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To my father,Shri Bishundas Mehrotra

who instilled in me,an awareness that

money is indeed worth being concerned aboutand to my mother,

Shrimati Dayawati Mehrotra,who demonstrated to me,the importance of being

highly sensitive to people’s feelingsno matter how difficult the circumstances,

and to my sisters and brother,who taught me

the basics in my childhood.

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Acknowledgements

Get Set & Grow, my life’s dream, an idea originated wayback in 1987, because of a thought-provoking letteraddressed to me by Mr. P.M. Sapre, Ex-President,Lupin Laboratories Ltd.

However the catalyst of this decision to write this bookwas Joe Rodrigues, who instigated my thought process inJuly 1990.

Through Rodrigues’ initiative and encouragement by mywife Manisha, I decided to go ahead. Though I hadcompleted initial drafting in September 1991, yet it tooklot of time to give it a shape.

I sincerely acknowledge the invaluable contribution of myrelatives/friends, Maj. S. O. Kapoor, Mr. Lalit Khaneja, Mr.Pramod Kapoor, Mr. Rajiv Srivastava and Mr. SharadVirmani. Their constructive criticism to my ideas as wellas suggestions helped me to a great extent.

I also acknowledge the contribution of Mr. P.R.Srinivasan, Dr. R.N. Chakravarti and Mr. HargovindDayal.

Besides these gentlemen, I am also thankful to allthose, with whom I interacted, whose articles I read andwhose ideas influenced my thought process, for theirhidden contribution to this book.

Vivek

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Before going through the bookRead this carefully

Life rewards human beings to the extent they are willing

to work for it.

You therefore will benefit from this book only to the extent

you apply yourself and act upon it.

If you read it and do nothing about it, you may have added

knowledge, but there may be no growth, success or

happiness in your life.

Even if you read only one chapter and apply it to your

daily work you will get a great deal.

If you read the whole book, act upon it step by step and

persevere in making its truth, a part of your daily work,

you are on the sure road to growth and success.

Read it everyday, keep it handy for quick reference because

it is based on the experience of one who has travelled on

the road to success from a representative to a top grade

executive. Along the way he gathered valuable tips from

those close to him, acted upon them and developed and

grew.

These nuggets of experience he is sharing with you through

this book. I am sure this book will serve as a source of

inspiration for those who look for a ‘raised quality of life’,

in a career in sales.

Sharad Virmani

A Friend & Admirer

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Contents

Preface (vii)

Acknowledgements (ix)

Foreword (xi)

A. Role Excellence 1

B. Towards Role Excellence 2

C. Selling Profession 3

D. Selling! What is it? 5

Get: ‘Getting Equipped Thoroughly’

A. You 11

B. Yourself 14

C. Happiness 16

D. Personality 18

E. Character 23

F. Punctuality 28

G. Communication 30

Set: ‘Setting Explicit Task’

A. Doctor 37

B. Planning 51

C. Call 53

D. Selling Etiquette 56

E. Handling of Visual Aid and Pop Ups 63

F. Detailing 67

G. Closing the Call 76

H. Inputs 80

I. Objection Handling 89

J. Post-Call Analysis 99

K. Hidden Persuaders 100

L. Chemist 117

M. Personal Order Booking 123

N. Stockist 128

O. Reporting 134

P. Finale 139

Grow: ‘Growing Out’

A. Growing Out 141

B. Team Spirit 143

C. Postscript 146

• Degrees/Diplomas 147

• Dosage Schedule 150

• Abbreviations 151

• Terminology 152

(xiv)

ROLE EXCELLENCE

‘Role Excellence’ means a raised quality of life, whatsoevermay be your role, hardly matters. In ‘Role Excellence’, whatmatters is, what you do with your role and how well.

Yes, ‘Role Excellence’ is a choice, you can choose to beexcellent in your role regardless of constraints. ‘RoleExcellence’ is striving for perfection in the activities youare performing.

If you do things differently, distinctly, you will walk thatextra mile. You will go a little beyond the call of duty, yourbehaviour will stand out and there will be a distinct touchof grace in you.

The pursuit of excellence is not static. It is dynamic. Onebetter each time should be your objective, as excellenceis not a destination, it is a journey. Pursuit of excellencealso makes good career sense. When you excel in yourrole the resultant joy begins to mean everything to youand you find your days richer for ever. ‘OperationalExcellence’ becomes your style. The world around youtakes much more than appreciative notice of you. Youget picked up for higher levels of responsibilities. Henceyou must respect your role. Taking more and moreinterest in your day-do-day work, will help you to earnmore and more recognition.

•

“Great opportunities await those who give more than what isasked. I encourage you to put the uncommon touch on even

the most common task. We may never have the opportunity todo great things in a great way, but we all have the chance to

do small things in a great way.”

TOWARDS ROLE EXCELLENCE

The first step towards achieving ’Role Excellence’ is toanalyse your own self. This can be done by asking yourselfthree basic questions i.e. why, what and how?

1. Why am I living? What is the aim of my life? Whatgoal have I set for myself? Life without a goal is like aboat without a sail or a ship without a rudder. Yourgoal may be to earn more and more recognition or toearn more money or any other things you need. Butyour goal should clearly define your ambition in lifeto yourself. This is the goal of your life that offersaspiration for living. Once you have set your aim/goal,you should ask yourself the next question.

2. If this is my goal, what efforts am I putting in to achieveit? Are they substantial?

3. Once you have analysed yourself on these parameters,you may effectively plan how you can further improveyourself. It is this sense of achievement of a goal thatbrings happiness and satisfaction in your life.

So once again ponder for a while. Are you in a career youwanted to be in or..? If your answer is ‘Yes, I am in theright profession’, go ahead, start investing time, moneyand efforts for yourself, as you are the greatest asset ofyourself. Train, groom and encourage yourself to climbthe highest peaks of selling profession.

•

“Plan your career for Ahead, Concentrate on a single GOAL.Keep your eye on the winning post.

Be the man who made it, Not the man who almost made it.”

SELLING PROFESSION

THE ADVANTAGES

Someone has rightly said, “even the sky is not the limit thereis space to go further”. But everyone can’t be an ‘Astronaut’.Congratulations to all of you, who have either chosen orare in the process of choosing ‘Selling’ as a career becauseonly this profession gives you an opportunity to becomean ‘Astronaut’, that too being on earth. This is theprofession where the boundaries/limits of your individualsuccess are determined by you yourself. Here what youachieve is entirely in your hands. It speaks for you inproportion to that and promotes you professionally.

Even the sky is not the limit.

Get Set & Grow 4

STIMULATES PERSONAL GROWTH

The selling profession is the one that stimulates your

personal growth. Here your growth is directly proportional

to your competence. Contrary to this, people working in

other professions find themselves trapped in the

circumstances which not only limit their potentials but also

make them professionally impotent. Even though they want

to do more work they do not get the right opportunity to do

so. They cannot use their latent qualities which may lead

them towards greater success. But it is not so in this

profession.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

In the selling profession you have freedom of

expression. You can express yourself in a much better way

and can do whatever you want to do. Here you can utilize

your individual initiative up to the fullest point, which

will give you not only the satisfaction but will also ensure

maximum rewards you deserve and aspire for. Here each

day as sun rises, a new challenge leaps up in front of you.

Each moment is filled with thrill and adventure, as one

day you find yourself on the top of the world and on the

very next day you may find yourself nowhere. But this is

the excitement which gives a lot of courage to an

individual.

•

“It is not enough to have an interesting or a good job.

To live a total life, YOUR WORK MUST ALIGN WITHWHO YOU ARE.”

Get Set & Grow5

SELLING! WHAT IS IT?

THE OLDEST PROFESSION

In fact, selling is one of the oldest professions in the world.

Each and every person is a salesman, in some way or the

other, be it a kid asking for a toy or a boy trying to convince

his parents to buy a bicycle for him, a teacher teaching a

class or a politician campaigning for election. Though all

are trying to sell their ideas yet by far and large they are

not considered as salespersons. Only those persons who

sell a particular product or provide a service, to earn their

livelihood, are considered to be salespersons. Basically

anyone, who is engaged in exchange of goods, services or

even an idea with money, is a salesperson.

SELLING - WHAT IS IT?

You have already shown your capability of selling an idea.

Yes! All of you reading this article just try to recollect what

exactly you had done when you appeared in various

interviews during the course of selection. You had tried to

sell your personality, your image, your ideas. You had

convinced the interviewers that you can perform the job

better than others, and ultimately you were selected. This

way you have sold yourself to the employer. It is truly

said “A successful salesman is a person who can sell himself”.

It means, he can convince others about what he presents.

He becomes a reliable person for them. Whatever he says

for his product, idea or even about a service which he

Get Set & Grow 6

can offer seems to be good or required by them. It is this

feeling that ultimately leads to a successful sales call. A

salesman does not sell his product but convinces his

customers that his product will satisfy their needs which

may be present or forthcoming.

Specially in the present scenario there is a rush of ‘me too’

products (same products marketed by different

companies). Hence the role of a salesman becomes much

more crucial. Today what is more important is, to first

identify the needs of a customer and then to project a

particular product in such a way so as to convince the

customer that the product has been designed, just to meet

his needs only.

PHARMA SELLING

In selling, there are two prime factors—one a ‘Salesperson’

and the other a ‘Customer’. He may be a wholesaler, retailer

or even a consumer directly. (In case of a salesperson selling

his products door-to-door.)

But as far as the selling of pharmaceutical specialities is

concerned, the situation is a bit different. Unlike the selling

of consumer disposable/durables where a company

reaches its customers directly (may be through a

salesperson or through advertisements) and tries to satisfy

their needs, here a company has to be dependent on one

more factor—its indirect customer i.e. a doctor. That is the

reason why pharma selling is called ‘Indirect Selling’.

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Get Set & Grow7

Field of indirect selling is a triangle where you, as a

salesperson, are at one corner and your direct customer

i.e., your stockist/distributor (who buys your product from

the company) is at second corner, and on third corner you

have your indirect customer that is the doctor (who helps

to liquidate the stocks). So it is equally important for you

to maintain your relations with both the customers.

In order to make it a profitable business for both you and

your stockist, it becomes your prime responsibility to

ensure the fast liquidation of stocks from your stockist’s

shelves, by generating demand in terms of prescriptions.

Though your direct customer is a stockist yet a retail

chemist too, plays a vital role by giving you the valuable

information regarding doctor’s prescribing habits, keeping

adequate inventory and honouring the prescription of your

products. Hence a retail chemist too is not an outsider to

your business. He is an integral part of your business.

To sum up, every customer of yours has got his own

importance. So they all must be given the most courteous

and attentive consideration.

Since the field of ‘Pharma Selling’ is a triangle, let us first

move to that corner, where as a Medical Representative

‘YOU’ are getting ready to take off to climb the highest

peaks of ‘Pharma Selling’.

•

“Some men see things as they are and say why,

I dream things that never were and say why not.”

Robert Kennedy

Get Set & Grow 8

You can sell, any time: any where.

Get Set & Grow9

GETTING EQUIPPED

THOROUGHLY

GET

Get Set & Grow 10

Are they Identical?

Get Set & Grow11

YOU

Like any other living organism, God has gifted to all human

beings the unique power i.e.’ Reproduction’ which enables

them to produce a new ‘human being’ that is identical to

them.

But are they really identical? It leaves a big question mark.

No doubt upto some extent physiologically as well as

morphologically they may be identical but there is one

thing which differentiates them from each other i.e. their

‘Mind’. Now what is ‘Mind’ is a debatable topic. According

to the Greek philosopher, Pythagoras (6th century B.C.)

“brain is the organ of mind.” Someone has rightly said : “What

we call mind is a product of the brain.” Synonymous for the

mind we may include soul, sentiments, judgements, choice,

inclination, desire, will, likings, impetus, memory etc.

In my opinion the mind is the propelling force behind any

human brain. Mind provides the power/ability to guide

and train the brain so that one can achieve what he wants

to achieve in his/her life. Mind is in sum all that the human

body is. It is the mind which determines the identity of an

individual and power to utilise his or her brain effectively.

Everyone born with the absolute raw brain, knows

nothing about life. But after coming into existence the

race for survival begins. Developing your brain is an

ongoing process. This learning process starts right from

the day one. When you were a baby who told you to cry

to attract your mother’s attention and indicate that you

were hungry? Was there anyone whom you might have

seen crawling? But you started crawling of your own

Get Set & Grow 12

and after some time started walking and this process of

learning continued. Everyday you look, hear and read

many things but how much you are able to retain with

you is up to you. All human beings possess an almost

identical ability to store and recall the same amount of

information. What makes a difference is, your ability

to gather and store information in a proper way, place

and time. In fact the brain gets more sharper the more

efficiently it is used. The ability to solve problems

correctly increases with every correctly solved problem.

Your memory works better, the harder it is made to

work. So it is up to you how effectively you utilise your

brain. There are plenty of examples available around.

For example, two brothers having absolutely different

natures – one is kind, simple, well behaved while the

other is quite arrogant and rude though their upbringing

was similar. In a class of 60 boys a boy gets first position

while another gets poor marks though the teacher was

same for both of them.

Similarly in a company where there are thousands of

workers, only a few get promoted while others keep on

doing the same old job though the opportunities were

available for them also.

No doubt, factors like family, teacher, friend, society,

economic status and environment influence the

behaviour of an individual. But whether to get

influenced or not, solely depends upon an individual.

You are an individual too.

Today whatever you are is because of you. Since you

wanted to be a ‘Medical Representative’ so you have

become a Medical Representative. Now to transform

yourself into a successful medical representative is once

again in your hands.

Start realising the power of this wonder word ‘YOU’, which

Get Set & Grow13

can make all the difference to you. Not only in your

professional but in your personal life too, this magic word

‘YOU’ has got its own importance. After realising the

power of you, let us see, who is next to you.

•

“If you keep waiting for just the right time,

you may never begin.

Begin now! Begin where you are

with what you are.”

Get Set & Grow 14

YOURSELF

It is very essential to have good friends in your life. They

are the ones with whom you can share your happy or sad

moments, whose opinion matters to you so that while

solving a problem you can weigh your opinion against

theirs. They are the ones whom you want with you while

having fun or discussing a matter. Specially when you are

confused or want to enquire about a truth, you can rely on

them.

But if someone asks you who is your best friend? It will bevery difficult for you to answer because every human beinghas got some qualities which are liked in general by otherswhile some are disliked. Sometimes an individual has gotsome likes and dislikes of his own and your friend toomay have some. Under these circumstances no one cancome up to your expectation. For whom can you say, “Ilike everything in him”? Basically friendship is a mutualadjustment between two individuals where most of theirlikes are similar and dislikes if any, are overlooked.

But I can certainly name a person for whom your answer

will be -”well, I like him the way he is”. Who may this

person be? Yes! ‘you’ can be the best friend of yourself,

provided you start forgiving some of your human

imperfections and taking care of yourself. Have you ever

realised that it is you who is always with you everywhere.

It is ‘you’ whom you find always on your side, when even

your friends are not there. There can be only one person

on earth who would never like you to be let down in any

situation and he is ‘You’. Someone has rightly said. “No

one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. It is you

who like a good friend will always ensure that you get

your share.

Get Set & Grow15

So bring yourself out, whenever you feel alone, make your

life as happy as any good friend of yours would like to

make. Be as kind and nice to yourself as anyone you know.

For being good to yourself, you need to take time for

yourself, everyday. This time you can call your own

because this is the time you would like to spend just

doing the things which make you happy. These are the

moments when only you are with yourself. You have

been gifted with the most precious gift and that is your

brain, which serves the dual purpose i.e. of a VCR and

of a TV. So recall some peaceful thoughts and pleasant

memories which will make you happy. In your daily

routine include this special time for yourself. This will

keep your outlook fresh and new.

Now if someone asks you the same question i.e. who is

your best friend? Say with confidence “It is me”.

It is good to take time out for yourself and

the job you are performing but at the same

time it is your moral obligation to fulfill all

the responsibilities of your family too. So never

neglect them in the course of your worklife. While

planning your day, do keep sometime for your family.

If your parents/wife/children want to be with you,

keep sometime for them in your schedule in such a

way that it does not disturb your working schedule

at the same time providing some precious moments

with your family.

•

“Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers,

why not plant your own garden.”

Get Set & Grow 16

HAPPINESS

Happiness is a state of mind, which does not occur by

itself. This needs willful efforts with persistent endeavour.

It is you, who can cause it happen to you. It is your choice

to be happy or unhappy in life, or to be content with the

life you have got. It is up to you how you relate yourself

with the life‘s events and determine your joy as well as

misery.

How about your feelings? Are they mean or kind? How

do you feel when someone does good to you or when

someone does something that hurts you? Do you start

feeling the same for him or do you give it a second thought

as to why you were treated so? This attitude towards life

is the key to happiness. If your attitude is negative then

even a good thing around you, will not bring happiness to

you. You need not go anywhere in search of happiness. It

is everywhere and right inside you. The only thing required

to get it, is a positive attitude towards life. As the saying

goes:

“Happiness is all around

it is in the morning‘s sunshine

and the evening’s quiet hours,

it is in all that is bright and beautiful.

In rainbow, field and flowers,

it is in warm and tender moments

and in special feelings too,

all the simple, little joys

we gather all life through.”

Get Set & Grow17

You can make up your mind to be happy and you willfind your life more rewarding. Do not get disturbed withlittle obstacles and worries that come your way. You canbe as happy as you have decided to be. ‘The Joy of Living’has been well expressed in these words.

“To know the joy of living

is to know life’s worthwhile things.

The satisfaction of work well done,

the pleasure friendship brings,

courage after doubting

understanding after sorrow,

learning from your yesterdays

and looking towards tomorrow.

It is measuring our happiness

not just by the years we have spent,

but by the joys we have given others

and by our own heart’s content.”

Today you are a self-reliant person who knows how toremain happy but an overall personality developmentlends credence to your work.

•

“I know you have an impressive wardrobe. But of all thethings you wear, your expression is the most important.

If someone remembers your suit and not your smile,you didn’t smile enough.”

Get Set & Grow 18

PERSONALITY

“Personality is to a person what perfume is to a flower”. Henceyou must work hard at grooming your personality, tocreate the right impression of yourself. Because withoutpersonality a person is like a moving mass.

The way you walk, talk, and interact with people, reflectsyour personality. Moreover this adds to the impressioncreated by your look and dressing up. Specially lookinggood is an integral part of your personality. The way youdress gives an instant impression about what you are.

So, are you on a professional call?

Get Set & Grow19

ART OF LOOKING GOOD

As a Medical Representative, it is important for you to be

well dressed so as to create a right impression of yourself.

This impression can be created to a great extent by clothes.

Your clothes must exude an element of confidence, comfort

and a clean feeling. It is better to be dressed conservatively

i.e. you should avoid using gaudy colours or sport shirts,

shoes, jeans etc. while working. Shirt sleeves should be

buttoned or properly folded. A half unbuttoned shirt can

create disturbing impressions about your entire

personality. Similarly, if you have dressed properly but

your shoes are not polished it may create the same

impression. After dressing up you must view yourself with

‘others’ eyes. Whatever look you exhibit it must reflect a

distinct touch of your personality.

ART OF TALKING GOOD

Your ability to speak well helps you in communicating

your message precisely and effectively. Both in your social

as well as professional circle, your voice and its ability to

communicate the right message serves the purpose of

looking good. It is the voice and its tone which attracts or

distracts attention and confidence of others to what you

say. Hence before speaking you must be aware of the

following points:

(1) Do you speak too fast or too slow?

(2) Do you give long pauses between two sentences?

(3) Do you use appropriate words?

(4) How is your pronunciation?

You can certainly overcome these problems, if any, byusing simple words and making one point at a time. Sobefore speaking you must take a moment to think whatyou are going to say and how?

Get Set & Grow 20

BE YOUR OWN HERO

Apart from these tangible aspects of personality throughwhich others assess you, there is another hidden aspect ofyour personality and that is to have faith in yourselfwhereby you can be confident of achieving all the goalsyou have set for yourself. But to say this, you should havea positive and healthy self-image.

ART OF FEELING GOOD

A negative and unhealthy self image will only contributeto your being victimized in life. The moment you startthinking that you cannot, that you are not attractive, orthat you are not intelligent enough, chances are there thatothers too will see you that way. Never say ‘no’, never say‘I can’t’. Assess your potential, you will find everything inyou which is required to accomplish your chosen mission.

Get Set & Grow21

Now the question arises what you should do to groom

your personality so that it impresses you first.

1. First of all you should learn to welcome changes rather

than fear them. Change is a part of life. If you do not

change yourself you will remain where you are. You

cannot expect any improvement in you. Many times

changes are not pleasant, but you have to cope with

them to be an acceptable and healthy social being.

2. Your self-image should not be an exaggerated one as

instead of helping you to succeed it may put you in an

embarrassing situation where chances are that once

again you might start thinking negatively about

yourself. So before saying, ‘I can do it’ you must

visualise different aspects and then do an elaborate

preparation followed by able execution along with

persistent efforts and will-power. You will find

yourself on the top of the success ladder. There in no

short cut to success. Only those persons succeed who

think they can do and then work religiously, diligently

towards the goal.

3. A strong positive self-image does not mean that you

are perfect. It is to accept yourself as you are with an

effort towards correcting your weaknesses.

So always give due importance to what others say

and then act according to your best judgement.

4. It is said “Failure is a stepping stone to success” Do not

consider yourself as a failure if you fail in performing

a particular task or assignment. It may provide a mirror

to your faults and help you learn from your mistakes.

“To err is human”, but when it is repeated it becomes a

mistake. Never blame yourself. At this juncture instead

of repenting for a mistake try to find out an alternative

course of action. Your approach should be, “I will persist

until I succeed”. Here is something to guide you

through:

Get Set & Grow 22

“When things are not going well for you

and times are not what they should be

just focus on the positive

and think about what could be

acknowledge what has happened,

do not lose sight of lessons past,

but do not allow the negative

distracting thoughts to last.

