
There are many more pharmaceutical marketing strategies to choose from, a good marketer and medical representative should understand what kind of strategy is best suited for their current situation, their objective and their organisation. Sometimes it doesn’t matter what pharmaceutical marketing tactics you are using but how well you are executing those tactics. A pharmaceutical company should always include activities such as conducting post-marketing research, organizing courses for doctors and research sponsorships.
