Seizing opportunities with perfectly pitched messages

Personal relationships have been the dominant force in sales for generations but the pandemic has ripped up this conveyer belt of convenience.

More than 60% of clinicians are happy to either connect solely via technology or via a hybrid arrangement and there is no going back.

The pharmaceutical industry became stuck in a groove of letting doctor-rep relationships obscure the challenge of delivering complex information in perfectly pitched presentations.

“In many cases, the value wasn't the information they were getting. It wasn't that they were being challenged or being shown new or interesting ways to treat diseases, it was almost ‘lunch is here’ and it is delivered by a rep,” observes Rob Crossan, a pharma sales veteran with senior roles at MSD and Mundipharma

“We neglected how to ensure that our reps were relevant and engaging, and knew their stuff when they went in front of people. Genuine value rather than arriving with the coffee and sandwiches at lunchtime.”

The imperative to have messages and information well-honed before meeting a clinician is amplified in the whitepaper  Genuine Transformation: Preparing for Pharma’s New Sales Coaching Reality which examines sector dynamics and highlights practical solutions.

The pharmaceutical industry is busy re-calibrating how it does business in the wake of the pandemic and the acceleration of digital take-up. This provides fresh challenges and opportunities for sales forces.

“ I think we're beginning to wake up to it now because it's getting so hard to see people,” adds Rob Crossan. “Products are getting much more sophisticated and a lot more companies that were generalist are now focused on complex areas of oncology and nuanced treatments so you really have to work hard to find ways to be more relevant.”

Luis Medina, marketing manager at Nestle Canada, who has a wealth of experience across pharmaceutical, healthcare and food industries, believes coaching from the 60 Seconds app and its suite of tools helps prepare for those now rare ‘moments in the spotlight’ in front of clinicians.

“I believe that what 60 Seconds does is great because it is easy to use and adapts to the way the sales representative is interacting with clients on a daily basis – it adapts to your ecosystem. It is not asking you to connect with a new platform as it integrates with current systems.

“They work collaboratively and always trying to understand how your sales strategy development works and how they can add to that plus the support is really great.”

Pharma has been experiencing upheaval for the last decade and a new wave of innovative, novel therapies places a huge burden on sales and marketing to frame complex information and tailor it to specific audiences.

Communication channels have been limited during the pandemic but virtual connections will be a permanent feature of the sales environment even when restrictions are relaxed.

Getting the message right, rehearsing it and delivering it in often a narrow time-frame is now an essential skill.

To read more about how training and coaching changed during the pandemic and how to prepare for what is coming next download the whitepaper below.

About the interviewees

Rob Crossan B.Sc. (Hons) MRSB. Is companion animal business manager at Virbac Australia. Following a brief career in Marine Biology, he has spent the last 32 years in Pharmaceutical sales, predominantly in Sales Management.  Currently combining a lifelong passion for animals with pharmaceutical sales and coaching as the Companion Animal Business Manager at Virbac Australia.

Luis Medina is marketing manager at Nestle. He has +13 years of experience in the Food, Healthcare and Pharmaceutical industry in the roles of marketing and sales. Based in 3 different countries in Europe, Latin America, and North America supporting the development of the Medical Sales teams and executing marketing strategies in the medical channel.

About 60 Seconds

60 Seconds is a remote coaching app designed to help users communicate with greater clarity through practice, coaching and measurement. It was built by a coach for coaches to deliver measurable learning momentum. For more information visit: 60seconds.com