Take what you have learnt and start from there.

Draw strength from your frustration

and let this added sense of purpose

be your new foundation.

It is hard to follow any plan

precisely to the letter.

Though life right now is difficult

things in time will get better”.

Now that you have learnt to exude a positive self-imagefor others as well as yourself, you need to focus on somevital qualities of the medical representatives i.e. a strongcharacter, will power, initiative and punctuality.

•

“Work needs to FIT your personality just as a shoe needs

to fit your feet.”

Get Set & Grow23

CHARACTER

Success of a ‘Medical Representative’ is directly

proportional to the strength of his character, personal

qualities, and professional competence.

The most important attribute of character is ‘Courage’. This

is the most admired human virtue in all societies. To be a

human means to be courageous. A courageous person is

one who always keeps an ideal higher for himself. Often it

has been observed that people hesitate from an action

which may benefit more to their organisation than to

themselves. For example, any representative who has

completed his task/target/budget may not place an order

for additional sales. Though there may be a demand in

the market and for that additional sales probably no

additional efforts are required from his side. It is seen that

it does not burden the person concerned, but the company

loses sale at that very moment. A medical representative

can consolidate and build up his moral courage, only if he

has the necessary selflessness. Remember your success is

tied with the success of your company.

Sometimes people hesitate to give a frank opinion about a

market problem to their superiors, instead they start

presuming that it may adversely affect their career. What

is worse is one’s cool acceptance for implementing a

strategy or performing a task, not showing hesitation

before their superiors while in fact they have their own

mental reservations. What follows is a time consuming

process of their being at task and at the end confronted

by dismal performance and poor results. What if you

had been frank then?

Get Set & Grow 24

I remember an anecdote. Just after the 2ndWorld War was over, all the three admirals ofAmerican, French and British Navy, whilebasking on the deck of a warship, started

praising their officers. The American admiral claimedthat this battle had been won because the American Navywas a disciplined force. The other two admirals objectedto it . “How can you say that only your people aredisciplined?” At this the American admiral called anofficer of American Navy, who was passing by andordered him “Go to the top of this ship and jump intothe sea”. The officer without hesitation carried out theorder. With a smiling face the American admiral boastedto his counterparts, “Look this shows discipline.” TheFrench admiral said “Ah! It is not only your officers who aredisciplined, mine are too”. He also called an officer of FrenchNavy and ordered him to do the same. With somehesitation the French officer also did it. The Britishadmiral who had kept mum till then, quietly called oneof his ordinary sailors and asked him to do the same. TheBritish sailor instead of going for that humbly asked,“Sir, will you please tell me, why I should do it? Is itgoing to help you or me in any way?” Though everybodygot stunned the British admiral firmly said, ‘This is anexample that not only discipline but also courage isessential for winning any battle.”

Though this is an anecdote, it does convey themeaning of courage. The meaning of ‘courage’ mustnot be misinterpreted, as courage never meansinsubordination, but gives you a right to seekclarification if any doubt arises in your mind.

Another situation where courage matters is acceptingyour own faults as nothing is perfect in this world.As the saying goes “Nothing makes one seem more foolishor impotent than the inability to admit a mistake”.Everybody commits mistakes but a person, whoinstead of feeling shy about it, asks his seniors,friends, elders about the remedial measures gets onto succeed.

Get Set & Grow25

Courage is equally important to one’s personal life as it isto your professional career. There are situations when aperson feels helpless or finds no solution and hesitates totake a step forward. But instead of sitting back he mustask himself a question as to what is the worst that mayhappen? Once he identifies the worst he should think howhe can stop this from happening and undertake suitableactions. He should be ready with different options. Evenafter such an exercise, if the worst does take place, it willnot discourage the person concerned, as he was alreadyprepared for it. Moreover strong spiritual faith makes aperson courageous.

Courage is a must to win.

Get Set & Grow 26

WILL-POWER

An important attribute to a man’s character is will-power.Though a Medical Representative is a person whoimplements the strategies designed by his company, thereare certain decisions which he has to take on his own. Forexample, he has to make a daily plan of action, and thento ensure that he really implements it. It is theimplementation which needs will–power. Normally thereare a number of hurdles that come in the way ofimplementing a plan of action, such as shortage of time,non-availability of planned customer, non–receipt ofdesired inputs in time etc.

But a representative who possesses strong will-power willalways find an alternative mode to implement the plan ofaction, designed by himself. Though these hurdles workas a friction on his well oiled machine, yet they shouldnot slow down his speed. Specially a person who wants toaccomplish something worthwhile in his or her life, shouldtry to reduce these frictions with courage and will-power.

A strong positive image of self, automatically generates agreat amount of will-power in a person. Then the habit offulfillment of duty further builds up the will-power. Theability to carry out an assigned task and to do it completelyfortifies the will-power. On the contrary, a person whobelieves in short cuts to success, misses the opportunity offortifying his will-power and gets off the track.

It is the will-power that keeps you alive and insists thatyou try and try again till you succeed because failure isnot always something below one’s ability. Any successfulperson may suffer setbacks. For a forward looking personthese setbacks work as a persuasive force, to evaluate pastperformances and plan accordingly. Success comes to thepeople who never stop dreaming, but trust that theirdreams come true by utilising each new opportunity thateach new day brings. This attitude of ‘try and try again’,will not only ensure success for an individual but the effortswill help him to strengthen his will-power. Last but notthe least to undertake challenges for producing higher thanthe expected results, builds up will-power.

Get Set & Grow27

A WORD OF CAUTION

Any person whose faith in a higher ideal is not deep andwho is ignorant of his limitations or who is ambitiousbeyond his potential is bound to experience feelings ofsheer frustration.

INITIATIVE

To have intelligent anticipation, to think of tomorrow andthen even without asking of someone, work on a plan ofaction which will help in achieving the assigned task is‘Initiative’.

It means only those representatives succeed, who, insteadof waiting for superiors to come and tackle the problem,themselves take appropriate steps in advance. This stepmay be just informing about the problem to the superioror to the concerned authority. Because a person whorequires spoon feeding in every situation will beconsidered an immature person.

A representative can develop initiative by fore-thought.Whenever a task is given to him, he must visualise whatmay go wrong or what hurdles may come in the way.When any of these actually occur, he should be ready toadopt an alternative course of action.

“I will find a way” would be the conviction and approachof the representative, who has necessary courage, will-power and initiative. It is this attitude that brings successin one’s career.

•

“Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.”

Get Set & Grow 28

PUNCTUALITY

An important quality that a Medical Representative mustpossess is punctuality. Apart from keeping you on yourtime schedule, punctuality also reflects your initiative,interest and sincerity towards the job. In fact, I would evenput punctuality first in the list of qualities.

Anyone who cares for his job and is sincere, would like tocomplete the job in time and for completing a job in giventime, punctuality is a prerequisite. Suppose anyone misseshis train or bus while going on a tour, can he complete thejob? ‘No’. It is obvious, if you are late in reaching anyinterior or planned market, you may not visit all thecustomers as per their convenient timings. Some mighthave left their clinic and you lose the call for anothermonth/phase or cycle. This way the gap between two callswill be increased. In this competitive age your competitorsmay take full advantage of your absence by developingrapport with your customers. On the other hand,punctuality does not mean reaching before time.

I remember a very interesting incident. I was anabsolute fresher at that time, hardly having workedfor ten or fifteen days in the field. The day when myexecutive came for the first time to my territory for

joint working, I was very enthusiastic to begin the day. In overenthusiasm I got ready by 8.30 a.m. Though the time to meethim was 9:30 a.m. Since I was ready I started early and reachedthe contact point around five past nine. I was just sitting on myscooter seat, waiting for my executive to come. The moment thehands of the clock reached nine and six, I saw my executivecoming in. He came and asked me, “How long have you beenwaiting?” I said,” Only for last 25 minutes”. He did not sayanything and we moved out for the working.

Get Set & Grow29

Next time again he visited my territory and found me waiting

for him. When the third time also the same thing happened, he

told me quietly, “Mr. Mehrotra, ‘Punctuality’ does not mean

reaching before time. It means reaching on time”.

Then he started telling me the benefits of punctuality.

He told me that instead of reaching early and waiting,

this time could be utilised for some other job, even

personal work. So one must plan the whole day in such

a way, that he/she may carry out his/her professional as

well as personal responsibilities correctly and completely.

They must adhere to their plan and time schedule.

Specially on the day when they have to work with their

superiors, one must keep a strict time schedule, as any

delay may not only disturb one’s own programme but

also of the superior, though five minutes may not be bad

as no one can predict, what may happen or can come in

the way.

Of course by foreseeing some of the common aspects i.e.

traffic jam at roads, conveyance, etc. by keeping a correct

idea about the distance and probable time to reach there,

one can be punctual. If one has one’s own conveyance then

he/she must ensure that it is in sound condition i.e.

appropriate fuel and air pressure are maintained or not?

Today you possess all those qualities which a successful

medical representative must possess. But remember

you are in the business of communication. Hence the

most important prerequisite for you is to be good in

communication.

•

“Achievement can be yours through development of

qualities which made others successful.”

Get Set & Grow 30

COMMUNICATION

What is communication?

Some might say, ‘It is to convey a message, may be writtenor verbal’. Some other would say, ‘It is to express an ideaor oneself’. Though the real meaning of communication isnot only to convey or express but to get the messageunderstood correctly by the person with whom you arecommunicating. Remember, your communication is notcompleted till it is rightly perceived by the other person inthe same manner (with whom you are communicating) inthe way you wanted it to be.

Aha! so, you don’t like my tune.

Get Set & Grow31

VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Always keep in your mind the need and limitations of theperson, with whom you are going to communicate. Forexample, if you are talking in English with someone whodoes not understand it, you are conveying a message tohim but not communicating as it will not be understoodby him. So ‘being a Salesman you should always try to speak inthe customer’s language’.

Another aspect of verbal communication is how effectivelyyou communicate. Your efficiency depends upon certainfactors, such as flow of talking, correctness of text,pronunciation of different words, modulation of voice andabove all your confidence. You can master all these factorsprovided you are clear in your thinking of what exactlyyou have to talk. When your words come out of yourmouth instead of mind, you take less time to deliver thesame. Hence flow comes in your talking automatically, textis already taken care of, modulation of voice itselfimproves. Of course, if you practice how to pronounce aparticular work, it will lead to no disruption in your talking.All these things put together will build your confidence.

During my college days, I was attending theRepublic Day camp at New Delhi, I had a novelexperience. As per the fixed routine theinauguration of the camp is done by the Vice-

President of India and one male cadet gives the welcomeaddress. After the speech of the guest, a female cadet reads thevote of thanks. Though I was not a very good orator but at thesame not too bad, I offered my name for the welcome address.In my competition another cadet was from Delhi who was acasual announcer of ‘Yuvadarshan’ (an evening weeklytelecast from Delhi T.V.). Naturally being an announcer hewas much more fluent and confident than me. Obviously hewas selected. Fortunately, for me and unfortunately for himthe camp commandant was well versed in most of the Indianlanguages. The moment he listened to him, he found out a

Get Set & Grow 32

few wrong pronunciations. Though in the camp, cadets fromall over India were present, the speech was to be delivered in‘Hindi’ and so he ordered the concerned officer to call a boyfrom U.P. Contingent. With some hesitation the officerproposed my name as I was from U.P. I was called and askedto deliver the speech once again. After listening, very politelyhe asked me, “Do you remember, the table of thirteen?” I wassurprised but when he asked me to recite it, within a momentI managed to do so.

Then he asked me, “Can you memorise the text of this speech?”“Yes, of course”, said I.

“How much time will it take?” he asked.

“Half-an-hour” I replied.

“Come after an hour but you should remember each and everyword of it just like you remember the table of thirteen” hedemanded.

After an hour when I delivered the same speech it was difficultfor me even to believe that it was me who was addressing. Iwas selected as Camp Announcer. More than that this tiplater helped me to become an effective detailer.

This experience of mine, I felt worth mentioning. As apartfrom detailing this will help you while attending salesconferences, meetings etc. If you do not remember exactlywhat you have to say next, you will take some time incollecting your thoughts which will unnecessarily bringpauses in between your two sentences or words, whichmay even change the meaning of the whole sentence. Forexample, read the following sentence carefully and check,pause at comma.

“Go, slow work is in progress”

“Go slow, work is in progress”

Just by changing the pause the whole meaning of thesentence is changed.

Sometimes, it may so happen that even after preparingand practicing vigorously you may miss some words or

Get Set & Grow33

pronounce a word wrongly. Do not get disturbed, instead,say sorry, repeat it correctly and continue with rest of thedetailing or speech.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

A successful Medical Representative not onlycommunicates verbally with his customers but he needsto be good in written communication as well. This givesyou an opportunity to express your personality, speciallyto those you have never met in person. For example,your superiors from Head Office, Branch, Depot etc.This also helps you in expressing your feelings andemotions while communicating with your customer,friends and relatives.

Unlike verbal communication, one has to be very carefulwhile communicating in writing because here the personwhom you are addressing, is not in front of you. So youmay never know the mood in which he will be readingyour write-up. Specially if you are communicating withsomeone whom you have never met in the past, it becomesdifficult for you to identify his needs and limitations.Therefore, your write-up should be very clear as well assimple and written neatly. For this, first of all you shouldbe very clear in your thoughts about what you want tocommunicate. Then before completing a final write-up, itis advisable to prepare a draft. Sometimes due to shortageof time, you may just plan the sentences and their sequencein your mind. Of course, it is not necessary for you to be agood ‘Calligrapher’ but if your letter is written neatly itwill not only leave a good impression on the other personbut also help him to understand the text easily andcorrectly.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Apart from communicating verbally or in writing, wehuman beings quite often use another approach tocommunicate and that is through our body signals. You

Get Set & Grow 34

might have noticed that when people around you arehappy they smile, when they are sad or angry, they frownor scowl. Nodding the head is almost used to indicate ’Yes’.Similarly, shaking the head from side-to-side is used toindicate ‘No’. It is not only the adults who use such gesturesbut these gestures are well learned in childhood. Forexample, when a baby has enough milk, he turns his headfrom side-to-side rejecting his mother’s breast or a bottle.

Researches confirm that the verbal component of a face-to-face communication is less than 45 per cent and over 55per cent of communication is done non-verbally.

They say that the verbal channel is used primarily forconveying the information while the non-verbal channelis used for negotiating interpersonal attitudes. Hence thisart of reading other’s thoughts through their gesture isknown as ‘Body language’. For a successful MedicalRepresentative, it is very important to be well versed withbody language because it will help him to develop a betterunderstanding of complex human behaviour, speciallyduring a face-to-face encounter.

The need to know body language is very essential. Withthe help of body language you can come to know the realmeaning of the words used by a person. Like any otherlanguage, body language too consists of words, sentencesand punctuations. Each and every gesture is like a word,giving different meanings. It is only when this word is putinto a sentence along with other words, you canunderstand its full meaning. Research shows that non-verbal communication carries about five times moreimpact than a verbal one. This is the reason why you needa careful reading of body language. These gestures cantell you the truth about a person’s feeling or attitudeprovided you know how to read non-verbal sentencesaccurately and then to match them against the person’sverbal sentences.

It is up to you how accurately you interpret themessage and get your message across. So startreading carefully the gestures of those with

whom you are interacting. A public place gives you the

Get Set & Grow35

best opportunity e.g. cinema hall, railway station,restaurants, social functions. These are the places whereyou will get an entire spectrum of human gestures aspeople openly express their eagerness, anger, sorrow,happiness, impatience or any other feeling.

Sometimes you can turn down the sound of yourTV set and just try to understand what ishappening on the screen or guess the dialogues

of the characters by their expressions. In between for a fewseconds you can turn up the sound to check how correctyour non-verbal reading was. Sometimes with consciouseffort, you should try to read your own gestures standingbefore a mirror.

Apart from all these qualities what you need to possess isa sound knowledge of your job and its basic functionswhich you have to perform on a day-to-day basis.

Let us first try to know more about the functions you willbe performing in a doctor’s chamber.

•

“Success is 50% what you know and 50% how youcommunicate what you know.”

SETTING EXPLICIT TASK

I am on the move now!

SET

DOCTOR

The doctor is your indirect customer but success of aMedical Representative directly depends on him. Unlikeselling of consumer disposable/durables, where the choicefor purchasing a particular product is with the customer/consumer himself, in pharmaceutical selling it is with thedoctor. The doctor not only influences but decides theproducts to be consumed by his patients. So sale is madeas per the choice of the doctor and not as per the choice ofhis patients. That is the reason almost all ‘marketingactivities’ carried out by any Pharmaceutical companyremain focused towards the doctor. Because until andunless products manufactured by a company areprescribed by the doctor, no sale can be made. Hence therewill be no profits for the businessman for which he is inthe business. The basic purpose of a business is to createcustomer. To create customer, ‘Marketing’ is required.Specially in today’s scenario, it is the key to businesssuccess. Today every company which wants to stay inbusiness keeps a full-fledged marketing department whichis headed by the ‘Marketing Manager’.

There are many similarities between the job of a ‘MarketingManager’ and a ‘Medical Representative’. Basic objectives

of both of them is to create new customers and to sustain

them. The only difference is in their area of operation.‘Marketing Manager’s area of operation is the whole

country while MR’s area of operation is his/her own

territory. Marketing Manager designs the strategy whichcan influence the decision of doctors in general, to prescribe

a particular product. But the role of a Medical

Representative is more important i.e. to communicate themessage of Marketing Manager to the doctor. Hence as a

Get Set & Grow 38

Medical Representative you must understand all the basic

functions which are performed by your Marketing

Manager and then try to perform the same at your territorylevel.

BE THE MARKETING MANAGEROF YOUR TERRITORY

Is it really possible? Thoughts must have crept into yourmind immediately after reading the above title. It is

possible, provided you remember the basic objective of

your job i.e. ‘To create customers’. But before we go furtherinto ‘Marketing’ let us try to understand ‘WHO IS A

CUSTOMER?’

CUSTOMER

To understand the word ‘customer’ you will have to answerthe following questions. Why do you purchase a particular

product? Obviously your answer will be ‘because’ I need it’.

Naturally without a need, why will you buy that product?Now the question arises, are you willing to buy the particular

product? Well, the answer depends upon the intensity of your

need. If it is an essential commodity ‘yes’ you would like tobuy it right now. If you do not require it in near future, you

may delay the purchase for some time. If without that product

you can continue then you would not be interested to buy atall. Suppose you have a need and you are willing to buy that

product as well, but can you buy that product? ‘No’ if you

cannot afford to buy that product. This means you shouldhave purchasing capacity as well.

Hopefully, by now it is clear that you cannot be a customer

for each and every product. For being a customer youshould have a need, you should be willing to buy and you

should have a purchasing capacity to buy that particular

product.

Get Set & Grow39

Let us take an example. These days with the increasing

distances within a town itself, everyone needs a mode of

conveyance and it is obvious that with the increasing

population there is a rush on public transport. Naturally

you would be willing to buy your own bike. But it is your

purchasing power, which will determine whether you are

a customer for a bike/scooter or a moped. Again

depending upon your purchasing capacity your purchase

will vary from one model to another.

MARKET

After knowing about a customer, let us know what a

market is. For a layman market is a place where different

commodities are sold and purchased (means just a ground

or a building). But the real meaning of ‘MARKET’ is putting

together a group of people who have similar needs, who

are willing to buy similar products, and, of course, who

have a purchasing capacity for that product.

MARKETING

Now you know, who a customer is and what a market is.

So let us know what is marketing. Marketing is the set of

activities by which a company exchanges its products with

money, thereby making it profitable for themselves and

satisfying the customer’s needs as well. But someone has

very rightly defined ‘Marketing’ in just two words i.e. to

identify and satisfy the customer’s needs. Well, if one can

identify the needs of a customer and can create a product

which is required and if the product satisfies his needs

properly he would happily pay the money asked for by

the businessman. Hence profits are obvious for the

businessman.

Now let us be very specific to your own field. A doctor is

your customer. So you should first identify the different

needs of a doctor. Because only then can you satisfy his

Get Set & Grow 40

needs. With the definition of a customer, it is clear that

every doctor may not be a customer for every product. It

is his patient’s needs, his willingness to prescribe a

particular medicine and of course purchasing capacity of

his patients, which will make him decide to be a customer

of your product.

CUSTOMER SELECTION

In sales there is Paretto’s law which says “80 per cent of sales

comes from 20 per cent of the customers”. It is true in case of

pharmaceutical selling also. If you analyse your secondary

sales carefully, you will come to know about the real

number of doctors, who have really contributed to the sales.

Choose the right product for the right customer.

Only a few prescribers would have given you the

majority of prescriptions. Hence you will agree that

if you can identify the real 20 per cent doctors, (who

have got the maximum potential to prescribe a particular

product) and even if they give you just 50 per cent share

Get Set & Grow41

of their prescriptions, the secondary sales figures will be

beyond your imagination.

DOCTOR’S PROFILE

To identify the needs and willingness to prescribe any

product, the first and the foremost step is to familiarise

yourself with the Doctor’s profile. What type of practice

does he have? Is he a qualified doctor or a RMP? If

qualified, then what is his degree? Is he a simple MBBS or

one with specialisation? Most important of all is the type

of patients the doctor is treating. Sometimes it is observed

that a simple MBBS is having a better practice of TB &

Chest diseases than a Chest Physician, or a specialist may

be found doing general practice.

This is important, as each and every doctor may prescribe

all your products some time or other, but you have to find

out those products which a doctor prescribes quite often.

