Basic Selling Skills for Pharmaceutical Representative, also helpful for supervisory level to sharpen their skills and coaching capabilities

2. Back Wheel
( Medical / Product knowledge )
 It supplies the driving force .
 If you don’t have a strong back
wheel, you cannot go anywhere.
Front Wheel
( Selling Skills )
 It supplies Steering .
 It directs the Medical and
Product knowledge .

3. The difference between outstanding and less
successful PSR is that;
The less successful PSR omits key selling steps or
performs them at inappropriate times but, not
because the “ SUPERSTAR “ talks more smoothly , is
more attractive , or better dressed

4. Who is The Successful Salesman
 Self Starter
 Ethical
 Initiative
 Self dependable
 Motivated to learn
 Confident in his company
 Confident in his products
 Confident in himself

5. SMART Objective
 Specific
 Measurable
 Ambitious
 Realistic
 Time based

6. The Intelligent Icebreaker

7. Definition
It’s a ( small talk ) whose purpose is to relax both parties and
establish an easy and natural dialogue.
How do you find out an intelligent icebreaker ?
It reflects the physician’s professional interests ;
his practice, office , employees, or colleagues .
Examples:
Has the doctor remodeled his office ?
Installed new equipment ?
Attended a recent conference ?

8. An Intelligent Icebreaker has three characteristics:
1- It’s about professional topic.
2- This topic interests the physician .
3- It encourages a response from the physician that allows
for transition to the IBS of the sales call itself.

9. 1- Initial Benefit Statement
( IBS )

10. Definition
A statement that normally occurs early in a sales
call ( sometimes it can occur later ) which
introduces a product in a manner which will
generate maximum interest .

11. Skill Model:
1. Describe a general physician or patient need, problem
or concern you feel is likely to attract the physician.
2. State related feature(s) and benefits that satisfy the
need.
3. Mention the product by name. (Be prepared to react
to the physician's response.)

12. When to use:
• After the intelligent icebreaker as a
bridge to introduce your product.
• When the sales call is underway to
bridge from one product to another.

13. Rationale:
• Starts the sales discussion on a productive course by
placing the product in the context of a probable physician’s
need.
• Emphasizes your interest in the physician's needs (not
what you have to sell ) and steers the conversation in the
direction of what's important to the person to whom you're
taking.
• Provides an opportunity for the physician to respond
(either positively, negatively or neutrally), thus providing
you with valuable information.

14. If Omitted or Performed Incorrectly:
• You may seem more committed to selling your
product than meeting the physician's needs.
• The doctor may be confused about the product's
relevance to his needs.
• The doctor never "warms up'. or becomes involved in
the sales discussion and you don't know why.
• The doctor continually talks about irrelevant, non-sales
related topics. (You lose control of the discussion.)

15. 2- Reinforcing Desired Responses

16. Definitions:
• A desired response is a positive
physician statement about company, a
product, or personnel.
• A reinforcing statement is your
resulting statement, which
acknowledges the desired response
and incorporates it into the sale
discussion.

17. Skill Model:
After you have recognized that a statement is
positive and identified what feature or benefit is
being reinforced,
do the following :
1. Agree with or acknowledge the desired response.
2. State a related feature and benefit.

18. Rationale:
• Establishes a psychological bond of
understanding.
• Establishes a mood of agreement and
commitment.
• Demonstrates your interest and involvement in
what the physician says.
• Positive statements tend to lead to positive
actions (such as a favorable buying decision).
• Behaviors that are reinforced tend to occur more
frequently.

19. Remember
For a ( mixed statement ) which contains a
desired response and other material you want
to ignore, reinforce only the positive element.

20. 3- Asking Probing Questions

21. Definition:
Probing questions enable you to establish and
maintain a dialogue with the physician.
Rationale :
• To prompt the flow of information by
encouraging the physician to talk about a given
topic and/or expand upon a comment, question or
objection.
• To clarify your understanding of a key word, an
attitude, a complaint or a need.
• To uncover and demonstrate your interest in
the physician's ideas, attitudes and needs.

22. Types of Questions or Probes
Question
Or
Probe
Open Closed Choice

23. Types of Probing Questions:
Probing questions are classified according to the specificity of
information they require physicians to supply with their
answers.
Different types of probing questions allow physicians varying
degrees of freedom to respond with what is important to them.
 An open probe - prompts physicians to talk at 1ength on a
particular topic but allows the freedom so that they can select
what is important to them i.e( exploratory questions ).
N.B. Questions often begins with ( How / What / When / Why )
 A closed probe - requires a specific and limited response
(often yes or no)i.e ( narrow questions ).
 A choice probe - requires the physicians to select, from a brief
list you supply, the alternative that is most important to them
or the alternative which best reflects their meaning

24. If Omitted:
• You may talk too much and listen too little.
• You may misunderstand the meaning of a
statement.
• The physicians may conclude you are not
interested in their opinions or needs.
• You may not uncover physician needs that are
critical to obtaining a favorable buying decision.
• As a result, you may discuss features and benefits
that do not appeal to the physicians.

