You know the drill. As a pharmaceutical sales rep, your days are filled with call after call, meeting after meeting. How do you make the most of your time in front of busy doctors and staff? The key is planning and preparation. When you optimize your call time, you'll gain more opportunities to provide value to your customers and see better results.
In this article, we'll share some tried-and-true call planning tips to help you prepare for success. You'll learn how to identify your key objectives for each call, craft a compelling and concise message, anticipate objections and questions, and determine the best use of materials to support your discussions. You'll also get advice for gaining valuable face time with hard-to-reach physicians.
Implement these call planning strategies and you'll start each day with confidence and purpose. You'll have more engaging discussions, build stronger relationships, and ultimately exceed your sales targets. Now, let's dive in and get started. Your most valuable asset is time, so make the most of it!
Map Out Your Week
To make the most of your time each week, start by mapping out your schedule. This may seem tedious, but having a plan will keep you focused and efficient.
Review your accounts and prioritize based on needs. Who hasn’t been visited in a while or has an upcoming product launch? Put high-priority accounts at the top of your list.
Group nearby accounts together. This minimizes drive time so you can spend more time with customers. Aim for 3-4 accounts within a 30-minute drive of each other when possible.
Block off time for follow-ups. Don’t just schedule call after call. Leave buffer room in your calendar for notes, emails, and other administrative work.
Factor in drive time and account research. It’s easy to underestimate how long things will take. Give yourself plenty of extra time, especially for first-time visits. You’ll be glad you did.
Start early and end at a reasonable hour. As tempting as it is to schedule calls up until 6 pm, avoid burnout by ending your day around 5 pm when you can. You need time for yourself too!
With some planning and time management, you'll find yourself accomplishing more in less time. And when you're less rushed and stressed, you'll have better visits and build stronger relationships. So do yourself and your customers a favor - map out your week for maximum productivity and success!
Prioritize Your Calls
To make the most of your time on the road, you need to prioritize your calls. Focus on the accounts that are most likely to generate new business.
Identify your top prospects. Look at factors like prescription volume, growth potential, and key influencers at the practice. These are the places where you'll get the biggest bang for your buck.
Don't waste time on lost causes. If an account has made it clear they have no interest in your products, cut your losses and move on.
Leverage sales data and analytics. See which physicians are writing the most scripts for your drugs. Target the “high prescribers” since they already believe in your products.
Build key relationships. Identify the practice managers, head nurses, and office staff that can help get your products on formulary and scheduled for in-services. Cultivate these alliances through regular visits, calls, and small gestures of appreciation.
Be flexible. Have a plan in place but be willing to adapt based on the needs of each account. Some may require more face time to win over, while others may be open to a quick e-detail or phone call. Tailor your approach to match each customer.
With some strategic planning, you can make the most of your time in the field. Focus on the accounts most likely to drive new business, strengthen key relationships, be flexible in your approach, and don’t waste time on lost causes. By prioritizing your calls, you’ll optimize your time and exceed your sales targets.
Set Clear Objectives and Agendas
To have a successful call with a doctor, set clear objectives and agendas ahead of time. Think about what you want to accomplish and how you will achieve it.
Determine Your Key Objectives
Ask yourself: What do I want the doctor to know or do after our call? Do you want to educate them about a new product or service? Gain a product trial or formulary approval? Discuss patient support programs? Define 1-3 specific and measurable objectives to focus your call.
Create a Call Agenda
Once you have your objectives, map out how you will achieve them. Outline the key discussion points and materials needed. For example:
Briefly introduce yourself, your company and your role.
Discuss the top 1-2 benefits of your product or service for their patients. Provide clinical evidence and patient case studies.
Explain any patient access or reimbursement programs available. How can you help the doctor prescribe your treatment?
Ask open-ended questions to address any concerns. Be prepared to overcome common objections with data and examples.
Request a product trial, formulary review or next steps to work together.
Practice and Prepare
Review your objectives and agenda, and practice your call beforehand. Prepare to speak knowledgeably about your product and anticipate potential questions. Have materials like clinical studies, patient profiles and product samples on hand. The more prepared you are, the more confident and persuasive you will sound on your call.
With clear objectives, a well-defined agenda, and thorough preparation, you will conduct an efficient call that maximizes your time with the doctor and moves them closer to your desired action. Be ready to adapt your approach based on the doctor’s responses, but keep your key objectives at the forefront of the conversation to achieve a successful outcome.
Focus on the Client
To have a successful call with a client, focus on their needs and priorities. Put yourself in their shoes to gain a deeper understanding of their challenges and concerns.
Ask Good Questions
Ask open-ended questions to discover the client’s true pain points and objectives. Some examples include:
What are your top business goals this year?
What keeps you up at night regarding your supply chain?
How can my company support your team?
Listen actively to their responses and ask follow up questions. The more you understand their situation, the better you can position your solution.
Share Relevant Examples
Discuss case studies and success stories of other clients in a similar industry or facing comparable issues. Explain how your offerings generated measurable results for them. Compare their scenarios to the client’s current state to build credibility. However, be careful not to disclose confidential information or make promises you can’t keep.
Focus on Value
Rather than leading with product features, emphasize the benefits and outcomes. For instance, say “Our solution can reduce your lead times by over 20% so you have greater flexibility and responsiveness to changes in demand” instead of just listing the software’s capabilities. Help the client understand how your partnership can positively impact their key performance indicators and give them a competitive advantage.
Address Concerns
Be prepared for objections and concerns about cost, change management, or other risks. Have responses ready to thoughtfully address their worries while reinforcing the value. You might say something like: “I understand your concern with the upfront investment. However, our tool has shown to reduce overall supply chain costs by 15-30% for most clients through increased efficiency and fewer stockouts. The savings can significantly offset the initial fees over time.”
With the right mindset and preparation, you can have a highly productive call focused on the client's priorities and needs. Asking good questions, sharing relevant examples, focusing on value, and addressing concerns are all strategies to optimize your time and success. Keep the conversation centered around how you can support them in achieving their goals.
Review and Refine
Once you’ve completed your initial call planning, take time to review and refine your strategy. Double check that you have all the necessary details and documents in place to make the most of your meeting.
Review Your Objectives
Revisit the goals you outlined for the call. Are they still relevant and realistic? Adjust as needed.
Make sure your key messages align with your objectives. Practice delivering them confidently and concisely.
Prepare for Questions
Anticipate any questions or concerns the customer may have based on their needs and priorities.
Develop thoughtful responses supported by data and evidence. Discuss how your solution can address their challenges.
Refine Your Call Flow
Reorganize or rework your call flow and talking points to create the most logical and impactful progression. Move sections around or add/remove as needed.
Time yourself to ensure you stay within the timeframe allotted for your call. Make cuts or be ready to continue the conversation at a later date if needed.
Review Account Details
Double check the customer’s account information, order and prescription history, and any previous interactions or commitments.
Look for any additional ways you can personalize the experience or strengthen your relationship. Mention a key milestone or express appreciation for their continued business.
Practice and Prepare
Practice your delivery, become comfortable with the flow and talking points, and anticipate any follow up questions. Hearing yourself speak the information aloud is the best way to identify any areas that need improvement.
Prepare all materials, resources, samples or tools you plan to share during the call. Make sure everything is ready to be emailed or shared on-screen efficiently.
Following these steps will give you confidence in your strategy and set you up for a successful call. With preparation and practice, you’ll optimize your time and make the most of this opportunity. Keep an open mind—you never know where the conversation may lead!
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