For example, analgesics are being prescribed by every

doctor but an orthopaedician or physician will have the

best scope for these products. For parenteral antibiotic

a surgeon will have a better scope than a physician

or a general practitioner. For anti-TB drugs scope will

be much more with a chest specialist or consulting

physician than a surgeon. Similarly, for a haematinic,

scope for sale is there with every doctor, because

anaemia is quite common in our country. But the best

scope will be with a gynaecologist and obstetrician

as most of their patients are anaemic. Specially a

general practitioner has got scope to prescribe almost

all of your products but there must be certain

products which he would be prescribing quite

frequently while others less frequently. Therefore, you

should choose him only for those products which he

or she prescribes quite often.

Get Set & Grow 42

Based on these guidelines if you will assess thepotential of an individual doctor, you will find only 5to 6 products that have the maximum scope. Well, theremay be few doctors who are well-known to you or toyour company and they might be prescribing morethan 6 products of your company, may be ‘once in ablue moon’. For such doctors too, you should selectonly 5 to 6 products for which they have got maximumscope.

So, you are trying to measure the doctor’s potential ?

They may prescribe your other products as well but yourexpectation from these doctors must be specific and onlyfor these 5 to 6 products.

The last step is to find out about the class of patients thedoctor is getting i.e. their socio-economic background.

Now you have all the required information with you, theneed of your doctor, his willingness/preferences to

Get Set & Grow43

prescribe different drugs and purchasing capacity of hispatients to confidently reach your goal.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Based on the above information you have to decide theproducts for which a doctor can be your customer.For example, every Gynaecologist gets lots of cases ofU.T.I. There are many antibiotics available to treatU.T.I. such as Cotrimoxazole, Ampicillin, Nalidixic acid,Flouroquinolones (Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin)etc. Certainly all antibiotics are good enough to treatU.T.I. But it is the severity of the infection and thepurchasing capacity of the patients which becomes thedeciding factor for prescribing a particular antibiotic. Sincethe class of patients coming to a particular doctor remainsalmost the same, so based on their purchasing capacity,he or she prescribes a particular antibiotic most of the time.

For example, a Gynaecologist getting patients of lowincome group, for treating routine U.T.I. would like toprescribe Cotrimoxazole, as it is the most economical andeffective antibiotic to treat U.T.I. But for a similar infectiona Gynaecologist, treating patients of middle or higherincome group, would like to prescribe Norfloxacin.Suppose your company is marketing Ofloxacin, in suchcase the doctors of the first category should not be yourcustomer. Because even if due to your persuasion he/sheprescribes your product, his/her patients may not be in aposition to buy the product. Similar is the case withNorfloxacin. First category of doctors will not be the rightchoice as they would be prescribing Norfloxacin in onlyselected cases. On the other hand the second categorydoctors will have more scope to prescribe Norfloxacin, asit is a better drug and his or her patients can afford it . Sowhile selecting any doctor for any product you should keepall these aspects in your mind.

One more point is to be kept in mind i.e. what will beeasy for you, to get prescription support for a product

Get Set & Grow 44

he/she is already prescribing (Norfloxacin) or a newproduct (Ofloxacin) which may be better than theproduct being prescribed by that doctor.

I remember an interesting case study. When aleading shoe company of USA wanted toexpand its business overseas they sent one oftheir sales officers to South Africa to assessthe potential. After a month he sent his report

along with a request letter to call him back. Because accordingto him no market exists as nobody wears shoes there. Thecompany called him back and sent another officer. The verynext day that officer sent a telex to the Company’s HeadQuarters, “Immense potential exists. Nobody wears shoes,send stocks immediately.”

So, it is up to you, whether you would like to convert adoctor to your product who is prescribing a differentproduct for treating the same disease or would you like toget prescriptions from a doctor who is prescribing the sameproduct?

Based on the above guidelines you can certainly categoriseyour product range i.e. Doctor A can be your customer forproducts 1,2,3,6 whereas Doctor B can be customer for2,4,5,6. After finalising your productwise doctor’s list i.e.Target Audience for each product, you must discuss thesame with your superiors to make sure that your selectionis correct.

MARKET RESEARCH

Identification of your customer is done, but what is thesource from where you can get information which isrequired to know your ’Customer’. Here comes the roleof your Chemist friends (Role of a Chemist will bediscussed in detail when we go to the third corner stoneof pharmaceutical selling). Many times chemists are alsonot in a position to provide exact information, e.g.Chemist shops near a hospital, since they get prescriptions

Get Set & Grow45

in the form of small chits, which do not carry any otherdetail except the product’s name.

There is another important source of information.It is B.H.T. i.e. Bed Head Ticket. It is a mirror, inwhich you can see the finest details of the

medication given to a patient during his course of stay atHospital, such as doctor’s initial treatment/prescription for aparticular indication and then the change in his or herprescription till the time patient is discharged from the hospital.It also gives you an idea about the dose in which a particulardrug/medicine is being prescribed by a particular doctor.

Yet another document which is relevant for youis Discharge Slip. Whenever a patient isdischarged from the hospital he is given a

prescription for the follow up treatment to be taken athome. This prescription is known as Discharge Slip.

Apart from product selection the above information canbe utilised for getting your products prescribed in thesetwo important documents by developing good relation/rapport with the junior doctors/nurses. Because they arethe ones who usually prepare these documents under theadvice of their senior doctors. It has been observed thatmost of the time a senior doctor gives verbal instructions,wherein while telling a junior doctor to write a producthe/she names it by its generic name. For example, “Givehim Ampicillin 500mg Q.I.D. with a B Complex and aCough Expectorant”. This gives you a golden opportunityto get prescriptions of your products, because if you areclose to a junior doctor who knows your product rangewell, naturally he would prescribe these medicines of yourcompany only.

A WORD OF CAUTION

For obtaining these information you will have to visitindoor wards of hospitals. Never visit in the morning or

Get Set & Grow 46

evening. As this is the time when both junior doctor aswell as nurses will be busy with senior doctors. Best timeto visit wards is between 12.00 noon to 4 pm.

PRODUCT POSITIONING

In the previous exercise you have found some tangibleneeds of a doctor i.e. which are the products a doctor usesquite frequently in his/her practice. But you are not theonly player in the game. There are hundreds ofcompanies marketing the same products which youwant a doctor to prescribe. Their representatives arealso equally competent. Hence, the question arises,why should a doctor prescribe YOUR product only?Or how to get prescriptions from a doctor for YOURproduct? At this juncture it is important for you tounderstand the basic concept behind ‘Pharma Selling’ i.e.although a particular product possesses clearly definedproperties and is indicated in specific conditions, the needsof your doctors who prescribe it vary greatly. Basicallythese are his/her patients’s needs.

Let us take an example of ‘Anti Rheumatic Therapy’. Theobjective of a doctor may be one or more:

* To relieve pain

* To reduce stiffness and improve mobility

* To reduce inflammation and swelling

* To arrest the disease process

* To avoid unwanted side effects

* To avoid interaction with concurrent therapies

* To administer a simple dosage

* To dispense a suitable presentation

(Tablets/Liquid/Injection/Topical)

* To ensure patient compliance etc.

Of course the extent to which a particular product willmeet these needs will depend on its pharmacologicalefficacy and physical form.

Get Set & Grow47

But in addition to these objective needs, a doctorprobably may have certain emotional needs. Forexample, he/she may prefer:

* a product that is manufactured locally

* a product that will enhance his/her status inthe eyes of his/her patients or perhaps his/her colleagues

* an old established product

* an innovative product

* a product of a particular representative who is closeto him.

Hence the chance of any doctor using a particular productdepends on how his/her individual objective andemotional needs are met by it.

Therefore, your success depends upon how you identifyhidden needs of every doctor and satisfy those needs.Naturally the company cannot produce a specific productwhich can satisfy every doctor’s need. But certainly youcan project your product benefits in such a way that everydoctor feels that this product is designed keeping in viewhis/her needs, which means your presentation should betailor-made i.e. as per the specific need of every individualdoctor.

If you carefully go through the strategy of yourcompany for each and every product you will find thatevery point is included in it. Most of the features andbenefits of a product are given on the same visual.You have to pick one which will appeal most to aparticular doctor. Because the strategies designed at‘Head Office’ are for all the 250 doctors covered byall the 300 representatives, which means 75000 doctorsin total or for that matter total number of doctorscovered by all representatives of the company.

But before we go further, let us try to understand what dowe mean by feature and benefit. Feature is an inherent

Get Set & Grow 48

characteristic of a product. Features convey only what theproduct is, which alone does not persuade a doctor toprescribe your product because there are several otherproducts available in the market having similar features.

On the other hand benefits convey, what a product offers orhow it will satisfy his/her patient’s need, thereby persuadinga doctor to prescribe your product. Let us see what a featureis and how the same can be interpreted as benefit:

Features Benefits

1. A potent anti-inflamm- Will reduce inflamma-atory tion and swelling faster.

2. Having low incidence Is safe and can be givenof side effects as long term therapy.

3. Inhibits leucotrienes too There will be no aspirin

along with related side effect such as

prostaglandins bronchospasm. There-fore can be prescribedsafely to an asthmaticpatient too.

4. An enteric coated tablet Will have less G.I. tract

disturbances.

5. Having twice daily dosage Will ensure better patient

compliance.

6. Small-sized capsule Will be convenient forpatient to swallow.

Therefore, you should have a thorough knowledge of yourproduct. What are the features of your product and howthese features can be highlighted as the benefits, yourproduct offers to his/her patients?

Some doctors are price conscious. For them costof a product is more important than any otherfeature. Most of the time it is true, both for the

doctors working in a Government/charitable hospital orin private practice.

Get Set & Grow49

Specially in a country like India where mostof the population lives below the povertyline, many times doctors prefer to prescribe

an alternative medicine which costs less than thatwhich actually should have been prescribed but whichcosts more. Now if you can highlight the additionalbenefits of your product successfully, it will certainlymake a doctor inclined to prescribe your productthough it may be costlier than the product he/sheprescribes quite often.

For example, Ampicillin as well as Cephalexin both are usedto treat routine R.T.I. Though Cephalexin costs more thanAmpicillin but certainly Cephalexin has an addedadvantage that, it covers penicillinase producing organisms.This feature of Cephalexin, if highlighted successfully, canovercome the price advantage of Ampicillin.

“Doctor, in the empirical treatment of R.T.I. when youanticipate a bacterial flora which consist of bothpenicillinase producing as well as non penicillinaseproducing organisms, I hope you would not like to take achance as there are number of pathogens which maydestroy Ampicillin but certainly not Cephalexin. Hencefor sure results in R.T.I. please prescribe...’

Actually cost is not as important as it is consideredto be. Many times it may create a barrier in yourmind. A doctor who is prescribing a particular

product which is costing less than yours, does not meanthat he/she is prescribing only because of its cost. Youshould try to explore the exact reason for it and then tryto satisfy his/her needs.

Similarly, for some doctors, the convenience which aproduct offers to his/her patients is more important thanany other features. Hence the appropriate benefit shouldbe highlighted to a doctor, which may appeal the most tohim. There is no need to discuss all the features and benefitswith all the doctors.

Sometimes the company’s strategy is to compareone product with another which may be adifferent product altogether. In this case you will

find, there are two groups of doctors. One who prescribes

Get Set & Grow 50

the product over which you want to establish superiorityof your product. Another group who is already convincedabout the product you are going to promote. In such a casea comparative study will appeal to only those doctors whoare prescribing the other product. Because a doctor who isalready convinced with the results of your product (maybe prescribing a different brand) will not be interested tolisten to the comparative studies. To these doctors you canhighlight the advantage of your product only, which maybe mentioned on the same visual. For example, a doctorwho is prescribing Ampicillin or its combination, for himcomparison of these products with Cephalexin will be ofinterest, though he may or may not get convinced. But adoctor who is not at all prescribing these products andprescribing Cephalexin, this comparison will not be ofinterest. To these doctors you should communicate onlythe advantages of Cephalexin from the same visual andcomparison should not be discussed at all. Ideally to thesedoctors such visual even should not be exposed as it willbe having details of comparison. In such case you shouldtry to find out the other reasons, which are influencinghim to prescribe a particular brand of Cephalexin.Accordingly a specific call can be planned. Similarly if youfeel that a particular visual will not impress much it shouldnot be exposed to him. Otherwise this will distract hisattention from you.

One more point is to be kept in mind i.e. thereare products which are used in differentindications. You should highlight only that

indication to an individual doctor for which he getsmaximum patients, i.e. as per his or her speciality.

Once your spadework is over and you are all set to startyour day’s work, make a resolution to achieve‘EXCELLENCE’ by planning, implementing and analysingyour work effectively on a day-to-day basis.

•

“Customer appreciates professional preparation because fewsales people do it.”

Get Set & Grow51

PLANNING

Planning is prerequisite in any sphere of life. It is true thatwith a proper planning one can achieve the desired results.In fact it is your planning which makes you a professional.Planning also saves you from wasting time. If you are clearin your mind as to who are the customers with whom youhave to meet on a particular day, you will save a lot oftime by not going here and there in search of a customeror in taking a decision in between working as to whomyou should meet next.

Once your plan of action is finalised, arrange the order inwhich you would like to meet all the doctors so as to callon all of them at their convenient timings.

Once this is done, arrange your bag with theinputs you have planned to give to each doctor.Here once again you must keep in mind the order

in which you are going to meet the doctors as per plan.Accordingly, for the first doctor whom you are going tomeet, inputs should be kept above, then the inputs whichhave to be given to the next doctor, so that in the doctor’schamber you do not take time in searching for theappropriate inputs. This is the time when the doctor’sattention is diverted and you will lose the total impact.Ideally, the moment you finish your talk, inputs should bein your hands, so that a continuity is maintained. To do it,you must cover samples/inputs by a hand towel. Beforeentering into the doctor’s chamber you should take out thesamples for this call and keep the same over the hand towel.

Do not forget to keep an order book and a pricelist with a pen in your bag. Even sometimeswhile going to meet a dispensing doctor you can

write the name, address and other details in advance on

Get Set & Grow 52

the order book. So that you do not waste any time as wellas convey a message indirectly to the doctor that you havecome to take an order from him.

PRE-CALL PLANNING

Once you are ready, your bag is ready, take a step ahead.You are in the battle field. Once again you have confirmedthe information from the chemist about the doctor’sprescription behaviour specially in the recent past. Take amoment, try to recapitulate. Ask yourself the three basicquestions that. WHY, WHAT and HOW?

1. WHY am I going to make this call?

2. WHAT is my objective for this call? Is it to get acontinuous support for the products the doctor isprescribing or to add a new product this time?

3. WHAT are the modifications required in the overallpresentation?

4. WHAT commitment have I to take from the doctor?

5. HOW exactly will I be starting my talk?

With all these preparations a successful MedicalRepresentative calls upon a doctor. In the same way youmake 10 or 11 calls per day as per your company’s norm.But what makes a Medical Representative successful isnot the number of calls alone but the results produced outof each and every individual call. In the next chapter, wewill take up one by one the minute details of a ‘Call’.

•

“If you have six hours to cut a tree.

You should spend five hours in sharpening your axe.”

Get Set & Grow53

CALL

On an average a Medical Representative is supposed to

make 10 calls per day. Average time spent for making a

call is hardly 3 minutes. This means only 30 minutes are

required to make 10 calls. But to make 10 effective calls

you may require 6 to 8 hours or even more. Reason is that

in between two calls you will have to spend some time on

travelling from one place to another as well as in waiting

for a doctor.

WAITING FOR A CALL

Even after an elaborate planning about the timings, you

may have to wait for a doctor. There are doctors, who will

call you immediately but most of the times you yourself

would like to wait for making a call. Because your prime

objective is not to simply meet or call on a doctor, but to

get his proper attention, which a doctor can give you only

when he or she is free. Hence, in your job, lot of time is

invested in waiting. I have used the word ‘invested’

purposefully as one can waste this time too.

Remember your doctor’s interest is more important

than your own interest. So you should always try to

call a doctor when he or she is ready to listen to you.

Though on your insistence or seeing you in hurry your

doctor may give you time. Although he or she may be

physically with you, yet mentally somewhere else.

The doctor will not feel comfortable. For example, if

a doctor is having a long queue of patients in his clinic,

he will be thinking how much time it will take to

dispose of all these patients, or how much more time

this representative will take of mine or something

abstract. When waiting is unavoidable a question

arises as how to utilise or how to save this time?

Get Set & Grow 54

FOR UTILISING THE WAITINGTIME

1. While waiting for a call, you are free to do anything.But it is advisable that instead of talking to someonewhich may not benefit you in anyway, it would bebetter if you go through your product manual/strategyguide. This will give you an opportunity to frame yourdiscussions effectively for a product you want to takesupport from that doctor in the same call or may befrom a different doctor whom you will meet next.

2. Sometimes you receive circulars/informative detailsabout your product or similar things from yourcompany, which may not require any immediateaction from your side. You may keep these papers inyour bag and whenever you are waiting for a doctor,you can go through the same.

3. If nothing of that sort is available, you may study thedoctor’s clinic. The different articles such as ‘showpieces/wall hangings and his/her table arrangementmay give you an idea about his/her nature and likings.If you are sitting near the doctor, you may listencarefully to his/her discussions with patients. This willgive you an idea as to what type of products he/sheprescribes in a particular indication. Sometimes youmay also come to know about his/her hidden needs.

A WORD OF CAUTION

These observations should be made so subtly that yourdoctor should not come to know about it.

4. Sometimes you may guess that it will takeunnecessarily more time in calling on a particulardoctor and you may lose other calls. It is advisablethen that instead of wasting your time you shouldhumbly ask your doctor, as to when you should visithim again? For example, “Doctor, should I come afterhalf an hour?” If you feel that to meet other doctors is

Get Set & Grow55

more important and you can afford to come some othertime, you may simply ask for it. “Doctor, should I comesome other time?” This will not only show yourgenuineness to that doctor but also save you fromwasting time.

A WORD OF CAUTION

If you ask your doctor for coming after some time or someother day and you do not turn up at that time, it will leavea very bad impression upon your doctor. It will reflect yourcasualness. Contrarily, if you turn up at appropriate time,chances are there that your doctor will call youimmediately.

Similarly, once you have sent your visiting cardto any doctor, you are supposed to wait for himtill he calls you. Because if he calls you and you

are not available it will again leave a bad impression onhim, not only about you but about your company as well.Some time it may take more time but you should bear it.Remember your doctor’s time is more important than yourown time. In case you are having less time and you guessthat doctor may take more time in calling you, instead ofsending your card or showing your presence, you shoulddrop the idea even of making that call at that moment.This will not only save your time but will reduce youranxiety too.

At last your waiting is over, you have a ‘Call’ from thedoctor. Before entering into the doctor’s chamber think fora while. Why pharma selling is known as a ‘Nobleprofession?’ Because your customer i.e. the doctor is highlysophisticated and courteous. So it is necessary for you toreciprocate in the same manner.

•

“Hearts like doors will open with ease,

to very very little keys,

and don’t forget that two of these are,

‘I thank you’ and ‘if you please’”

Get Set & Grow 56

SELLING ETIQUETTE

There are certain norms or etiquette which a MedicalRepresentative must observe to be successful.

FIRST COME FIRST SERVED

While going to make a doctor’s call you will find somerepresentatives of other company waiting to call on thesame doctor. It is an unsaid norm that anyone who hascome first must be given opportunity to first call on thedoctor. There might be certain doctors who would be quitefamiliar with you than the representatives waiting to callon the same doctor. If the doctor knowingly orunknowingly calls you first, it is advisable that instead ofmaking the call, you should offer the opportunity to theother representative who came first. This will reflect yoursincerity towards the profession as well as courtesytowards your colleagues.

ALWAYS SEEK PERMISSION

Do not enter into a doctor’s chamber without permission.Remember your days at school when you were told not toenter a class room till you get permission from the teacheror monitor. While entering into a doctor’s chamber, youmust ask for his permission and do not sit in front of himtill he asks you to sit. However on many occasions youwill find a different situation. Clinics of most of the GeneralPractitioners are open like shops. It is advisable in suchsituation, not to sit till your doctor asks you to sit. Keep onstanding at a suitable place from where the doctor can see

Get Set & Grow57

you. Do not sit of our own. This will not only reflect yourrespect towards the doctor but will also help you to attractthe doctor’s attention towards your presence in the clinic.If you sit of your own with the patients, chances are thathe/she may not notice your presence or even if he/shedoes so, may take it as if you are not in hurry and can waitfor some time. At the same time it is advisable that youshould not show your eagerness to meet him early.Contrarily if out of courtesy your doctor tells you that after2 or 3 patients he will give you time, you may say, “Sir,please take your own time”. Remember your objective isnot to take his time alone but to attract his proper attention,which he can give only when he is free. A representativemust call on a doctor only when a doctor is ready to listento him.

NEVER SIT ON A DOCTORS’S CHAIR

Sometimes you will find two or more doctors sitting inthe same room, specially in case of hospitals. It may sohappen that the other doctor is not present and you maysit on his/her chair since most of the time chairs are similar.You must identify the doctor’s chair and never sit on adoctor’s chair. Even if any doctor asks you to sit on theother doctor’s chair, it is advisable that you may politelyrefuse by saying “I am comfortable, Sir” or just “It‘s O.K.,Sir”. Sometimes a situation may arise that there is no chairother than the one for the doctor and another on whichyou are sitting, and a doctor enters into the chamber, it isadvisable that you should offer your seat to him. This willnot only show your courtesy towards the doctor whomyou have offered the chair, but also would impress thedoctor on whom you are calling. Similarly, if you arewaiting for a doctor in his/her lobby and the same doctoror for that matter any other doctor comes there, it isadvisable to stand up and then to wish him.

If you are sitting inside a doctor’s chamber, you have to bevery careful. You may feel that your doctor is busy in

Get Set & Grow 58

examining his/her patients but he may observe youractivities, specially if you are sitting in front or side of adoctor. Please restrain yourself from doing anything whichmay distract his attention. Preferably in a doctor’s chamberone should avoid talking to any one else. He may be apatient or a fellow representative.

