You Get What You Pay For

You get what you pay for. It’s an old cliché, but like so many clichés, it’s so true. And it is especially true when it comes to the creation of pharmaceutical product messaging and medical education initiatives. Physician research shows that physicians think Pharma’s creative product and medical education initiatives, in a word, suck. How did we get to this sorry state of affairs? This lack of trust by our most important customers? Well it’s simple—we’re getting what we pay for.

Pharma management really thinks it’s getting a bargain by using purchasing agents and reverse bidding practices to beat down the hourly rates of their agencies and medical education providers. Here’s a real example of the genius behind such thinking. There is a Pharma company out there (you know who you are) whose head purchasing agent previously worked for a national office supply chain. Now there’s a person who really understands the creative process.

Dudes, the creative process isn’t like buying a boatload of 3-ring binders from China! Do you really think that you’re getting the best creative team available at a blended rate of $95 an hour? Of course not! You’re getting the rookies, the newbies, the guys that don’t know their butts from a $2 baseball! Yet you’re perfectly willing to let the destiny of your most important asset—Your Brand—to purchasing agents who don’t have a clue what they are buying or what the creative process and THINKING really involve. God, no wonder we’re all heading towards Pharmageddon.

The end is near Mr VP of Marketing. When you don’t make your budget number next year because your message isn’t resonating with your customers, ask yourself this, “How much blame is the purchasing department that got you those great hourly rates going to take?” My guess is, not much. Well, you got what you paid for.

How are you going to survive Pharmageddon?

Signed,

Pharma Vet/Agency Vet

Who is behind this?!

Who is behind Pharmageddon 2012?

what are we going to do about it?!

Find out in the November issue of…

A Sales Call in 2013

It might sound a way’s away, but 2013 should be right around the corner of your mind.  In the aftermath of the 2012 Pharmaggedon patent-expiry meltdown, physicians will have become even tougher to see and many pharma companies will still be struggling to understand how they will reach, communicate and convince prescribers.  So, what will the underpinnings of a great sales call be in 2013?

Let’s assume that the pharma sales representative will still exist. After almost managing to destroy this model, pharma companies realized that nothing beats the value and power of having one-on-one, interactive selling that is wholly dedicated to their brands—provided physicians don’t feel overwhelmed.

And while we’re talking about the industry’s most important customer, it’s clear we will have heard, understood and addressed their issues—namely the lack of trust in company messages, information and motivation. (Frankly, if these issues had not been addressed, we could end the discussion right here and have a nice day).

So again assuming the industry is willing to communicate in a different way, we will perhaps be reaping the benefits of their concerted effort to repair trust. To do that, the product sales call of 2013 will include:

• Factual, transparent disclosure of data and the clinical application of such
• Frank conversation and language about product benefits as well as drawbacks
• Specific identification of patients who will best benefit – not its “great for all”
• Clear language and visual elements that accurately convey all information
• Use of presentation mediums that effectively help convey information
• No sales discussion or suggestion of product use other than approved labeling

Another hall mark is a well-trained sales representative.  The rep will have a thorough understanding of the disease state, the pharmacologic management options, the benefits and drawbacks of the company’s product as well as the competition and a speaking knowledge of the key clinical papers in the given practice area.

Finally, the sales representative will not primarily be a “pizza delivery” person.  Rather, they will bring informational value to each and every sales call.  They will help the physician better understand how their product fits into his/her practice as well as bring insight into how the physician’s colleges choose to treat such conditions.  The sales representative will be personable, well-spoken and respectful of the physician’s time and office conditions.

The sales call of 2013 will only occur if the industry, through its sales force, can rebuild the relationship, trust and value that physicians once believed in.  It can and must be done if the pharma industry expects to have an important seat at the patient treatment table.  If this doesn’t happen, it may well be playing a significantly lesser role in future healthcare practice interaction.  What are you and your company doing right now to be ready for 2013?