Is it a doctor’s table or playground?

DO NOT PLAY WITH ANY ARTICLE

If you are sitting very close to your doctor’s table theremay be many articles lying on the doctor’s table whichmay tempt you. You should resist the temptation forlifting or playing around with any article on his table. Donot even touch any article lying on the table. Doctors maynot react or tell you about their annoyance but certainlythey feel bad about it. Instead, if you are really interested,as soon as doctor finishes the examination of a patient,

Get Set & Grow59

you may request him to allow you to have a look at thatarticle. Specially if you ask for a journal/book orcompetitive literature for reading it will leave a goodimpression on him.

DO NOT DISCRIMINATE

While working in a hospital you will find doctor’schambers in a row. It is observed that representatives arein the habit of calling first on a doctor whom they knowwell or who is a good prescriber of their products or whois having good practice, means who is having morenumber of patients and afterwards they may go to call onthe other doctors. Many times these doctors consider it asif they are less important than the doctor whom you havemet first. Though they will never let you know but thesedoctors are having time to think such small things andmay reciprocate in the same manner by giving you aminimum or zero share of their prescriptions. Hence thevery purpose of calling on these doctors will be defeated.In fact, these doctors are found to be more egoistic. Hence,it is suggested that you should call on these doctors first.Doctors who are busy may not even notice your presence,hence, may not feel bad.

Sometimes you will find husband and wife bothare practicing together in the same chamber orin the same building. Most of the times it is

observed that the practice of one is better than the other.Sometime the other person is just sitting and does not havemuch potential as far as your expectations are concerned.

It is obvious that you would like to devote more time tothe important one or to give more importance to him interms of sample units etc. In such cases it is advisable thatas far as possible you must try to maintain your gesturesfor both the doctors all the same. Because any disparitywill be taken otherwise. Also do not skip the call of onewho is less important. This may affect the productivity ofyour call on the other person. After all they are life partnersand would not like to see each other treated differently orgiven less importance. Contrary to this, if you treat both

Get Set & Grow 60

of them equally you will become a distinct and differentperson for them. This will certainly help you by increasedsupport of the important one.

There will be situations when you will find twoor more doctors sitting in the same chamber.

Preferably one should try to take separate time from eachone of them because it is very difficult to attract theattention of all the persons at one time. But if at all you arecalling them together, before starting your presentationyou must ask for their attention. While detailing you mustmaintain eye to eye contacts with all of them one-by-one.Otherwise one may feel neglected and gradually loseinterest in what you are saying. Further, while samplingyou should be very careful because one of them might bemore important for you than the other. But it is advisablethat both of them should be sampled equal quantities.Otherwise, the doctor who will receive less units of samplesor for that matter less importance in terms of eye-to-eyecontact, will reciprocate in the same manner. Hence thosedoctors (whom you would like to give special attention ora gift which you are not giving to others) you should callon separately, preferably at their residence or exclusivechambers.

DO NOT IGNORE JUNIOR DOCTORS

Similarly, if you are calling on a senior doctor or for thatmatter a senior resident and some junior doctors (Internsand House Officers) are also sitting there. You should notneglect them. If your company does not advise you to meetjunior doctors, you may not report their names in yourD.C.R. but you must give them a proper treatment. Thesame can be given in drawing their attention towards thevisual-aid means involving them in your detailing/discussion. These doctors are enthusiastic about knowingthe clinical side of the medical profession. They know themedicines by their generic names and remain interestedto know about the different brand names. They do not

Get Set & Grow61

require any input but your information will satisfy theirneeds. Remember, these are the doctors, who over a periodof time will come up and hold the posts which arebeneficial for you today. So, do not neglect them. In fact,this is the stage when you can develop your rapport withthem, which will be quite helpful for you in future. ‘Sow aseed today which will bear fruits for you tomorrow’.

DO NOT STICK POSTERS/STICKERSWITHOUT PERMISSION OR OVER OTHERCOMPANY’S POSTERS/STICKERS

You might be getting posters, stickers etc. While stickingthese articles it is advisable to take the permission fromthe doctor. You should not paste your stickers on thestickers of other companies. By keeping somebody downyou may never go up, you go up because of your merits,so does your product. Find out a suitable place, ask foryour doctor’s permission and then paste the stickers.Similarly, while comparing your product with any of thecompetitive products, do not take their brand names, taketheir generic names. This will not only show your genuinitybut will also save you from reminding about thecompetitive product.

SHAKE HAND: LET IT BE A PRIVILEGE

Hand shake is a very common gesture and we all are quiteused to it. Instead of ‘Namaskar’ or ‘Hello’, people preferto wish each other through hand shake. But when you arecalling on a doctor do not treat it as a gesture alone. Let itbe a privilege from the doctor’s side. If he offers you hishand, then only shake hands with him. Otherwise pay yourregards the way you want i.e. nodding your head or byjoining hands (Namaskar) or by saying Good Morning/Evening because every individual has his own intimatezone and very few people are allowed to enter in it. Forexample, to some of your friends you would like to say

Get Set & Grow 62

‘hello’ only. With some you would like to shake hands andsome you would like to embrace. You never greet all ofthem in an identical manner. Similarly, every doctor maynot like your shaking hands with him. He is your primecustomer and most of the time elder to you, so let it be aprivilege from his side.

INTRODUCE YOUR SUPERIOR HUMBLY

If your superior is going to work with you, that too if youare going to meet a doctor whom he has never met,naturally you would like to introduce your superior to thedoctor. Never introduce in this way, “Meet my AM/ RSM”or whatever may be his designation. Remember yoursuperior is important for you but he may not be asimportant for your doctor. Instead you should introducefirst your doctor to your senior “Please meet Dr so and so,a very good supporter of our (Product Name). Afterwardsyou should introduce your senior to the doctor by saying,Sir, today Mr. so and so, my AM/RSM has come to seeyou. There is very little difference in these two approachesbut these simple things do matter. In the first approachapparently you are asking your doctor to meet or getintroduced with your superior. While in the secondapproach you are presenting your superior to the doctoras he wants to be introduced to the doctor.

•

“If you don’t take care of your customers,

SOMEBODY ELSE WILL.”

Get Set & Grow63

HANDLING OF VISUAL-AID AND

POP-UPS

Someone has rightly defined advertising as “Making a 30second wonder” because within a short span of 30 secondsan advertisement has to sell a product by highlighting itsquality, when often in fact it may not have any outstandingattribute which distinguishes it from its competitors.

Your each and every call is like an advertisement film.Remember you also have limited time at your disposal tocreate a wonder in the doctor’s mind so that he/she ispersuaded to prescribe your product. Today the mostpopular mode of advertising is through TV media. Becauseit leaves an audiovisual impact which results in betterrecall/registration of a message. This is confirmed by asurvey published in a famous sales magazine.

REMEMBRANCE

After After3 Hours 3 Days

A. When something was 70% 10%

just told to someone

B. When something was 72% 20%

just shown to someone

C. When something was 85% 65%

told as well as shown

to someone.

A possible reason may be that it makes an impactthrough two different sense organs i.e. the eyes as wellas ears at a time.

Get Set & Grow 64

For making an audio-visual impact pharma companiesadopt different methods, such as Visual-aid, Literatures,Catch covers, Video films etc. Basic objective behind allthese inputs is to ensure better recall/registration of yourbrand name in the doctor’s mind. Out of these the mostcommonly used method is Visual-aid. To a great extentthe impact of your detailing depends upon how you handleyour visual-aid? If it is handled improperly, instead ofattracting, it may distract the doctor’s attention.

Though the meaning itself is very clear i.e. visual-aidmeans, visual support to your claims made in audio,through your detailing. Hence this should also be giventhe same importance detailing gets.

FOR VISUAL-AID HANDLING

Here are a few tips which will help you to get the best useof visual-aid.

POSITION

Visual-aid may be handled with the right or left hand,whichever is comfortable to you. Otherwise, after sometime, you may feel pain or discomfort in your hand andthe position of visual-aid will be changed, which willdistract the doctor’s attention.

DISTANCE

Visual-aid should be kept at such a distance from thedoctor’s eyes as he/she may read any point. At the sametime it ensures lesser distractions from the environment.

SIDE

You should try to place the visual-aid on the side from

where it is comfortable for your doctor to look at it, so that

Get Set & Grow65

for viewing your visual-aid your doctor should not get

tired. Ideally visual-aid should be taken in hand. If

possible, you may keep the visual-aid on the doctor’s table.

But while doing so you should not disturb his/her table

arrangement.

USE OF POINTER

If you want to highlight any point or attract the doctor’sattention towards a particular point mentioned onvisual-aid use a pointer. It could be a pen from its cap sideso that it does not spoil or leave any impression on visual-aid.

A WORD OF CAUTION

When you want to highlight one or two completesentences, such as references, do not move your pen/pointer along with its length. Instead place it at the start ofthe sentence and verbalize it.

SMOOTH SWITCHING FROM PAGE TOPAGE

After detailing a product while going to the next productyou should try to minimise the time as far as possiblebecause if this duration is more, doctor may start thinkingof something else. If it does happen wait till he looks backto your visual-aid and then only restart detailing. Best wayto do it is to keep mum till he/she looks back at yourvisual-aid. Now for reducing the time between twoproducts, you should be very clear in your thoughts aboutthe next product to be detailed. If it is on the very nextpage it is all right, otherwise while coming to the end ofthe detailing of present page you should start countingthe pages you have to turn. This should be done on thelower corner of visual-aid very slowly so that this does

Get Set & Grow 66

not distract your doctor’s attention. The moment detailingof present page is over you can swiftly change and turn tothe desired page. While closing the detailing of presentpage and coming to the next page you should use suchsentences which may maintain the continuity of yourdetailing.

USE OF POP-UP MATERIAL

Sometimes you will find that for getting additionalattention your company designs the visual-aid in sucha way that some part of it either comes out or slideson side by side or in any other way. These are knownas pop-up literatures. Here again if you handle itimproperly it will not only lead to distraction ofdoctor’s attention but will also spoil the literature aswell. Hence before leaving the briefing sessions ofyour strategy discussion’s meeting, you must bethorough how to handle or open it. Any doubt in thisregard must be clarified then and there from yoursuperiors. The time has come for you to utilize/implement the preparation you have done so far i.e.to communicate effectively about your product withthe doctor.

•

“Attention to detail can

make or break a sale.”

Get Set & Grow67

DETAILING

Detailing is the key word of pharma selling. It is the mostimportant aspect of any call. Detailing is the mode throughwhich, you, as a Medical Representative will pass on allthe relevant information to the doctor about the Company’sproducts. For example:

• What is the product, which you want the doctor touse?

• What for it is used? (indication)

• How will it work? (mode of action)

• What benefits will it offer to his/her patients?

• How does it score over other similar products?

Detailing has very rightly been defined as “the presentationof selling points in the most logical manner”. If you carefullygo through the suggested detailed talk provided to you byyour company along with the visual aid/literature youwill find that it covers all the above mentioned points. Athorough practice of the given detailed talk would enableyou to detail effectively. To be an effective detailer meansto be an effective communicator. Hence while detailingyou must remember all the points required for being a goodcommunicator.

FOR EFFECTIVE DETAILING

(a) You must memorize the text of your detailed talk

completely and correctly. This would enable you to

detail more spontaneously and that too with

confidence. Since there will be no interruption from

your side it will save time for both of you. At the same

Get Set & Grow 68

time it is equally important for you to understand the

exact meaning of what you are going to say. Or what

you want your doctor to perceive about your product.

Otherwise, it may become a monotonous recitation

and will no longer attract anybody’s attention.

(b) You must be aware of the needs and the limitations of

your doctor. For example, when you are working in

an interior market, calling on a Registered Medical

Practitioner (RMP), you can communicate the same

message in his/her regional language which otherwise

you would have detailed in ‘English’ as per your

routine plan.

(c) You must know the exact pronunciation as well as

meanings of different words given on your visual-aid/

literature. Any doubt must be clarified before leaving

the briefing session.

(d) You must bring the required modulation in your

voice to give life to your presentation. Finally, you

must have a good control over the pitch and tone

of your voice. We have learnt that it is the tone of

your voice which attracts or distracts attention of

others to what you say. I suppose you must have

viewed several T.V. advertisements wherein you

must have observed that if tone alone is changed

it can change the entire meaning of the sentence.

Hence i f the tone of your detai l ing is not

appropriate you may even lose the total impact

of your detailing.

(e) The most important of all is the eye to eye contact

with your doctor while you detail. It is a must. This

would give life to your presentation, as well as keep

your doctor’s attention towards you.

Though a model detailing is ideal yet many a time it will

become very difficult for you to know about the fate of

Get Set & Grow69

your communication, i.e. whether your detailing is going

to be fruitful or not? You can be a verygood detailer but

if you keep on detailing in the same way to all your

doctors you will no longer be a good communicator.

After your call if your doctor starts prescribing yourproducts, you may give credit to your detailing, butwhether the detailing alone has persuaded the doctor toprescribe your products is very difficult to know.

Hence the need for a modified detailed talk isinevitable. Depending upon the specificsituation, you may have to prepare situational

detailing, e.g. you are working in a bigger town, every timeyour doctor does not have time to listen to your routinedetailing. Even if he gives you time he may not beinterested to listen. You must identify the key points ofyour suggested detailed talk and then prepare a modifiedtalk in such a way that you convey the whole messageprecisely and correctly, so that your doctor understandsclearly what you want to communicate.

It is advisable here that before doing the same you maydiscuss the text of your modified detailing with yoursuperiors. Sometime you may even practise the modifieddetailing in front of your colleagues, so as to confirm thatyou are not merely conveying the message butcommunicating as well. It is important because some timewhile modifying detailing unknowingly you may changethe meaning of the sentence.

A WORD OF CAUTION

Modification does not mean to cut short the text, justfor the reason that your doctor might be bored withthe detailing of the same visual-aid. Though youmight be bored, as you have detailed the same visual-aid to all the doctors of your territory, on an average10 doctors per day for the last one or two months.

Get Set & Grow 70

Yet your doctor may not get bored as he has listened toyour detailing only once or twice in the same period.Otherwise when you detail keeping in view the need andlikings of a doctor, the question of getting bored does notarise.

These specific situations could be many, for example:

i. When the same product is to be promoted in differentindications to different doctors as per their specialities.

ii. When a product is to be detailed to a doctor who isprescribing some other molecule for treating the sameindication/disease.

Is it the right time to detail?

iii. When a product is to be detailed to a doctor whois prescribing the same molecule with other brandnames.

Get Set & Grow71

iv. If your doctor is in a hurry, ideally one should

avoid any such situation by asking the doctor for

a suitable time.

But if at all it is required to call on the same doctor you

should keep in your mind the time allotted by your doctor

and try to frame your total presentation in such a way that

you pass on the whole message. That too precisely and

correctly. But it needs creativity of highest order at your

end. A wilful effort and thorough knowledge of your

product will make it lot more easy for you. Whether it is

model detailing or a situational one, there are four major

objectives i.e. AIDA.

DETAILING OBJECTIVES

A: ATTENTION

To attract the doctor’s attention towards you and your

visual-aid, call for your doctor’s attention and wait for it.

Do not start your detailing till your doctor is with you.

You may ask “May I have your attention please?” or

“Doctor, last time we had a discussion on ... Today, I would

like to detail it in length”. Remember if you have failed to

attract your doctor’s attention, in the initial phase of your

detailing, you should not expect it in later stages also.

Ideally you should avoid calling on two or more doctors

together but if at all it is required, you must call for the

attention of both or all the doctors. You may ask “Doctor,

should I take combined time of yours?” or “Doctor, may I

have the attention of you both/all?” Sometime to attract

special attention of your doctor you may ask “Doctor today

I would like to discuss only one product”. It is O.K. But do

not detail any other product to that doctor on that

particular call. Otherwise you may lose his/her total

attention.

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I: INTEREST

Of course you may call for the attention of your doctor butwhat is more important is to sustain it by creating an‘interest’ in him so that he/she listens to you at least. Thisinterest can be created to a great extent by passing on new/relevant/required information about your product. Do notrepeat any sentence/message. Avoid using the word‘Doctor’ many times.

You have already learned that for being a gooddetailer, you should be a good communicator,that too in all round communication. Apart from

verbal communication you should have a good knowledgeof body language, so that you quickly pick up the bodysignals given by a doctor. It has been observed that doctorsin general do not verbalise their good or bad opinion aboutyou and your product. But they do communicate it throughtheir gestures.

Is he really enjoying your detailing?

Hence at this stage of the call, knowledge of body languagecomes very handy. For example, if a doctor is in a hurry,he/she may or may not tell it or verbalise it but he/shewould quite often see his/her watch which clearlyindicates that either he/she is in hurry or is not interestedin what you are saying.

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If at a particular point of your detailing a doctorgets interested about your product, he wouldtilt his/her head and lean forward towards you

or will start giving a more careful look to your visual aid/literature. You may take it for granted that not only yourmessage is getting across but it is creating an interest inthe doctor’s mind. Contrary to it, if during the course ofyour detailing a doctor leans backward or starts resting inthe chair, you may take it that your detailing is not creatingany interest in your doctor. Again, if it is followed by his/her looking here and there confirms that he/she has totallylost interest in what you are saying.

Similar gestures are given in a different mannerby those of your doctors who wear glasses. Ifduring the course of your detailing at a

particular point your doctor suddenly wears his/herglasses, confirms that the point just detailed has createdan interest in him. Most of the time this will be followedby the head tilt and leaning forward gesture. Contrary toit, if at all your doctor puts off his/her glasses followed byleaning backward or resting on the back of the chair, youmay take it that he/she has lost interest in what you aresaying.

These are few very common gestures which you will oftenobserve while detailing to a doctor (Figures 1 to 4).

Figure 1 Figure 2

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Figure 3 Figure 4

Under all these conditions/situations it is useless for youto continue with your detailing. You should quickly pickup these signals and try to find out the exact reason forsuch gesture. You may ask a question to your doctor atthis stage, which will certainly confirm his/her opinionabout you/your product. But if at all he/she says that “Iam enjoying, please continue”, you can take it for grantedthat he/she is lying because if that is the case he/she shouldgive a gesture like the one in Figure 5.

Figure 5

D: DESIRE

Next objective of detailing is to arouse a desire in thedoctor’s mind to use your product. You have learnt that agood salesman does not sell his product, on the contraryhe tries to satisfy the customer’s needs. Similarly, a gooddetailer does not only request a doctor to use his product

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but tells him the benefits his products offers to a patient,which ultimately arouses a desire in the doctor’s mind touse the same product.

You have learnt how to identify the different needs of adoctor. Based on your survey you may select right productsfor right doctors. But a deep study of your doctor’s needswill give you an insight, how a particular feature of aproduct can be highlighted as a benefit to that particulardoctor. Accordingly you can frame your detailed talk inthe right manner, so that it can certainly arouse a desire inyour doctor’s mind to use your product.

Sometime you will observe while detailing thatyour doctor suddenly takes out his pen andwrites your product’s name on a piece of paper

or in a register, book on his/her table. You may take it thatthe point just detailed has aroused a desire in him to useyour product. You must reciprocate by saying, “Thanksdoctor for showing interest in my product but I hope youwill also be interested to know” and continue with rest ofyour detailing.

A: ACTION

This is the last objective of detailing i.e. your detailing mustlead to an ‘action’ of prescribing your products by thedoctor. To ensure that your doctor remembers your nameafter you leave his/her chamber, it is necessary for you torepeat your brand name as many times as possible. Neveruse the word ‘it’, instead take name of your product andthen say so-and-so contains ... Do not say ‘it’ contains ...

Of course the detailing guidelines provided to you by yourcompany are prepared, keeping these objectives intoconsideration. Hence when you prepare a situationaldetailing it becomes your responsibility to ensure that thesame must fulfil all the four objectives of a good detailing(AIDA).

•

“Think only of the best,work only for the best,

and expect only the best.”

Get Set & Grow 76

CLOSING THE CALL

Remember the old saying ‘WELL BEGUN IS HALFDONE’. By detailing, you have passed on all the relevantinformation about your product to the doctor. In turnwhat you expect from the doctor is that he uses theproducts either through dispensing or by way of givingprescriptions. For doing this successfully you will haveto ask your doctor specifically. Otherwise he/she may ormay not use your product. Hence ‘CLOSE’ of anydetailing story is equally important as the detailing itselfbecause if you do not close properly you may even losethe overall impact of your detailed talk.

While closing your detailed talk, you summarise all theimportant selling points/benefits of your products andemphasise on that which had appealed to your doctor themost.

While closing you must not convey any doubt, hesitationor uncertainty which may distract/deriviate/confuse yourdoctor from using your product, such as:

(a) Do you think you may be interested in ...

(b) Perhaps you will try it if you see a suitable patient.....

GAINING COMMITMENT

The most important aspect of any ‘CLOSE’ is gainingcommitment from a doctor which can be done by askingspecific questions in such a way that doctor’s answerwould be their commitment. For example, to apaediatrician while talking for his/her commitment if youask a question “Doctor, will you prefer (take the brand

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name of your product) syrup or kid tablets”. The answerto the question will be the last word of the doctor hence itwould be the ‘COMMITMENT’ .

A WORD OF CAUTION

Never ask a question which can be answered negativelysuch as “Do you prefer (Cephalexin)?” instead you shouldmake a direct request to your doctor such as:

(a) “Doctor, please prescribe (brand name) to your nextsix patients whom you diagnose (indication)” or“Doctor, please give a share of your prescriptions for(brand name).”

(b) “Doctor, here are few samples of (brand name) pleasetry (brand name) on few of your patients. If you getsatisfactory results then may I request you to prescribe(brand name)?”

(c) “Doctor, should I send initially 10 to 20 packs of (brandname) for your dispensary?”

Your approach and the words used may vary dependingupon your relationship with a particular doctor. But youmust make a definite request which should be firm,positive and consistent.

Once in a blue moon, to take his/her extrasupport you may ask your doctor, “Doctor wehave a campaign of ‘X’ (Product name). So this

month please extend your full support to ‘X’. But thisshould not be repeated in coming months, by making asimilar request for some other product from the samedoctor. Otherwise it may lose its importance.

Having gained commitment successfully, mostrepresentatives try to rush off to the next call. Perhaps theyare frightened that the doctor may change his/her mind.Remember this is the time a doctor has just taken a decisionor is still evaluating points told by you. You must watch

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carefully for his gestures. Here are few common gestureswhich you will find quite often at this stage of the call,which clearly communicate that the doctor is evaluatingthe presentation (Figures. 6 & 7).

Figure 6 Figure 7

Hence you must give some time to your doctor for taking

a decision. At this stage you need to give an assurance

which should be simple and consistent. For example, “I

am confident you will be satisfied with the results of (brand

name)” or for that matter is convenient to administer”.

Apart from providing you a visual-aid and suggested

detailed talk there are other inputs as well which your

company provides you. A proper and effective utilization

of these inputs makes your call effective/productive. I

remember a short story.

Long ago there was a wealthy businessman who had

three sons. One day he called them and gave Rs.5/-

to each and made an announcement: “I will give my

whole property to that son, who would fill this room completely

with the article purchased out of Rs.5/-”. First day his eldest

son went to the market and bought ‘cotton’ worth Rs.5/-. But

the room remained half vacant. Next day, his middle son went

to the market and bought ‘hay’ but he also could not fill the room

completely. On the third day it was the turn of his youngest son.

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The whole day he sat thinking about an article which could fill

the room. In the afternoon he went to the market and bought one

‘candle ‘. In the evening he returned Rs.4.90 to his father, took

him to the room and lit the candle. At once the whole room was

filled with light.

In this way the businessman found the right successor to hisproperty who could utilise it in a proper manner.

There is a hidden message in his story i.e. inputs are not asimportant as their proper utilisation. So, let us have a lookat what are the different inputs available and how to usethese inputs effectively for better productivity .

•

“Your presentation is designed to provide reaction.

So watch carefully for signals.”

INPUTS

To boost sales, ‘Pharmaceutical Companies’ give variouspromotional inputs to their ‘Medical Representatives’.These inputs are the weapons given to a ‘M.R.’ to win overtheir competitors.

Have you checked your weapons?

These inputs are of many kinds such as:

(1) Samples

(2) Gifts

(3) Literature/Medical Review/Bulletins/Journals

(4) Advertisement in Souvenirs

(5) Sponsoring Medical Conferences

USAGES/ADVANTAGES OF

INPUTS

1. SAMPLES

These are one of the important tools in the promotion ofpharmaceutical specialities.

BRAND REMINDER

Though ideally samples are required to know theresponse of certain medicines, but in today’s scenariowhere most of the drugs are being marketed by manycompanies the situation is different. By the time yourcompany launches a product, doctors might have alreadyused the same drug. So sampling has altogether adifferent role to play, i.e. reminding the brand names ofyour product. No doubt it is your personal interactionwith the doctor and persuasion which helps a doctor toremember your product’s name, but samples work, whenyou are not there.

In case a doctor wants to oblige some of his/herpoor or known patients he would like to givefree medicines to him. At this time, while

searching, for a particular medicine, if samples of yourbrand are available with him, it will certainly remind himof your product.

Every company has its own strategy about thedistribution of samples and one must follow itstrictly. But if the samples of only one or two

products are given on a particular call it leaves a betterimpact. One product sample may be of the product he/sheis already prescribing while the other may be of a product

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for which you want to take support on that call. There arecertain doctors who develop some sort of affinity towards aparticular product and for their personal use they rely onlyon these products. Hence these doctors should be giventhose samples, which may satisfy their needs.

FULFILLING THE DOCTOR’S NEED

Sometimes a doctor may ask you to provide samples of aparticular product. You must try to fulfil his/her demand.

This will give an opportunity to remind him of yourproduct’s name. On the contrary, if you do not, youmiss that opportunity. Of course, there might besituations when you may not have samples of thatproduct and possibly may not be able to arrange evenfrom any other source.

It will be better if you show your inability to do so thenand there only. This will not affect you much but if youpromise and do not fulfil it, it will be a disaster. It willshow your casualness towards the job.

If any doctor asks you to give samples otherthan what you have planned for him do notmake a change at that moment. Give only

those samples which you have planned for him. Askhim when he requires these samples and make aspecial visit to deliver the same. Preferably thesesamples should be delivered at his/her residence. Thiswill leave an impression that you care for him/her.Moreover, it will reflect your sincerity towards thejob. These additional samples should be provided ina good presentation such as keeping these samples ina separate box or envelope.

A WORD OF CAUTION

While providing these samples, avoid the word ‘ask’

i.e. “Doctor, here are the sample you have asked for”.

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On the contrary you should say like this “Doctor here

are the samples as desired.” Though there is a little

difference in both of these approaches yet these small

and simple things matter a lot.

ANOTHER WORD OF CAUTION

Do not try to remind your product specially when you areproviding these samples. It automatically reminds himabout it. Otherwise your doctor may feel that you are doingthis favour just to get a favour for yourself. Let this gesturebe felt by the doctor with his/her heart.

HOW TO DEAL WITH SAMPLE HUNTERS

Some time you will come across certain doctors whoalways ask for samples of one or other product, apart fromusual sampling. Of course, if the doctor has potential youmay afford to fulfil his/her requirement. If he/she doesnot have good potential then you should think twice beforecommitting. After all you are a commercial person. Onepossible way out is that you may show your inability toprovide the same in near future. But if at all he/she insistsyou may commit for providing the same on your next visit.While calling next time, you may sample the same productthat he/she demanded earlier. This will not only help youto keep your words given to him, but also to check wastageof samples because these samples will work as your inputfor the same call. I would like to quote an incident.

My colleague who was covering MedicineDepartment of a Medical College, once told me hisproblem. He told me, “My sample quota isinadequate and it finishes very fast”. On asking the

reasons for it, he explained his problem. “Normally, I sample aparticular product which either the doctor is prescribing or Iwant him to prescribe. But many a time doctors require sampleof some other products. This way I have to provide samples of

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two products to the same doctor.” I suggested a plan whichworked well. I asked him “Do you fulfil every doctor’sdemand?” He said, “Yes, most of the time.” I said, “Then stopdoing routine sampling. Instead, after finishing your call, youshould ask your doctor if he/she requires samples of anyparticular product. If you have the same at that very momentfulfil his/her demand. Otherwise you may provide the same innear future”. With some hesitation he started implementingthis strategy. After that he has never complained about theshortage of samples.

Apart from these benefits, samples also enablea doctor to find out how exactly a product lookslike, such as its size, shape, colour, taste, whether

it is a tablet or syrup or capsule. If a particular product isto be consumed by a patient for long, doctors prefer togive samples as a starter dose. This gives you his/heradditional prescriptions. Because, after the samples areconsumed, the patient will buy fresh stocks of the sameproduct only.

Since samples are the single most expensiveinput, they must be utilized judiciously.Samples are usually provided to you for a

fixed period, may be for a month/phase/cycle. Hencewhatever samples had been planned by yourcompany for that particular period, they must lasttill the last day. For this you need to have a properallocation of samples available with you. Sameshould be done right in the beginning of the sameperiod.

FOR SAMPLE’S DISTRIBUTION

Effectiveness of your sampling to a great extent dependsupon how you present it. Hence while giving samples youmust keep the following points in your mind:

* Place the samples on the doctor’s table in such a

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manner that its name is readable and at the same timeit should look good. While doing so you should notdisturb his/her table arrangement.

* While distributing samples you must check theirexpiry date. If it is nearby, then the same must beinformed to the doctor. Otherwise it will have a badimpression on him.

* Sample bottles should be neat and clean. Those withworn out catch covers should not be distributed.Instead the tablets of these worn out catch covers orthe bottles of which labels are torn off may be given toa known doctor for his/her dispensing.

* While distributing samples you must keep in mindthe dosage schedule to be prescribed. Preferablysamples must be given for a complete course.

* Any outstanding feature of your product may behighlighted while giving these samples, such as sizeof tablet or capsule, taste of syrup etc.

* Do not take out samples of other products, which youhave not planned for him. Because if you take out thesamples of any product and then keep it back in yourbag it may leave a bad impression on the doctor.

* If a doctor is not available, do not leave samples as areminder. Of course if he/she asked for samples of aparticular product you may leave the same with themembers of his/her family or his/her compounder/assistant.

2. GIFTS

Apart from ensuring better recall/registration, a gift callsfor a special attention of your doctor. There is always anadditional objective behind giving a gift. Hence whiledistributing a gift you should keep that additional objectivein your mind, which is to be achieved in addition to averagesales of any product. A gift will not only help you toincrease the sales of a product (for which it is planned for)but will also help you to develop good rapport with yourdoctor.

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CRITERIA FOR DISTRIBUTING GIFTS

Gifts should not be given just for maintaining goodrelations. The criteria for distributing a gift should be eitherthat your product is being prescribed by the doctor or to aprescriber of competitive product. Hence beforedistributing any gift, you must prepare a proper list.

The cost of your gift hardly matters, whatmatters is how you present it. Therefore, yourpresentation should be very subtle. Do not let

your doctor feel that by giving gifts you are obliging him.Though, you must highlight the benefits of your gift, orfor that matter, any other outstanding feature, it may have.So whenever he/she uses/sees the gift, is reminded of yourcompany and the product you want that doctor toprescribe.

3. LITERATURE/MEDICAL REVIEW/JOURNALS/BULLETINS

If you don’t care, I don’t care too!

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These are the very special inputs which are liked by aparticular class of doctors. This satisfies their need foradditional information, which may update theirknowledge in a particular subject. Therefore, it is advisableto give it to those doctors only who have an interest inreading. The same should be given to them on a regularbasis. Otherwise the purpose of providing these inputs willnot be fulfilled. Specially before distributing these inputs,you must read it. You may even highlight or underlinethe important text and while handing over, you mustdiscuss the same. Chances are there that if your doctor isinterested he may keep the literature and go throughwhenever he/she is free. Just handing over withoutdiscussion, these materials do not serve any purpose.

4. ADVERTISEMENT IN SOUVENIRS

There will be occasions when a doctor or an association ofdoctors may ask you to get an advertisement for theirforthcoming souvenirs. This again is a very good input inyour hand which will not only boost the sales/image ofyour company manifold, but will help you to develop goodrapport with these doctors. Though every companyallocates some funds for this kind of expenditure yet thebasic objective behind any such investment remains to getadditional support from a doctor/an association of doctors.Therefore, before recommending any such case to yourcompany, you must assess the benefit in terms of improvedprescription support.

A WORD OF CAUTION

Do not commit anything on behalf of your company. Justrecommend it to the appropriate authority and let it besanctioned in its normal course. But once an amount issanctioned, you must ensure the return on this investmentin terms of increased prescriptions from that doctor orassociation of doctors.

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5. SPONSORING A MEDICAL CONFERENCE/SEMINAR/SYMPOSIUM

Apart from the benefits which you get out ofrecommending an advertisement, the additionaladvantage you get out of sponsoring a medical conferenceis that these provide an opportunity to get closer to thedoctors of a particular class/speciality. Therefore, you mustavail of these opportunities up to the fullest.

But the greatest input available with you is yourself. Soyou must ensure the optimum utilization of availableresources by a judicious and planned distribution of theseinputs.

Well you have completed a call. But every time it may notbe such smooth sailing for you. There might be obstacleswhile making a call in the form of objections/queries raisedby the doctor. It is a real test of your competence. Therefore,you must know what type of objections could be raisedand of course how to handle these objections.

•

“There’s always room for improvement.

It’s the biggest room in the house.“

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OBJECTION HANDLING

Swami Vivekananda has rightly said, “No good thingshappen without obstruction“. The same is true in selling too.Objection is an integral part of selling. In fact, someonehas rightly said, “The sale really begins with when the customersays No.“

WHAT IS AN OBJECTION

In ‘Pharma Selling’ for getting ahead, ‘Objection handling’is a prerequisite. Handling objection is an art to successfullycope up with a highly delicate situation. A successful‘Medical Representative’ always gets his way to come outfrom any such situation. Because for him objections are notan excuse for failure, rather it gives him an opportunity...

Let me read his mind.

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* To know about the perceptions of different doctors

about his product, company or himself.

* To learn more about his product.

* To tell more about his product to a doctor.

No doubt an objection comes as an obstacle in your way.

But, if handled properly, leads to big gains.

TYPES OF OBJECTION

1. GENUINE OBJECTION

a. Every human being resists change in his/her life, may

it be his professional or personal one. For example, if

anyone asks you, which tooth paste you normally use?Your answer may be ‘Colgate’. Now if he suggests you

to use ‘Close up ‘ or for that matter any other brand

will you agree with him willingly or will there be atacit question in your mind i.e. whether this new tooth

paste will be as good as ‘Colgate’ or .... It is obviousbecause till you are satisfied with ‘Colgate’ you would

not like to shift to any other brand.

Similarly, when you ask a doctor to use your productin fact you ask him to change from some product he/

she is already using and satisfied with its results. He/

she would resist any such change till you convince himabout your product. The human tendency is to resist

any change, which gives birth to an objection.

b. There will be young qualified doctors, who willbe asking questions about the technical aspects of

a product. Try to understand their psychology.

They have recently studied the subject. Now if youare telling them a new concept or product to treat

the same disease of which they have never heard

of, it will naturally raise doubt in their minds. Ofcourse if you can clear these doubts, you can get

their support as well.

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Whatever may be the reason, if an objection is raised, it is

sure that either your doctor is interested or not interested,

in your product. If your doctor is interested in your

product, he/she would like to clarify his/her doubts

regarding your product. For example:

Objection – Dr.: “You said the Plasma half life of

Diclofenac is 2 hours, but you are recommending it in B.D.

dosages.”

Reply – Rep.: “Your observation is quite correct, Sir.

Though the half life of Diclofenac is 2 hours in plasma but

concentration in synovium is found up till ‘12' hours. Hence

for treating ‘Arthritis’ B.D. dose is sufficient.”

Any such objection clearly shows his/her inclination

towards knowing more about your product. These

objections, if handled properly, lead to a successful sales

call.

2. NON-GENUINE OBJECTIONS

Many times an objection is raised due to your incomplete

or ineffective presentation. In such case your doctor may

not take a timely decision, hence raises an objection, as

either he/she wants to know more or wants to take some

time for taking a decision.

Sometimes if your doctor is not interested in your

product or presentation, he/she would like to raise

an objection which, either helps him to cut short the

discussions thereby saves his/her time or to have fun

depending upon his/her mood and time available

with him. Sometime an objection may be raised to test

your competence or as a false excuse for not

purchasing/prescribing your product. You must

interpret these objections correctly and try to find out

the exact reason behind it. These types of objections

can only be handled through your presence of mind.

I would like to quote an incident.

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I, along with one of my colleague was working at

an outstation. We had tried to meet Dr. Srivastava

twice but unfortunately could not get him in his

clinic. Dr. Srivastava was an old, qualified,

paediatrician. Since he was an important doctor, we did not

want to miss his call. Hence we went to his residence. Around

half past nine he arrived. Along with us a patient too was

waiting for him. So he first examined the patient and then

called us in. He appeared to be quite exhausted. After wishing

him, my representative started detailing. For first two

products which my representative detailed, he did not show

any interest.

My representative wanted to detail the third product whichwas our Pyrazinamide brand. The moment Dr. Srivastava sawthe visual, he interrupted by asking very casually “Why doyou want me to unnecessarily tax my poor patients with sucha costly drug?” I was observing his gestures, right from thebeginning and could guess that this objection has been raisedjust to cut short the detailing. But his question gave me a clue.So I asked him “Sir, if you do not mind should I saysomething?” He said “Yes”. “No doubt, Pyrazinamide is acostly drug but without Pyrazinamide your poor patient willbecome more poor”, I said. He asked, “What do you mean?” Isaid, “You will agree with me, that in the treatment of‘Tuberculosis’ relapse is basically caused by persisters. Until andunless these persisters are eradicated, relapse cannot be avoided.Hence your patient will remain in danger.” We both couldobserve that our message was getting across. So my representativequickly asked, “Sir, here is a reference” ... and continued withrest of the detailing. And to our surprise Dr. Srivastava listenedto the whole detailing patiently. So even an ingenuine objectioncan be utilized as an opportunity.

Many times you will find certain doctors whose objectionsapparently will give you an impression that these are notgenuine objections but an indepth study of the same mayreveal an entirely different story.

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I remember the good old days of my career as‘Medical Representative’. There was a doctor inmy list who was an ex-registrar of Paediatricsdepartment, now doing private practice. In my

few interactions, I found him quite a problem creator forme. Because on my each call so far made, he had asked meone or two questions which I could not answer. Besides thathe used to interrupt in between the detailing by saying. “Oh!I know it, come on the next”. He had never given me anopportunity to detail a product properly. Hence I was quitedissatisfied.

I discussed this problem with my fellow representatives, andthey too had similar experience. Hence I asked my superior toguide me. He gave me a tip which has helped me a lot. Heasked me “What do you want out of your proper detailing?”I replied “His prescriptions.” “But that you can get withoutdetailing” he told. I was astonished”. Is it possible? He said,“If you can satisfy him by giving a right answer to his query,it will be as good as detailing a product properly, because heknows his subject well, but if the slightest doubt enters hismind about a product he would be hesitant to prescribe thatproduct. Certainly he would like to clarify his doubt either byreading himself or by your reply. Therefore, whenever he raisesa query, make a note of it. If you can find out the answer inyour product manuals, convey it to him after some days.Otherwise, forward it to Medical Department at H.O. Afterreceiving the reply on your next visit, you may convey thesame to him”.

Coincidentally, during my next visit to him, I was to introducea new product. I had done a lot of spadework, such as in-depthstudy of my product, had anticipated certain questions, whichhe might ask, and had also done a rehearsal of how to reply tothese questions.

With all these preparations, I went to call on him. The moment

I took the generic name of my product, as usual he asked a

question. This time instead of trying to continue the detailing,

I immediately took a pause for a while, framed the answer

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and conveyed the same to him. With his gestures it was clear

that my message was received well and it satisfied him. So I

continued with the rest of my detailing. To my surprise for

the first time he listened to my full detailing. In the end he

asked me about the product’s interactions with certain drugs.

Since, I did not have an idea I showed my ignorance. After a

fortnight or so when I visited the same area to tell him the

reply to his question, it came as a pleasant surprise to me

when all the nearby chemists told about his prescriptions of

the same product.

3. SUBJECTIVE OBJECTION

Sometimes a doctor may have queries regarding the taste/

colour/side effects of your product etc. You should not

consider these queries as an objection. An appropriate and

convincing reply to these will satisfy your doctor.

4. HIDDEN OBJECTION

The most dangerous type of objection is an objection which

is not raised openly. Most of the time a doctor does not

verbalize his/her good or bad opinion about you or your

product, but he remains silent. Hence it becomes very

difficult for a ‘Medical Representative’ to know whether

he/she is interested or not, in your product. Naturally till

he gets a clarification for his/her doubt, he would be

hesitant to purchase/prescribe your product. So it is

important for you to unfold any such hidden objection,

that too in your doctor’s words. But this is not as easy as it

seems. It needs a careful reading of his/her gestures and

their correct interpretation so that you come to know about

his/her hesitation. The moment you guess any such

situation, change your approach, ask any relevant question

from your doctor, which will reveal his/her objective

needs.

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I remember an incident told to me by a colleague.He had a doctor on his list who was a Reader ofPaediatrics in Medical College. He had been callingon her for quite sometime, but was not able to get

her complete support, as she never used to utter a single wordduring the call. She was quite conservative in using newdrugs, especially antibiotics. My colleague selected her for anantibiotic which was launched very recently in India by ourCompany but could not get a breakthrough as far as herprescriptions were concerned. He tried to confirm fromdifferent sources about her specific needs so that he couldmodify his detail talk, but could not succeed. Hence ultimatelyhe decided to talk to the doctor himself. On his next call heasked a question to the doctor even before starting thedetailing. “Madam, while prescribing an antibiotic to yourpaediatric patients which factor do you consider the mostimportant?” To his surprise he heard the voice of the doctorfor the first time. “Safety of it”. When my colleague told herthat “ ... is safe for paediatric patient”, she further asked “Evenin neonates”. Since my colleague was not having any referencehe showed his ignorance but assured her to give a reply aftersome time. Later on after getting a reply from the head officehe once again called on the doctor for just informing that theproduct is safe even for the neonates. He provided her thereferences received from H.O. From that day she became aconfirmed prescriber of that product. After a year or so whenwe launched another antibiotic, which was again introducedin ‘India’ for the first time, it was an easy task for mycolleague, as he knew the hidden objection which might bethere in her mind. So he kept ready all the references,supporting its safety and started his presentation like this.“Dr. Today I am here to introduce to you a new antibiotic,which is safe for your paediatric patients even the neonates.It is made available in ‘India’ for the first time by mycompany” and continued with the rest of the detailing. It wasa pleasant surprise for us, when we found her to be the veryfirst prescriber of that product in the territory.

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This incident shows how simple it is for you to get supportfrom a doctor provided you know the hidden objectionshe/she is having in his/her mind. Because without havingan idea, of the same, you might tell him all the benefits ofyour products but the same may not arouse a desire inyour doctor’s mind to use your product. But certainly aspecific presentation, based on his/her subjective needswill arouse a desire in him.

To unfold these hidden objections is not an easy task.Depending upon your relations and his/her mood at thetime of call, you may ask questions which may reveal thesehidden objections. But your approach should be such thatyour doctor should not feel offended.

HOW TO HANDLE AN OBJECTION

Handling an objection needs thorough preparation andpractice at your end.

BE A GOOD LISTENER

The first and the foremost thing you require is that youshould be a good listener. Until and unless you listencarefully to your doctor you cannot perceive the objectionfrom your doctor’s point of view. Human brain can thinklot more than what is being listened to. So stop eventhinking before you listen to your doctor and understandhis point/objection correctly and completely.

At the same time you should be a good observer of bodysignals. This will help you to assess whether it is genuineor non-genuine objection. Once you have understood theobjection correctly, repeat it to the doctor.

For example, “You mean to say Dr ..... “ This will showyour genuineness to the doctor as well as give you anopportunity to know the exact objection. Because if at allyour perception is not correct your doctor will correct it.Ponder for a while and frame your reply. Even if you have

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a ready answer with you try to reframe it, as per thesubjective needs of your doctor. Then deliver the same.This will convey your sincerity and will let yourdoctor feel that you consider his/her view point asan important one.

DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE

While giving an answer sometimes you may have todisagree with your doctor, but your presentationshould be such which gives an impression to yourdoctor that by and large you agree with him but somesort of clarification you need from him. For example,“I fully agree with you Doctor but” or “Your point isquite valid Sir but. . . “ This will help you to draw yourdoctor into discussion. Once your doctor startsdiscussing, you may ask such questions which willreveal his/her hidden needs which can be satisfiedwith an appropriate reply.

NEVER ARGUE

Last and not the least, never argue with your doctor. It iswell said that “win the argument and lose the sales”.Instead of arguing if you try to understand why a doctoris pursuing an idea or a particular point, that willautomatically save you from arguing.

Every coin has got to have two sides and so does yourproduct, Company or yourself. Accept any negativepoint of yours rather than pursue unnecessarily thatwrong idea. This will save you from an argument. Showyour ignorance if you do not know anything instead ofgiving a wrong answer. Do not be discouraged ordisheartened if an objection is raised. Try to rely on yourprofessional skills, have confidence in yourself and withpatience try to find out a reasonably good answer, whichcan satisfy your doctor. This way you may make yourevery call a successful one.

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But how can you be sure, whether this was a productivecall or not? This should be analysed immediately aftercoming out of the doctor’s chamber. This is known as‘Post-Call Analysis’.

•

“Do not let the word ‘NO’ get in your way.

Every good salesman knows

A SALE BEGINS WITH ‘NO’.”

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POST-CALL ANALYSIS

After finishing every call you should ask yourself followingquestions:

* What have I done? Whether I have implemented thesame which I had planned or ... ?

* Whether I could draw doctor’s attention and interest?

* Was I able to communicate the required message?

* Could I close my call with the doctor’s commitment?

Answer to these questions will provide you an insight onhow to make your future calls more and more productive.

Till now we have discussed your normal course of actionin selling. But in sales two plus two is not always four. Itmay be five or may be zero. So you should never generalisea call. What works with one doctor may not work withanother. Because it is yet not known that what really makesa doctor to prescribe your product? Therefore, it is betterfor you to have an insight, which would enable you todeal in different situations.

•

“Handling difficult customers

need elaborate home work.”

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HIDDEN PERSUADERS

What exactly persuades a doctor to prescribe a particularproduct? This question keeps on striking the minds of notonly a ‘Representative’ but of a ‘Marketing Manager’ too,of any Pharmaceutical Company. Yes, no amount ofresearch is available to date which can reveal that whatexactly makes a doctor to prescribe a particular product.

Let me try to persuade him to buy.

In a market survey conducted by me and my colleagues

covering the doctors of all specialities and categories, somevery interesting facts and information came up. In this

survey we inquired, “Sir, what really persuades you to

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prescribe a particular brand?” There was a basic similarity

in their responses though there was a difference in their

respective priorities. Here is a summary of all the majorreasons which influence the doctor in general, while

prescribing a particular brand.

QUALITY OF PRODUCT

First and the foremost reason which was told by majority

of the doctors is the quality of product. Well, this is a factorthat is not under your control. But you should avail all

such opportunities, where you can highlight even a minor

quality aspect of your product in a big way.

COMPANY’S REPUTATION

Second reason which was told, is the Company’s

reputation. There can be many interpretations of this word

‘reputation’ such as if a company is multinational it isconsidered as good, or if its turnover is more or its ranking

in ORG (Operations Research Group) is higher, or if a

company is sponsoring various programs requested bydoctors etc.

As the saying goes “A country is known by its inhabitants”.

Similarly, a company is known by its people more so byits field staff, as it is the field staff that is in direct touch

with a customer/doctor.

So, you are the ‘lens’ though which a doctor sees yourcompany. Now it is up to you whether you would like

to be a convex or a concave lens. Being a science

student, I hope you understand the functions of theselenses. Any object, if seen through a convex lens, looks

bigger. While an object seen through a concave lens

looks smaller . Hence, i f you are sincere, yourbehaviour towards your customers is good, your

company will look good. In other words, company

will be reputed in the eyes of your customer/doctor.

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SINCERITY & REGULARITY OF M.R.

The next reason told by the majority of the doctors is, the‘sincerity’, and ‘regularity’ of a M.R. Your ‘sincerity’ isreflected in many ways - your appearance, your way oftalking, your knowledge etc. But there cannot be asubstitute for hard work. It can be depicted by only onething, that is your regularity in making calls on yourdoctors. These two qualities of yours will lead you towardssuccess.

I had a representative, who was a P.C.M. graduate,a young boy of 24 years. Naturally being a P.C.M.graduate he was poor in product knowledge. Sincehe was not familiar with the medical terminology,

he was not fluent in detailing too. But to everyone’s surprisewithin the first year of his service he came up as a ‘starrepresentative’. The secret of his success lies only in thesetwo words i.e. ‘sincerity’ and ‘regularity’.

MAN BEHIND THE PRODUCT

Of course there are certain traits of a MedicalRepresentative which influence doctors in general.Therefore while inquiring from a chemist if you come toknow that Dr. so and so is prescribing brand name of anyproduct that your company too is marketing. You shouldfurther explore about the reason for it, i.e. what may bethe factor which is influencing his decision? Is it the cost?Whether the competitive product is economical? Or it offerssome benefits that your product does not? If both theproducts have same merits then who is behind the producti.e. the concerned representative. Is he/she smarter thanyou? Is he/she better than you in communication i.e.detailing? Or his/her relations are better than yours withthat doctor. Now if any of the answers is ‘Yes’ then youshould ponder, why it is so and how you can score overhim? Accordingly you can improve the same qualitywithin you and get ahead.

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PERSONAL RAPPORT

Another trait of a Medical Representative which impressesa doctor is the type of relations a M.R. keeps with him. Everydoctor is a human being and would like to be treated as ahuman not as a machine. In today’s scenario the basicpurpose of a M.R.’s visit is not fulfilled i.e. providing newinformation. Most of the products marketed by differentcompanies are same and a doctor gets every time a repeatedinformation that too, more or less, in a monotonous waywhich makes him irritated. Now a question arises, how tocommunicate a message under these circumstances? Ofcourse the best way to do it is to first make the atmospherefavourable and then to start passing on the real message.Try to find out the area of common interest where you canattract his attention towards you and the moment you feelhe is with you, start discussing relevant points of yourdetailing. You will find that slowly and gradually you bothwill come closer and unknowingly develop a ‘relationship’.He will do all that he can do for you. His inhibitions towardsyou will be negligible and you will find it most comfortableto call on him. This way you both will be benefited as apartfrom making your calls easy and productive this will givean opportunity to the doctor to relax while you make his/her call.

I have learnt this art of keeping good relationfrom one of my fellow representatives. Kuldeepand me both were posted at Sitapur as M.R.Kuldeep had joined the territory after six months

of my joining at Sitapur. We both had common areas ofinterest. Hence within our initial interaction, we found eachother suitable and comfortable for being together. We bothwere doing good as far as the expectations of our companieswere concerned but one quality of Kuldeep which I admiredmost was his inclination towards keeping good relations withthe customer. I remember two incidents which might benefityou.

We were covering an ex-station from Sitapur. On his first visitto that interior, I had introduced Kuldeep to one of the most

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important doctors of that town, Dr. Kapoor. Just after two monthsit came as a surprise to me when Kuldeep refused to take dinnerwith me as he was invited at Dr. Kapoor’s residence for dinner.Of course, I could not resist long to ask and the next eveningwhen he was relaxing with me, I asked him. Kuldeep told mevery confidently the story.

On the day when he had called on Dr. Kapoor first time withme, he observed Dr. Kapoor asking his compounder to keepfew cassettes of Mehdi Hassan’s ghazals in his car.Coincidentally, Kuldeep too was a lover of ghazals but not of‘Mehdi Hassan’. He preferred to listen to ‘Ghulam Ali’. Soon the next visit when he visited the same town to call onDr. Kapoor he made a point to discuss with him about ghazals.Intentionally he kept his plan of action such that he visitedDr. Kapoor in the last.

It was around 2 o’clock, Dr. Kapoor had seen almost all patientsand was about to leave. Kuldeep asked “Sir, if you are not gettingdelayed, may I get few minutes”? Dr. Kapoor said, “Yes, pleasesit down.” He was looking tired. So Kuldeep started, “Must befeeling tired, Sir!”

Before Dr. Kapoor would have said anything, his compounderbrought a cup of tea for him. Naturally being a gentlemanDr. Kapoor ordered another cup of tea for Kuldeep too. In themeantime Kuldeep asked “Sir, do you like Ghulam Ali too?”It came as a surprise for Dr. Kapoor. “How do you know Ilike ghazals?” “Sir, last time I had seen cassettes of MehdiHassan with you.” “Well, I like Mehdi Hassan”, Dr. Kapoorreplied. “I don’t know, but I could not develop an interest forMehdi Hassan” Kuldeep continued. “It means you have notlistened to him carefully. I will give you a cassette, listen andthen tell me” Dr. Kapoor replied.

Since it was a nearby town Dr. Kapoor was also residing inSitapur, Kuldeep continued, “Sir, may I collect it today eveningfrom your residence?” “Of course” Dr. Kapoor said. “At whattime it will be convenient for you, Sir?” “Around 9 o’clock”Dr. Kapoor said. By this time both of them had finished their tea.

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So Kuldeep quickly brought out his visual-aid and after detailingasked firm commitment for two of his products. But in the lastdid not forget to say, “O.K. Sir, see you in the evening.”

In the evening Kuldeep visited Dr. Kapoor’s residence inhis casual dress. He brought a cassette of Ghulam Ali withhim. They had a cup of tea and exchanged cassettes witheach other. After a week once again in the evening around 8p.m. Kuldeep visited the doctor’s residence to return hiscassette. Since Dr. Kapoor was not available he left hiscassette along with two more cassettes of Ghulam Ali withhis wife. Next month when he visited the town of Dr. Kapoorit came to him as pleasant surprise that the products he hadintroduced to Dr. Kapoor during his last visit were movingwell. Once again he visited Dr. Kapoor’s clinic in the last.It was a Wednesday, the day Dr. Kapoor does not attendhis clinic in the evening. The moment Kuldeep entered theclinic he wished Dr. Kapoor. Dr. Kapoor responded with acheerful smile and offered him a seat. After seeing one ortwo patients, Dr. Kapoor asked Kuldeep, “If you are not in ahurry, let me finish all these patients and then we will talk.”Kuldeep said, “Please take your own time, Sir.” Just aftergetting free from the patients Dr. Kapoor asked Kuldeep,“So how are you?” Kuldeep politely replied, “Thanks sir, Iam O.K. How about you?”

Dr. Kapoor said, “It seems you have got a good collection ofghazals. I would like to see your collection.” “It will be mypleasure”, Kuldeep replied and brought out his visual-aid andkept it on his lap and asked, “Sir, may I have your few minutesplease?”

“Sure” Dr. Kapoor said. While detailing Kuldeep conveyed histhanks to him for prescribing his products and took firmcommitment once again for only two products. As Kuldeep wasabout to leave, Dr. Kapoor asked, “Your work is over?” “YesSir”, replied Kuldeep. “Then come along with me, I will dropyou” Dr. Kapoor said.

As soon as they approached Sitapur, Kuldeep asked, “Sir, wouldyou like to see my collection right now, my room is on the way.”

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Dr. Kapoor agreed and visited his room. It was a small but cleanroom with a bed, a chair and a wardrobe. Everything was nicelyarranged.

“Sir, while I prepare a cup of tea, you can see my collection”,and showed him the rack where he had kept all the cassettes. Dr.Kapoor was watching with interest and Kuldeep brought cupsof tea. While taking tea Dr. Kapoor asked Kuldeep to play one ofthe cassettes he had selected. The moment he heard thestereophonic sound of Kuldeep’s music system, he asked him“Which system is it?”

“Sir, it’s my own assembled system.”

“What!”

“Yes, Sir even the wooden cabinet is made by me. To play withelectronic components is my hobby.”

“But this is fantastic. I have a ‘two-in-one’ of ‘NationalPanasonic’ but there is no match of that with this sound”.

On Dr. Kapoor’s evincing interest Kuldeep told him aboutthe alternative arrangement. Dr. Kapoor said, “Do onething, take dinner tonight with me, we will finalise thematter.”

This was the day when Kuldeep did not accompany me for dinner.In the late evening when Kuldeep visited his place, Dr. Kapoorintroduced him to his family and showed him his ‘two-in-one’.In the meantime Kuldeep found an old record changer of Garrad’in idle condition. He asked if he could see it. After examining ithe told Dr. Kapoor “Sir, are you interested to invest Rs.3000/-approximately, I will convert both of these equipments in stereo.”Dr. Kapoor said “Is it possible?”

“Well, if you want”, Kuldeep replied and told his plan. Theydiscussed till late night and in between they took the dinner.

It was a Sunday morning. I found Kuldeep with Dr. Kapoorin his car. When asked, Kuldeep told me, “I am going withDr. Kapoor to purchase a music system for him fromLucknow.” They bought a Sonodyne stereo amplifier that lateron, he attached with changer and tape recorder of Dr. Kapoor.

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After that, I too visited Dr. Kapoor’s residence alongwithKuldeep and saw the arrangement. On my appreciation Dr.Kapoor said, “It is all because of Kuldeep.” Gradually theybecame very good friends, both in their personal as well asprofessional life.

Now, here one thing that I learnt from him is that it wasnot his hobby which helped him to develop these relationsbut his zeal towards developing relations with hiscustomers. It would be clear from another example whichI feel worth quoting here is of Dr. Tiwari.

Dr. Tiwari was posted in T.B. clinic at anoutstation covered by both of us. Again, I wascovering this town six months prior to his joining.But the way he developed his relations not only

with Dr. Tiwari but most of the doctors of that town, is atrait to be admired.

On his first visit to Dr. Tiwari, the doctor asked him to providesamples of a particular product. Though he had samples of thatproduct in his bag, but instead of giving it he asked, “Sir, Ihave samples but in my hotel room. Should I provide you rightnow?”

“No, you can leave them at my residence in the evening.”Kuldeep took a small carton from his stockist’s shop, kept fewbottles of that product and visited Dr. Tiwari’s residence. SinceDr. Tiwari was not there, he left that carton with his servant.Next fortnight when he visited Dr. Tiwari’s clinic, he was lateand Dr. Tiwari was about to leave. Before Kuldeep would havesaid anything, Dr. Tiwari said, “Thanks, I got it.” Kuldeepwith a smiling face said, “It was my duty, Sir! will it beconvenient if I call you at your residence?” “Why not! Comein the evening.”

In the evening when he was at his place, he found another

gentleman sitting over there and talking to the doctor. After

wishing he sat calmly. During the talks he came to know that

Dr. Tiwari wanted to send some important message to his wife,

who was in Kanpur. This happened to be the home town of

Kuldeep. When his guest left, Kuldeep quickly made his call.

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After the call, he asked Dr. Tiwari, “Sir can I help you in any

way? I will be going to Kanpur day after tomorrow, Sir, it is my

home town.” “Is it? Will you please do me a favour? When are

you reaching Kanpur?” “Dr. Tiwari asked.

“In the evening”, he said.

“Convey this message that evening itself. This is the address”

and he gave a card.

That day after reaching the city instead of going to his home,

he visited the address given by Dr. Tiwari. Later, he came

to know that ‘Kanpur’ is Dr. Tiwari’s in-law’s place. Kuldeep

used to visit his home town during the holidays. After that

he never missed an opportunity to ask Dr. Tiwari about any

work or message of ‘Kanpur’. They came closer to each other

and became friends. Of course, Dr. Tiwari was supporting

him a lot as far as prescriptions of his products were

concerned.

One day we both visited Dr. Tiwari’s clinic together to

give him good wishes for new year. Before we could enter

his chamber, we found a senior representative of some

other company sitting there, so we withdrew ourselves.

But Dr. Tiwari noticed our presence and called, “Kuldeep,

come in.”

“Let him make his call first, I will bother you in the evening.

I hope you have no other engagement”. Kuldeep said. “Oh,

come on! Have a cup of tea”, Dr. Tiwari insisted. So we

entered his clinic. It was quite surprising for that senior

representative who was waiting in his chamber for the

last half an hour, to see the doctor’s behaviour towards

us. He would not resist his curiosity and asked Kuldeep,

“May I have your introduction?” Before Kuldeep could

say anything to everyone’s surprise, Dr. Tiwari told,

“He is my brother-in-law”. Since Kuldeep used to call

his wife ‘Didi’ (Sister).

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After this incident I found yet another change in Kuldeep.

Of course, in his chamber he used to call him as Sir only

but at his residence he started addressing him as ‘Jijaji

(brother-in-law). Now you can imagine yourself that under

such type of relation, why a doctor will not support a

representative blindly?

A WORD OF CAUTION

Howsoever intimate may be your relations, do not try totake undue advantage of it. Because then you will spoilinstead of exploiting your relations. For example, yourrelation with some doctors may be very good and you bothmust be behaving like two friends, but never forget, he isyour customer. So when in his chamber or hospital, givehim the formal behaviour that you are supposed to give toyour customer and of course when only two of you arethere, may be somewhere out or at his residence, you canbe informal.

Similarly, in case of a doctor from medical college or froma hospital don’t be informal with your doctor before hisjuniors/subordinate doctors.

Another important point which is to be kept inmind is “for what you are keeping relations withyour doctor.” The basic purpose is to come

closer to a doctor and reduce unnecessary distance betweenboth of you, so that you can communicate with him, thattoo, without any formality and hesitation. At the same timeyou should not forget that you have to have a prescriptionsupport from him. So always remember that your personalrelations should prepare a smooth path for yourprofessional call and may help you in taking a firmcommitment for the prescriptions from your doctor.

Otherwise, even though the doctor would be willing toprescribe your product but chances are there that he maynot recollect the brand names after some time. I wouldlike to quote an example that I read somewhere.

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‘Lucy Show’ is considered to be the most popular TV

serial so far in the United States. But the sponsor of

this program went bankrupt as he invested a lot of

money for all the shows but the audience remembered

only one thing i.e. ‘Lucy’ and not the product which their sponsor

used to promote along with it. Though the popularity of the show

in terms of viewership had gone up yet it did not benefit the

sponsor.

Though it is not related to your type of selling yet it does convey

the message. Your ultimate purpose behind keeping good relations

with your customers is to get their prescription support.

FOR MAINTAINING RAPPORT

ENCOURAGE THE DOCTOR TO TALK

You must allow, rather encourage, him to talk in between

your presentation. If at all he wants to do so, because if

something is not clear to him it is better to make it clear

first. Otherwise chances are there that he will be thinking

about some points while you are detailing or discussing

some other points and your purpose will not be solved.

DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE

Sometimes you may have to disagree with your customer,

but your presentation should be such that you convey

your disagreement on that particular point only but at

the same time your acceptance in general should remain

as such.

PARTICIPATE INTELLIGENTLY

While he wants to discuss about his interests such as sports,

movies, music, politics or any such thing you must

participate intelligently. Here also you need to do

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spadework so that while you talk to him, he should feel

that you are genuinely interested and not just talking to

impress him.

HAVE PATIENCE

Sometimes even after having good relations and yourconsistent request the doctor does not prescribe productsthat you want him to prescribe. Don’t get disturbed, insteadtry to find out the reasons for not prescribing yourproducts. See whether your selection is correct or not. Ifeverything is correct then rely only on one thing and thatis patience. As it is said, “A man without patience is a lampwithout oil”

DO NOT INSIST TOO MUCH

Well, sometimes it is found that a doctor develops somesort of fanatic approach towards a product i.e. a doctor isconvinced or got some unexpected results from a particularproduct and he/she may not change to other products forthe same indication. Even though your product may havemany advantages over the product he/she is prescribing,yet he/she may not be convinced; then don’t insistunnecessarily. If this is the case then he/she should not beyour customer of that product, because it is the responseof the product which also influences the prescribingbehaviour of a doctor.

SPECIAL GESTURES

Sometimes even a small gesture of yours may produceunexpected results. I would like to quote an example.

One of my representatives had very good relationwith a doctor who was a V.I.P. in his list. Hewas prescribing our two or three products too.My representative selected him for a product,

which was a new introduction and a better product than

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what he was prescribing already. It was presumed that hewill be the first doctor to prescribe the product in histerritory. But to his surprise, even after three repeated visitshe had not prescribed it. Though on each visit he assured toprescribe. My representative was quite disturbed, so hesought my guidance. We did a lot of spadework i.e. askedour medical adviser to provide the details of superiority ofour product over the product the doctor was prescribing,other than what we have already covered. Finally with allthis preparation we visited the Doctor’s clinic. It was a fineevening around 8.15 p.m. when we reached there. A lot ofpatients were there. So we moved to make some other callsand about 9.15 p.m. once again we were at his clinic andsent our cards. Till 10.00 p.m. he didn‘t call us as two orthree patients were still left to be examined. When hiscompounder informed us, probably he might not be able tosee us even then, I asked him what the reason was. Hesmilingly said, “Today is his birthday and his kids are callinghim home to take them out for a dinner.” While we weretalking this thing the last patient came out and myrepresentative eagerly took his bag and was about to moveinto the chamber. I stopped him from doing so. By that timethe doctor himself came out and wanted to say somethinglike “Sorry, I am to go”. But before he could have saidanything, we told him, “Sir, many many happy returns ofthe day. We will see you some other day” and came back. Itcame to both of us as surprise when our stockist informedthat very next day the nearby chemist had purchased stocksof the same product, we wanted the doctor to prescribe.

OUT OF SIGHT IS OUT OF MIND

Sometimes it does happen that your doctor wants tosupport you but at the time of prescribing your producthe is not able to recollect your product’s name. Try to thinksome innovative idea so that he can remember yourproduct. You can keep a small paper bearing your

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product’s name below the glass of his table or any suchidea which can attract his attention at the time ofprescribing. It is true ‘out of sight is out of mind’.

Specially to the senior doctors of Medical Colleges/

Hospitals, after making his/her call at chamber/residence,

you must remind him/her the brand name next day before

he goes to O.P.D./O. T.

MEETING AT A CONVENIENT TIME

You should try to meet a doctor when the representatives

of other companies are not meeting. Generally

representatives are in the habit of meeting the doctor as

per their own convenience rather than as per the doctor’s

convenience. This is the reason with some important

doctors that you may find a rush of representatives.

Naturally he gives lesser time to each individual

representative. Hence it is difficult for you to communicate

your full message. At the same time it is difficult for him

to remember your product names.

You should meet these doctors at a time when

they are free of both the patients as well as the

representatives. It may be his residence, his

indoor chamber, ward or his clinic. Whatever it may be

the idea is that you should stand out among all the

representatives he is meeting. Of course, doing this is not

easy. You will have to allocate special time but it will help

you.

Sometimes if a doctor is very busy, mostly a

surgeon or gynecologist, your frequency of calls

matters them most. Here it is not necessary that

everytime you have to detail all the products in full.

Otherwise it will work in the opposite manner. Doctor may

be irritated. Instead if you just show your face even then he

may recollect your product. But everytime when you are

going to meet him you should have the latest information.

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Suppose he had prescribed only one prescription then you

may say like this ... “Sir, thanks for your prescription of ...

May I know, in what indication you have used it? Or “How

was the response of our product, which are the other

medicines you have co-prescribed.” Likewise any relevant

query. But your approach must be specific and to the point.

For example, if he had not used your product so far, then

depending upon his mood, you can question even “What

may be the reasons, you have not used this product?”

PRODUCT’S AVAILABILITY

Another important reason which was told is the free

availability of the product. Because if a patient does not

get a prescribed product, he will once again come and

consume the time of a doctor for taking alternative

medicine. To avoid this inconvenience to him as well as to

his patients, a doctor generally prescribes a brand which

is easily available with the nearby chemist’s shop.

I would like to quote an interesting example. One

of my representatives had sought my guidance as

one of his V.I.P. doctor who used to prescribe a

particular product stopped prescribing that. I asked

my representative, “What is the reason you foresee for his non

cooperation? Is there any change in your behaviour towards

the doctor?” He replied “No”. Then I asked him, “Have you

ever asked your doctor?”. He said, “Yes, he says your product

is not available to my patients though it is available in the

market. Of course long back there was a shortage of this product

since then the doctor stopped prescribing”. With these

discussions, we entered the doctor’s chamber. After the detailing

I asked, “Sir, it seems you have lost confidence in our product.

Because in the recent past we have not received any prescription

of this product.

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He replied, “I want to prescribe but your product is not

available.” My representative told him the names of a few

chemist’s shops where the product was readily available. “But

my patients generally go to ... “, and he named two chemists

shop. When we visited both the chemists, we found the doctor

was correct as the product was not available with both the

chemists. Since they had not received any prescription of that

product in recent past so they were hesitant to keep that

product.

I advised my representative to take stocks personally fromthe stockist and keep the product with these chemists on‘consignment basis’ i.e. payment will be made only after thegoods were sold.

After making the product available with those chemists hechecked stocks of the same product with other chemists andvisited the same doctor after two or three days that too withouthis working bag.

“Sir, I have made... available with all the nearbychemists, specially with so and so.” (the name which thedoctor had told us). Since that day the doctor is again prescribingthat product.

The purpose of quoting this example, is that it shows manythings. The first thing, of course, is the need for making aproduct available before we ask for prescriptions from adoctor for that product. Secondly, it needs some extraefforts to reinitiate prescription support from a doctor justlike an engine consumes more energy to restart. Third isthe perception. Everybody perceives in his own way. Youmust have read that story, when a person sees an ordinaryrope and considers it as a snake. It happens with all humanbeings. If anything leaves a good or bad impact on you itremains in your subconscious mind and under a similarsituation it interferes with the function to interpret amessage correctly.

Take the doctor’s case mentioned above. It is not necessarythat every patient to whom he might have prescribed thatproduct, would have gone to the two chemists he named.

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He never took a chance to find out the availability withother chemists. Doctor’s perception was, since it is notavailable with those two chemists, hence it may not beavailable with others too. Therefore, while interacting witha doctor, you have to be very vigilant and careful so thathe may perceive the message in the way you want it to be.It is observed that representatives are in the habit of saying,“Sir, my product is freely available and none of yourprescriptions will be dishonoured.” Instead you shouldsay, “Sir, every prescription of yours will be honoured.”Because you never know how he is going to perceive.Moreover it is a positive approach.

A WORD OF CAUTION

There is one factor which may either strengthen or spoil,whatsoever good relationship you have with your doctor,i.e. trustworthiness. Any medical representative who keepshis/her word, and promises to fulfil the needs of his doctorin time, stands apart. He/she gets special attention of thedoctor which is reflected by his increased prescriptionsupport. So never deceive your customer. “A frank andhonest ‘No’ is better than a false promise”.

Having seen this corner, we shall now move on to the nextcorner of ‘Pharma Selling’ .

•

“Promotion is an art when you sell something

nobody wants.”

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CHEMIST

‘Pharma Selling’ is more personalized, nothing remains

constant for long at the market place. Many new products

are being launched while the old ones are withdrawn. Since

the ‘Pharmaceutical specialities’ are high priority products,

prices are controlled by the Government. At the same time

most of their ingredients are imported and cost of your

product as well as of the competitors keep on getting

revised. New doctors keep pouring in while few leave your

territory. Suddenly it may so happen that the product of a

particular competitor starts becoming a threat to your

product’s sale. This may be either due to the advantages it

may offer over your product through product extension

or there is a new man behind it.

When you have to operate under such dynamic situation,

it becomes inevitable for you to keep a close watch on

whatever is happening at your market place. But what

source is available to you which can provide such

information? Of course, it is none other than a chemist.

Because he is the person who remains in close contact with

your customer throughout the month i.e. ‘Doctor’. Only

he can tell you about any such change at your market place.

Apart from these information to identify the various needs

as well as willingness of a doctor to prescribe your product,

you must have specific information, on which you can

frame your presentation for him. In addition to this you

need to have information which may help you to measure

the effectiveness of each and every sales call made by you

and at the same time give you a clue to modify your

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presentation for successive calls.

For all such information, too, you need to depend upon aChemist/Pharmacy/Retailer. Apart from this you need tohave your products available with almost all the Chemistshops of your territory. Because success of your efforts, madeduring the doctor’s call can be measured in terms ofprescriptions that call has generated and in turn the quantityof your product sold by those chemist/retailer/pharmacy.Hence to realise your sales efforts into the business, youneed to depend upon a chemist/retailer/pharmacy.

RETAILING

Someone has rightly defined all such activities which a‘Medical Representative’ performs at the chemist/retailercounter as ‘Retailing’. No doubt retailing is an art. Just likeany other art retailing too requires your organised andsystematic effort. Remember your chemist friends are alsoan important part of your business. Hence a courteousbehaviour, and proper treatment must be given to them.It is observed that majority of representatives do not takea chemist call as seriously as they should e.g. if you arevisiting a chemist shop without your bag (left behind onyour vehicle) or while smoking or chewing ‘Pan Masala’certainly it will reflect your casualness. Your chemist friendwill also reciprocate by not considering your demandseriously which may be a request for placing order or

simply providing you with information.

FOR AN EFFECTIVE RETAIL CALL

Here are few tips which will help you to make every callto the chemist, a successful one.

DEVELOP RAPPORT

Just like a doctor you need to develop rapport with your

chemist too. The same can be done only by your regular

visits to them. To get the best mileage out of every chemist

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call you should keep in your mind their convenient timing

because just like any other salesperson their prime objective

will be to entertain their customers at the earliest. Naturally

they would like to entertain the patient first and then you.

Sometimes it will be quite inconvenient for you to meet

certain chemists at their convenient timings. But you will

have to spare time for that. After all it is your job. Your

chemist can get the information/benefits from other

sources which otherwise you would have given to him.

But you cannot get the same information/benefits he can

provide you, from any other source.

KNOW THEM BY NAME

It is better if you know your chemist friends by their names,

thereby you can give a personalized touch to your call.

But what is more important is to have atleast one of his/

her salesman known to you with his/her name because

he/she is the one who is mainly dealing with the

prescriptions of doctors and having an exact idea about

the stocks of different products, liquidated from and

available in their shop. Most of the time owner of the shop

deals with the cash transaction only.

FOR ASSESSING THE LAST CALL

You may start your chemist call by asking questions which

will reveal the results produced by an individual doctor’s

call made last time. But the same should be done in such a

manner which shows your concern towards him.

For example, you need to have information like:

(a) Dr. so and so has prescribed product X or. .. ?

(b) If prescribed, in what quantity? How many

prescriptions were received by that chemist?

(c) How many tablets/bottles sold by him?

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While asking these questions, you should frame your

sentences in a manner which makes your chemist feel

as if you are more worried about the liquidation of his

stocks.

FOR ASSESSING MARKET POTENTIAL

Similarly, if you want to enquire about the market potential

of a particular product in that area, which either your

company wants to launch or promote vigorously in coming

months, you will require the following information:

* What are the different brands he sells of that product?

* Which is the single largest selling brand with him?

* How many boxes/bottles he sells of that brand?

* Who are the major prescribers of that brand?

* How many prescriptions does he receive of that brand

in a day?

Similar information can be obtained about the second

largest brand. But the correctness of this information will

depend upon, how you ask these questions, as well as the

type of relation you keep with him.

FOR ENSURING INFORMATION

Around 60 to 70 per cent sales of majority of the chemists

depend upon the prescriptions of only two or three doctors,

hence preferably from a chemist, you should take

information only about these two or three doctors. Same

can be validated by taking similar information from the

nearby one or two chemists, because information given

by a chemist is always subjective. For some chemists 2 or 3

prescriptions per day of your product means fast

movement while for another chemist it may be slow

movement. In any case you should not take information

for more than three doctors from a particular chemist.

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A WORD OF CAUTION

Remember your chemist friend gives you information

because ultimately it benefits him. But if you do not take

an appropriate action on the information given by him

during your last visit, he may not provide you with correct

information in future.

MAKE USE OF CHEMIST’S CASH-MEMO BOOK

Many times your chemist friends are not in a position to

give you specific information. There are 60000 branded

products available in our country. Out of which almost

2000 to 3000 are available with any good chemist. With

such a heavy load on their memory it is impossible for

them to give you a specific information, that too which

you want on your every visit.

Here comes the use of chemist’s cash memo

books. It can provide you all information which

you require from a chemist. A chemist’s cash

memo carries name of the patients along with the doctor’s

name and the medicines prescribed to them. Just like a

B.H.T. a cash memo too is a store of information for you.

By a careful observation of a cash memo book you can

also come to know:

(A) What types of patients are visiting a particular doctor

i.e. age/sex etc.

(B) Doctors who prescribe a particular product/group in

that area i.e. what are their preferences?

(C) Out of these doctors who are the good prescribers of

that particular product. (means who prescribe it

frequently and that too in good quantity and which is

purchased by their patients too.)

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Apart from taking information, a major objective of a

chemist call is to make your product available. Hence let

us see what may make your personal/pen booking more

productive.

•

“Customers prefer to give sales

to the caring sales persons.”

Get Set & Grow123

PERSONAL ORDER BOOKING

In today’s competitive market ‘Personal order booking’ hasits own importance. Apart from making the productavailable, it serves the purpose of direct selling.

Though in any kind of selling, availability at the retailcounter is a must but in ‘Pharmaceutical selling’ it is aprerequisite because primarily the consumer ofPharmaceutical industry that patient has got no choice ofhis own. Secondly, he is totally ignorant about the usagesof different medicines. If a patient goes to a chemist shopand any of the medicine prescribed to him is not available,he will have to come back to the doctor for taking analternative medicine, which causes a lot of inconvenienceto him. He/she would prefer to go to a chemist shop whereall the products prescribed are available. This will resultin loss of sale of the product, which were available withthe first chemist.

ENSURING AVAILABILITY

Specially if you are launching a new product, before youdetail the product to a doctor it is a must that your productis available with the nearby chemist. Otherwise, yourdoctor will not only lose confidence in your product butin you and your company as well. Ultimately the productlaunch will be a flop. In future it will be very difficult foryou to get prescription support from the same doctor forthat very product. Sometimes you may face resistance fromthe chemists for stocking a new product. In such case asmall quantity, such as half box or even a few strips/bottlescan be booked. But you must ensure availability of yourproduct before you detail that product to any doctor.

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TO CHECK SUBSTITUTION

Since the consumer of ‘Pharmaceutical specialities’ isignorant about the usages of medicines, sometimeschemists try to substitute the product prescribed with aproduct available with them. In doing so sometimes theymay give a substandard product. This will not only affectthe reputation of you and your company but the productwill also carry a bad name.

Many times patients initially do not consult a doctor forcommon problems like skin problems, cough and cold,different types of pains, gastric disturbances, fever etc.Instead they prefer to go to a chemist shop directly to getthe medicines. In this case the chemist has got liberty togive any product. Naturally the product which is availablewith him in good quantity gets the preference. Hence forthe products like topical creams, expectorants, analgesics,enzyme preparations, antipyretics and many more,‘personal order booking’ serves the purpose of ‘directselling’.

FOR PERSONAL ORDER BOOKING

A. Your prime objective for every chemist call other thangetting information, is to book your products fromhim for his counter sales. But your approach shouldbe such that your chemist friends should not feel thatyou came only to do order booking. Hence it isadvisable that instead of opening your order book,start your discussions by telling him benefits. Themoment he seems to be interested in the deal, youshould bring out your order book and place it in frontof him.

B. Just like any other customer you will have to keep inmind the different needs and limitations of a chemist.Some chemists are always interested in buying aproduct in good quantity which is available on freescheme. In that case you can highlight the productsfirst which are on free scheme.

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C. Some chemists always prefer to give order of their

choice. The moment you start discussions they will

ask you to send ‘X’ packs of a particular product.

Welcome their attitude and note down these products

first. But you must request for an order of other

products as well. Because they may forget one or other

product which may also be required by them.

Sometimes if they have any product in less quantity

such as few strips or bottles only, they may place

additional order on your insistence/reminder.

D. Sometimes you may exaggerate the profit margins by

telling the net cost of your product i.e. after converting

the free scheme in rupee value and deducting the same

from the wholesale price. Because difference from this

net price to M.R.P. (maximum retail price) will look

more lucrative than from the wholesale to M.R.P. Being

a gimmick, it should not be implemented as a routine.

E. Free scheme facilitates you to book more orders but

you may further enhance it, by giving higher options

to the chemists. For example, if you are having a free

scheme of 55+5 strips on any product, your chemist

friends will place order only for this quantity, though

they may have more demand for that product. In such

a case where you guess that free scheme quantity is

less than the demand of any product, always ask for

higher quantities. Such as 110 + 10. Even if a chemist

orders for 77+7 or 88+8 you will get additional sales

of 22 or 33 strips. The same is applicable when you are

booking products without free scheme. Always give

an option to your customer i.e. should I send you 10

or 20 strips. Most of the time you will find that if not

the higher one, at least you will get some additional

order than the lower option.

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A WORD OF CAUTION

With all your efforts once you have booked an order itbecomes your responsibility to ensure the execution of thesame. Because if you book an order and it is not executedthe chemist will lose sales as he may not place order forthe same products with any other stockist. But he is notthe only loser, you will also lose sales. If at all it is repeated,the chemist may lose confidence in you and in future youmay not get any order from him.

While booking a chemist you must keep in mindthe payment position. Because you may bookany quantity but if your stockist has got some

dues on the same chemist he may not execute his order.Similarly, if you book an order for a product which is notavailable with your stockist the same will not be executed.In both the situations your efforts will be wasted. Hencebefore going to a particular market you should haveknowledge about the payment position of all the importantchemists of that market as well as stocks available with

Availability is not the end, you have to liquidate it too.

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your stockist. In case any product is not available it is betterto inform your chemist about it. Otherwise not only adoctor but a chemist too, gets irritated for thenon-availability of the product. If any of the productsprescribed is not available a patient prefers to go to anothershop which results in a net loss of sales to him, of theproducts, which were available with him.

A WORD OF CAUTION

If you book a chemist heavily and then do not put thesame efforts at the doctor’s level for its liquidation yourefforts at the chemist level will not be of any use. The nexttime the chemist will not entertain you and you will lose agood customer forever.

Another important point which is to be kept inmind is that if any chemist/retailer informs youabout the stocks of near expiry with him you

must take appropriate steps to liquidate the same beforethey get expired. Some time you may shift these stocks tosome other chemist/retailer who is having fast movementof that product or request the nearby doctor to give someadditional prescriptions of that product.

•

“If we keep our customers happy,

they will keep us in business.”

Get Set & Grow 128

STOCKIST

A Stockist/Distributor is your direct customer. Hepurchases your products directly from the ‘company’ andcaters it to the chemists/retailers, who ultimately sells itto the consumer i.e. the patient.

WHY A STOCKIST

This is the point where your selling efforts put so farculminate into actual sales. This is the point from whereyou will come to know:

1. Which are the products selling well in your territoryand which others need improvement?

2. How is the movement of various products in differentmarkets of your territory?

3. A stockist may also provide you the informationregarding the movement of competitive products indifferent markets.

The above information will give you valuable data forplanning your sales.

Most of the time you will find stockist already existing inyour territory, whom your company has authorised foryour territory. If at all you have to appoint a new stockist,you must be very careful and do an elaborate survey.

WHO SHOULD BE A STOCKIST

A party whom you want to appoint as a Stockist:

1. Must have sound financial background so that he canmaintain proper inventory of your products, and canmake timely payments to your company.

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2. Preferably the stockist should be situated at your

headquarter town or an outstation town. Otherwise it

will be difficult for him to cater to all parts of your

territory effectively.

Another point which you must take into consideration

is that outstation town where you want to appoint

stockists must be well connected with the Depot/C&S

town. This will ensure quick and regular supply to

your stockist from the Depot/C&S.

3. Must possess good distribution channel and other

means such as salesmen, delivery van, godown etc.

4. Must have good rapport with customers of your

territory that is chemists, doctors, nursing homes and

government institutions.

5. Apart from these you must be in touch with the

companies they are working for, as well as their status

in the local trade union. While discussing with the

representatives of other companies (for which they are

working) you will come to know about their dealing

with the companies as well as with the customers.

6. Must be willing to abide by your company’s rules and

regulations meant for them.

A party who fulfils all these requirements can be

recommended to your superiors for final approval.

Well! When these are your expectations from a Stockist,

obviously your stockist too, might have some expectations

from you.

AFTER SALES SERVICE

Though this term is quite popular and you must have heard

it many times, yet you must be wondering as to what kind

of ‘After Sales Service’ a ‘Medical Representative’ can offer

to his customer.

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(1) The first ‘After Sales Service’ (A.S.S.) which a Medical

Representative should offer to his stockist is personal

booking of retailers. Personal order booking serves a

dual purpose i.e.

(a) It helps your stockist in reducing his stock burden.

(b) It also helps you as you will not lose any salesbecause of non-availability at the retail counter.Simultaneously it will also help you to gain hisconfidence.

I remember an incident told to me by a very seniorrepresentative of a multinational company.Ramesh was posted at Kanpur as MedicalRepresentative. He was covering an outstation

town named ‘Mahoba’ where he had a sale of approximatelyRs. 25,000 per month with just three days working in threedifferent markets. In the month of July he could not coverall the three markets as he had to attend Annual Conferenceat Company’s H.O. Again in the month of August he couldnot visit same towns as per his schedule because of manyother preoccupations at the H.Q. town. Though Ramesh wasscheduled to cover those towns in the second week ofSeptember, yet he sought permission from his executive tocover these towns on 30th and 31st August, so as to minimisethe gap between his two visits.

It was fortunate for him that his executive not only allowedhim to cover but also showed his interest to come along withhim. On 30th August while on their way to ‘Mahoba’ theycovered a town named ‘Maudaha’ where Ramesh booked allthe retailers heavily. In the evening before starting their workat ‘Mahoba’ they visited their stockist shop. It was quiteembarrassing for Ramesh when his stockist in front of himstarted talking to his executive about the excess stocks theywere having. Instead of telling him about their personal orderbooking of morning he asked the salesman of the stockist togive him the exact stocks of each and every productavailable with them. After he took the stock position heassured him about the liquidation and moved away for the

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calls. Next day they visited another very important townnamed ‘Rath’.

Coincidentally along with them the stockist’s delivery mantoo was visiting the same town. By the evening Ramesh hadbooked each and every product his stockist was having. Hisexecutive suggested him to give orders to the delivery manas from Rath they could have gone to Kanpur, their H.Q.town directly. But Ramesh insisted on going back to Mahoba.Although he was not expecting any repeat order from thestockist because the free scheme for the month of Septemberwas not known and August sales were already closed. Onthe way to Mahoba while travelling in a bus he made asummary of the stocks of individual orders booked by him intwo days and in front of the same he mentioned the stocks ofeach product.

The moment they reached the stockist’s shop Ramesh handedover all the orders booked by him along with the summary tohis stockist. They wanted to catch the last bus from Mahobato Kanpur, hence started moving. Before they could have saidany word, his stockist asked Ramesh to provide him the orderbook. He simply took the book, signed a blank order format atan appropriate place, stamped it and gave it back to him.Ramesh and his executive both were thrilled to see theirstockist’s response. While they were comparing the differencein his attitude, his stockist quietly said “Order the productyou want to sell”.

This incident not only helped him to gain confidenceof his party but also improved his image in hisexecutive’s eyes.

(2) The second kind of A.S.S. which you should offer toyour stockists is that you can help them in getting theirclaims from the company, i.e. breakages, expiry or anyother claim. No doubt your superior is there to lookafter this part but you must write a letter for the claimsof your party to your C&S/depot/distributors, givinga copy of your letter to your superior. This will not

Get Set & Grow 132

only help you to gain confidence of your party butwill demonstrate your sincerity to both of them. It istrue that every sincere effort made, never goes waste.On the contrary, it pays you back.

(3) Third kind of A.S.S. which you should provide to yourcustomer is to remind him the date of retirement ofevery invoice/bill. Apart from helping your stockistthat he does not pay any interest for overdue period,this will help you to ensure timely retirement of everybill. This is true that by reducing the number of daysof outstanding payment, you can increase profits ofyour company.

(4) Fourth kind of A.S.S. which you should offer to yourstockist is to reduce their losses. For example, if at allyour stockist is having some products which are eitherof near expiry or slow moving you must takeappropriate steps to ensure fast liquidation of thosestocks. This needs some extra efforts. You can visit amarket and book these stocks to those chemists whoare having good sales of these products.

(5) Last but not the least, by making a correct monthlystock and sales statement, you can help your stockistto know about the excess stocks, stocks in short supply,stocks of near expiry. This will also give you an ideaabout the secondary sales movement of your products.A correct monthly stock and sales statement will alsoenable you to take the stockist’s order in time.

A regular visit is a must to fulfil all these expectationsof your stockists but like any other customer you haveto find out their convenient timings as only then youmay discuss any point with them freely.

Since you might be having many stockists in your territoryyou will have to keep their needs, limitations, likings inmind. This will help you to handle them effectively.Because every party of yours may react to differentstatements/policies in different ways. Hence they mustbe explained in a specific way.

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You should create a healthy competition amongyour stockists. The same can be created byboosting their egos or consolidating on their

strengths. For example, one of your stockists may be quitegood in supplies to the retailers while the other may behaving good counter sales. Accordingly you may handoverorders booked by you to first party while ask those retailerswho buy in cash to visit another party. Your approach withthem should be such that every stockist of yours feels thatyou give maximum importance to him.

Sometimes you may send them greetings onthe occasion other than routine one, such asmarriage anniversary, birthday, children’s

birthday etc.

Same should be delivered at their residence and not at theshop so as to give a personal touch.

•

“Demand with No Stocks = Zero Sales

Stocks with No Demand = Zero Sales

Demand with Stocks = SALE.”

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REPORTING

The moment you finish the last call of your customer eitherof a doctor/chemist or stockist, apparently your work isover. But the most important aspect of your job is still lefti.e. reporting.

Everywhere, paper work is a must.

DAILY CALL REPORT

A report is the record of activities performed by you duringa specific period. Until and unless you have informed yourcompany through a report about the work you have done,how will your superiors come to know what you havedone? Therefore, your daily report/daily call report or

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whatever may be the name of the report (wherein youmention the details of your day’s work) serves the purposeof showing your presence. But more than that a daily reporthelps you to analyse your own work for self-development.With the help of a report you can project your performancein such a way that it leaves a positive impression on yourseniors. At the same time you may extract maximum helpfrom your superiors.

But this is possible only when a report reaches itsdestination in time. Otherwise, it may lose its meaning.Hence make it a habit to post your daily reports on day-to-day basis. Well, there can be no fixed timings for making areport. It is up to you when you find it convenient, may bejust after finishing the day’s work or may be after takingyour dinner/lunch or simply after relaxing.

There are certain reports as well, which are to be sentperiodically.

TOUR PROGRAM

A report wherein you mention details of your workingschedule for a complete month/phase/cycle/quarter, i.e.tour programme. This is prepared in advance so that onecan plan total calls to be made in a month/phase/cycle/quarter, that too with a pre-decided frequency. Forexample, certain VIP doctors you would like to cover twiceat a particular gap. Similarly, certain markets you wouldlike to cover twice in a month/phase/cycle/quarterdepending upon the coverage plan of your company. If atall it has been prepared by your superior, nothing like that,as all these points will be taken care of. So what you haveto ensure is total adherence for proper implementation.

EXPENSE STATEMENT

This report consists of details of expense incurred by youfor carrying out your job. Again, it is very important foryou to post it in time. If your expense statement does not

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reach your head office within a stipulated period, chancesare that the same may not be remitted to you next month.This will create a shortage of money with you which willcause a lot of anxiety. By sending your expense statementin time, you can save yourself from this inconvenience.

STOCK & SALES STATEMENT

Here comes yet another report which will help you toappraise your own efforts on a monthly basis i.e. howeffective you were during the last month at your marketplace. It is stock and sales statement.

This is a report which will reflect the exact quantity of eachof your product sold by your stockist during a particularmonth. This is referred as ‘Secondary Sales’. By cumulatingall the S&S statements of your stockists you may come toknow about the total productwise ‘secondary sales’ of yourterritory, which would help you to plan for the comingmonths. At the same time this will also help you to bookyour stockist with adequate stocks.

To prepare a right stock and sales statement you shouldhave correct information about the opening stocks withyour stockist at the start of a particular month. The stocksphysically received by the stockist during the whole monthshould be noted and not the stocks billed to them by yourcompany during the particular month. By adding stockreceipts with the opening stock and deducting from thatthe closing stock you will get the stocks actually sold byyour stockist during that particular period. Benefits ofpreparing a correct stock and sales statement have alreadybeen discussed in our last topic on the stockist.

MARKET FEEDBACK

There are some other reports which you are supposed tosend to your company. Such as market feedback oncompetitors’ activities, doctor’s perception regarding yourown company’s promotional strategy, new productintroduction etc. These reports will help your company to

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amend their strategies as well as to plan better strategiesto counter the competitor’s threat.

As and when you observe any new thing happening atyour market place, note it down in a diary and afterwardsconvey the same to your head office. Make it a habit.

Apart from all these reports you may have to write someletters to your superiors regarding queries asked by yourdoctors or giving your achievements, some time even forinforming a stockist’s problem to your superior or depotmanager. Here, your success will depend upon your abilityto communicate effectively. We have already dealt with itin our topic of communication. Here are few more tips.

FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING

a. While writing a letter to your superior you shouldaddress him by his designation and not by his name,i.e. instead of writing Mr. So and so just write AreaManager, Division Manager or whatever may be hisdesignation.

b. Then start with the subject of your letter i.e. in whatconnection it is written. This will help the other personto collect his thoughts and attention to that particularsubject.

c. Then write the text of your letter briefly and pointwise.

d. While closing you must summarise in short, preferablyin just one or two sentences, the gist of your letter. Ifyou are replying to a letter or query asked from you,you may just mention ‘I hope this has clarified yourquery’. But if you are asking a favour or help for gettinga job done, specific request or suggestion for thatmatter, must be mentioned briefly.

e. Preferably for one problem or point one separate lettershould be written. Sometime when you write a letterto the depot/branch, you may have to write manypoints i.e. to your Regional Manager about the samplerequirement, your Branch/Depot Manager about thestationery requirements or distributor’s problem.

Get Set & Grow 138

These three different functions are handled by threedifferent persons there. So if you have written threeletters for these three jobs, appropriate letter will besent to the respective person. Otherwise, somebodywill have to write once again and many times it mayso happen that your exact message may not beconveyed, unknowingly. Possibly your other twopoints may not be attended, if the letter is filed justafter taking action on first point. Moreover, this willalso be helpful for them to keep records for future.

f. Above all make small sentences; arrange them inproper sequence and write them neatly. Even afterwriting very carefully you cannot be sure about thefate of your written communication. Because unlikeverbal communication, where you can change yourapproach to communicate correctly, writtencommunication does not offer any flexibility. Hence itis advisable that before despatching a letter you mustread and re-read to be sure about the contents of yourletter. Sometimes if you yourself are not convinced ofwhat you have written, or writing an important letteryou may ask someone else to read it. Because if he canunderstand the contents then certainly the person towhom it is addressed will understand it.

Last but not the least keeping record is equallyimportant because if the same has not been doneproperly, you may not be able to refer to a

particular point required in future. Though there cannotbe any hard and fast rule for the same, it depends uponyour convenience. If the incoming as well as outgoing mailsfrom a particular department/person are kept in one file,it will be easy for you to refer.

•“The man who is too old to learn was probably

always too old to learn.”

-Henry S. Haskins

Get Set & Grow139

FINALE

Your day is successfully over, but one successful dayis not enough rather it is the beginning. A series of suchsuccessful days will produce the desired results in termsof growth in sales. Ultimately the success of a ‘MedicalRepresentative’ is judged on the basis of results producedby him.

Undoubtedly ‘sales’ is the natural consequence of theefforts made by you in the field. But your primeresponsibility is to ensure the achievement of a specificsales target assigned to you by your company, for aparticular month/cycle/quarter.

This ‘target’ also enables you to be more focused inyour efforts. Without a target you would resemble a personplaying ‘football’ without ‘goal post’ or a bowler, bowlingwithout ‘stumps’.

However ‘sales’ is a tricky business. You can alwaysexpect some unexpected things to happen. Actually no onecan predict which particular action/step, out of the entireseries (which make up a sales campaign) actually makesthe campaign succeed. Altogether each step counts,everything matters, nothing can be discounted, nothingcan be left out. But two things can definitely be said, firstlypersistence, consistency and planning, make success morelikely; and secondly in sales both the short term as well aslong term objectives are important and neither can beneglected for the other .

•

“Decision stimulates action. Action gets results.

Results lead to success.”

GROWING OUT

On your mark!

GETSET

&

GROW

GROWING OUT

You as a ‘Medical Representative’ have to play acentral role in ‘Pharma selling’. If your business dependsupon those little slips of paper called ‘Prescriptions’, thenthe ability to generate these prescriptions becomes yourmost important trait.

This art of yours to transform your actions into positiveresults, will give you an opportunity to stand aside amongyour colleagues. This will also help you to grow out in thisvast field of ‘Pharma selling’.

For ‘Growing Out’ in addition to qualities discussedearlier what you need more is, Empathy and Ego drive.

EMPATHY

Empathy is the ability to feel as another does. It does notnecessarily mean being sympathetic. One cannot know whatthe other person feels without understanding that feeling. Itis through ‘Empathy’ the ‘Medical Representative’ is able toget valuable feedback from his customers. Feedback that willhelp him to approach his customers in an appropriatemanner.

EGO DRIVE

A good representative also needs a particular kind of‘ Ego drive’ that generates lot of zeal in him to do the salesin a personal or egoistic way. This is not merely for themoney to be earned, but to satisfy his own ego.

To a good representative ‘The Sale’ - ‘The Conquest’ -provides a powerful means of enhancing his own ego. Notall sale efforts result in success. Failures are inevitable. But

Get Set & Grow 142

these failures must act as a trigger, a motivation for puttingin greater efforts. This will bring in the ego satisfactionapart from producing higher results. For stepping aheadin the vast field of ‘Pharma selling’ you should try todevelop these two fundamental qualities.

Now after ‘Getting Equipped Thoroughly’ with all therequisite qualities, knowledge and ‘Setting Explicit Task’for yourself, you are all set to ‘Grow’ out. Before taking theresponsibility of leading a team, first try to be a memberof your team.

1 + 1 = 11. This is team work.

Get Set & Grow143

TEAM SPIRIT

Someone has rightly said “Man is a social animal”. Of

course, each one of us has got our own identity, but we

cannot live in isolation and enjoy our life. We human

beings are driven by essential dualism. We need both, to

be part of something and to stand out as well. We feel

proud in being a conforming member of a ‘winning team’

and at the same time we would like to be a ‘star’ in our

own right.

Corporate hierarchy is like a ‘chain’ and right from you

to the highest authority of your Company, everybody is a

part of this ‘chain’. Therefore, always remember, you are

part of a ‘team’ and success of any team depends upon the

success of each member. When each member contributes

individually as well as collectively, then only an organisation

achieves its goal. Your endeavour should be to contribute

to your Area team, in turn to Regional team, to Divisional

team and finally Company as a whole. Corporate excellence

stems from unusual efforts put in by each individual.

Never take pride on your individual success. But you

should always analyse in what way you have contributed

to your team. Your success will be at its best, when you

will get appreciation that the success of your team is

because of you.

Though you are in ‘Selling profession’ yet service is

an integral part of your job. The interest of your customer,

may it be a Doctor, Chemist, Stockist, Buying authority of

a Hospital reigns supreme. You have learned that the needs

of your customers keep on changing which gives you a

threat in the form of a changed strategy of your

competitors. Your company has to respond by providing

you a counter strategy. But first of all your company should

be aware of the changed strategy of competitors. As a team

Get Set & Grow 144

member your responsibility is to make the marketing team

aware of these changes from time to time. Because only

then the marketing team can plan newer strategies. Hence

always be a part of your team.

I am sure, all those who will religiously put forward

their efforts in a right direction and would try to inculcate

these guidelines in their daily routine will ensure greater

success not only for themselves but also for their company.

The central idea of this elaborate channellisation

process I have recommended you to go through, is to

prepare you thoroughly for accepting future challenges

and newer opportunities which may come on your way to

success.

The scope for attaining new heights is abundant in

‘Pharma selling’. There are very few who are equipped to

face these challenges and ‘You’ could be one of those ‘elite

few’, who can carve a bright future for yourself.

Best of luck!

Get Set & Grow145

It’s all yours.

Illustrations: Haresh Purohit

POSTSCRIPT

To help you assess your cumulative performanceperiodically, given below is a checklist. This will come veryhandy while evaluating your own performance during aparticular Month/Phase/Cycle:

1. Have I achieved my value-wise/product-wise sales

objective for the month/phase/cycle?

(a) What is the percentage achievement?

(b) What is the growth over last month/year?

(c) Which are the products showing positive growth

trend, over the corresponding period of last year?

(d) Which are the products degrowing?

2. How many calls have I made in this month/phase/fortnight?

3. What is my call average?

4. Have I covered all the markets of my territory as perthe tour program?

5. Have I covered all the doctors of my visiting list?

6. Have I covered all my V.I.P. Class One/Category ‘A’doctors as per the requisite schedule?

7. What was my personal order booking during themonth/phase/cycle?

8. How was the liquidation of stocks from the stockist’sshelves?

9. Have I monitored the competitors activity?

10. Have I sent all my reports in time?

DEGREES/DIPLOMAS

M.B.B.S. Bachelor of Medicine and

Bachelor of Surgery

M.D. Doctor of Medicine

(Post Graduate degree in Medicine)

General Medicine

Pathology

Radiology

Paediatrics

Gynaecology

Anaesthesia

Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases

Skin and Venereal Diseases

Psychiatry

Social & Preventive Medicine

or

Community Medicine

D.M. Doctor of Medicine

(Super Specialisation in Medicine)

Cardiology

Psychiatry

Neurology

Urology

Gastroenterology

Get Set & Grow 148

M.S. Master of Surgery

(Post Graduate degree in Surgery)

General Surgery

Orthopaedics

Ear, Nose & Throat

Gynaecology

Ophthalmology

M.Ch. Magister Chirurgiae

(Super Specialisation in Surgery)Neuro Surgery

Uro Surgery

Gastro Surgery

Cardio Vascular & Thoracic SurgeryPediatric Surgery

B.D.S. Bachelor of Dental Surgery

M.D.S. Master of Dental Surgery

Diploma Courses in Medicine/Surgery

D.V.D Diploma in Venereology & Dermatology

D.Ch. Diploma in Child Health

Dip.Card. Diploma in Cardiology

D.O.M.S. Diploma in Ophthalmic Medicine& Surgery

D.L.O. Diploma in Laryngology & Otology

D.G.O. Diploma in Gynaecology & Obstetrics

D.Orth. Diploma in Orthopaedics

D.D. Diploma in Dermatology

D.V. Diploma in Venereology

D.A. Diploma in Anaesthetics

D.T.C.D. Diploma in TB & Chest Diseases

D.C.P. Diploma in Clinical Pathology

D.M.R.D. Diploma in Medical Radiodiagnosis

D.M.R.E. Diploma in Medical Radiology &Electrology

Get Set & Grow149

D.N.B. Diplomate of National Board (Previouslyknown as MNAMS)

F.R.C.S. Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons

F.R.C.P. Fellow of Royal College of Physicians

M.R.C.P. Member of Royal College of Physicians

M.R.C.S. Member of Royal College of Surgeons

B.A.M.S. Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine

& Surgery

B.U.M.S. Bachelor of Unani Medicine & Surgery

R.M.P. Registered Medical Practitioner.

DOSAGE SCHEDULE

H.S. Hour of sleep (Bed time)

P.R. Per rectum (through rectum)

P.V. Per vaginam (through vagina)

Qh Interval in hour

Q2h Every 2 hour

Q3h Every 3 hour

QID Four times a day (Quarter in die)

S.O.S. If necessary (Sio Pur sit)

TID Three times a day (ter in die)

BID Twice a day (Bis in die)

MED Minimum effective dose

Stat At once

Parenterally Through injectable route (not via the

alimentary tract)

Subcutaneous Beneath the skin

Topical Local application

I.M. Intramuscular (in the muscle mass)

I.V. Intravenous (into a vein)

ABBREVIATIONS

B.P. British Pharmacopiea

B.U.N. Blood Urea Nitrogen

C.B.C. Complete Blood Counts

C.S.F. Cerebro Spinal Fluid

D&C Dilatation and Curettage

D.L.C. Differential Leucocytes Counts

E.C.G. Electro Cardiogram

E.E.G. Electro Encephalogram

E.N.T. Ear Nose & Throat.E.S.R. Erythrocytes Sedimentation Rate

Elix. Elixir

F.D.A. Federal Drug Administration (USA)

F.D.A. Food & Drug Administration

G.I. Gastrointestinal

Hb. Haemoglobin

I.P. Indian Pharmacopiea

I.U.D. Intra Uterine Device

Inf. Infusion

Inj. Injection

O.C. Oral Contraceptive

S.G.O.T. Serum Glutamic OxaloaceticTransaminase

S.G.P.T. Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase

Syr. Syrup

U.S.P. United States Pharmacopiea

Get Set & Grow 152

TERMINOLOGY

Ante/fore Before

Anti/contra Against

Ase Enzyme

Brady Slow

Cardio Related to heart

Cele Tumor/cyst/hernia

Cephalo Related to head

Cerebro Related to brain

Cervical Related to neck portion

Cide Causing death

Circum Around

Co Together

Cyst Bag

Cyte Cell

Dent Teeth

Diplo Double

Dynia/angia Related to pain

Ectomy Cutting out

Emesis Vomiting

Enteric Related to intestine

Extra On the outer side

Glosso Related to tongue

Gog/gogue To make flow

Hemato/angio Related to bloodvessel

Hemi Half

Get Set & Grow153

Hepatic Related to liver

Homo Same

Hydro Related to water

Hyper Over, beyond, above

Hypo Under

Iliac Related to upper part ofthe innominate (hip) bone(ilium)

Infra Beneath

Inter Between

Intra Within

Itis Inflammation

Juxta Near

Kinesis Movement

Lacto Milk

Lapro Related to abdomen

Laryngo Related to larynx

Latero Side

Leuko White

Litho A stone

Lumbar Related to back (lower-portion)

Lysis Disintegration

Mal Bad, poor

Medi/med Middle

Megalo/macro/mega Large

Melano Black

Metro Related to uterus

Micro Small

Mono Single

Muco Mucus

Myelo Related to muscle

Neo New

Get Set & Grow 154

Neuro Related to nerve

Noct Of the night

Optho Related to eye

Osteo Related to bone

Oto Related to ear

Path Disease

Peri Around

Poly Many

Pseudo False

Pulmo/pneumo Related to lungs/air

Pyo Pus

Renal Related to kidney

Retro Backward

Rhagia Flow

Rhea Discharge

Sacro Related to sarcum

Salpingo Related to fallopian tubes

Sclero Sclera

Sclerosis Dryness/hardness

Sub Under

Syn With

Tachy Fast

Thoracic Related to chest portion

Trans Across

Tropho Related to nutrition

Uni One

Uri Related to urine

Uro Related to urinary system

Vaso Vessel.

Get Set & Grow155

Sharing the basics of successful professional‘CAREER’ has become a way of life with VivekMehrotra. He has garnered a vivid experience of 26years in Sales and Training in the Pharmaceutical &Telecom Industry. He started his career as a front-line sales person and rose to the position of the Headof Training with some of the leading pharmaceuticaland Telecom organizations. During his stint as acorporate trainer, he trained over 5000 front-line salespersonnel and line managers.

Currently, Vivek is working as the GM – Head(Talent Transformation & Development) withReliance Retail Ltd. The need to share the elementsof success with budding and aspiring medicalrepresentatives is the genesis of this book. Vivek hasalso authored the best seller, ‘Why My Horse Doesn’tDrink’ – Learn to motivate people around you.