25. *If you want a physician to talk , avoid a series of closed
probes and use open probes to encourage him to talk at length.
*Avoid questions that imply you know the answer .
*Ask a single question that is short and to the point .

26. 4- Effective Listening

27. Definition:
The use of non-judgmental statements and/or
gestures to demonstrate to the physicians that
you are listening to what they are saying and
that you:
 Understand
 Are interested in
 Empathize with the facts, feelings and opinions that
arise from your conversation.

28. Types of Effective Listening:
1. The paraphrase - restating in your own words your
understanding of the ideas contained in the physician's
statement.
2. The active listening statement - restating both the
ideas and the feelings contained in the physician's
statement.
3. The Short statement - (e.g., “I see,” “I understand”) to
indicate your attention and interest in what the physician
is saying.
4. Body Language - (such as leaning forward) to indicate
attention and interest.

29. The Paraphrase
 It’s a summary, often of a much longer
statement, and confirms your
understanding of the facts of what was said
and demonstrates your interest in the
physician’s ideas .
 Example :
So, you need a Drug that controls
Neuropathic pain rapidly , for 24 hours with
high safety profile.

30. The Active Listening
 In addition to summarizing the content of a
physician’s statement, active listening uses
language that reflects the feeling behind it
,how he feels about what he’s just said .
 Example :
You’re concerned about the economic status
of your patients, so you need a cost effective
medications .

31. Short Statement
 PSR is sometimes hesitant to choose
between wanting the physician to
continue talking on a topic and wanting
to indicate he is listening .
 Examples :
Yes…
That’s a good point…

32. Body Language
 Gestures and expressions are a non-verbal
variety of the short statement .
 Examples:
 If you smile , nod, lean forward, or
establish eye contact,you will encourage
the physician to continue and to indicate
attention and interest .

33. Words
( 7 % )
Tone
( 38 % )
Body Language
( 55 % )
Elements of Communication

34. Carelessly used effective listening may be:
 Interpreted as putting words into the physicians'
mouth or telling the physicians what they are thinking.
 May annoy or confuse the physicians by telling them
what they just said.

35. Needs
 The Selling Process is based on Satisfying Customer’s
Needs

36. 5- Using Features to Sell Benefits.

37. Definitions:
A feature: The qualities or characteristics of a
Product.
e.g. its mode of action, dosage, or chemistry.
A benefit: What the user --physician or patient -
gains from the product.

38. ( Solutions not Features )
Doctors don’t buy drugs
( features ) ,but they buy
solutions ( benefits ) to
their problems .

39. When to use Features to sell Benefits:
After you have identified a physician/patient
need (a problem or opportunity) and the
physician has told you it is important.
N.B ( Try never to present a feature/benefit
sequence until you have identified a need )

40. Rationale
1. Stating benefits:
 Demonstrates your interest for what interests/concerns
the physician.
 Makes features more meaningful by explaining how they
win help the physician and/or his patients.
 Increases the probability of a positive physician response.
 Keeps the physician interested and invo1ved in the sa1es
discussion .
2. Stating features:
 Ensures that the physician understands how and
believes that the product's characteristics will resu1t in
the benefit.

41. If Omitted:
 The physician will look at his watch, be
unresponsive , or terminate the
discussion and you won't know why.
 If the physician allows the discussion to
proceed to the close, you will probably
get a "no" and, again, you won't know
why.

42. 6-Using Visuals
&
Third-Party Support

43. A Visual Aid is :
A multi-colored , high impact product
description , it contains ;
1. A central theme .
2. Product features and benefits .
3. Clinical studies .

44. Types of Support Materials ( Third Party References )
 monographs.
 Publications of major clinical studies.
 A list of local physicians currently prescribing a
particular company products.

45. Rationale :
 To establish the credibility of product's benefits.
 To increase the physicians' interest and
understanding
 To help the physician retain product information
when he is considering therapy for a patient.
 To pre-handle the objection: "I'm a special case."

46. When to use Support Materials:
 The physician doubts in a product’s
benefit (s).
 The physician misunderstands a key
point which is difficult to explain orally.
 The physician's interest is waning.

47. Skill Model:
Preparation:
1. Study the support material.
2. Practice using the support material.
During the sales discussion:
1. Be alert for signals that support material is needed .
2. Link the support to the signals .
3. Establish credibility.
4. Control the presentation.
5. Customize the presentation.

48. 7- Handling Objections.

49. Definition:
An objection is a prospect's negative opinion
(stated, unstated or implied) that prevents a
favorable call outcome.

50. Types of Objections:
 Doubt
When a physician does not believe that a product's
features will result in the benefits you've described.
 Misunderstanding
When a physician misunderstands important
product knowledge either about a feature or a benefit.
 Indifference
When the physician may understand and believe what
you say,but the benefit(s) you mention is not
important to him .

51. Skill Model ( CAR Check ):
Clarify :Ask questions and/or paraphrase to make sure
you understand the objection. (Show respect.)
Acknowledge : ( Don’t agree with it )
Respond (Answer the objection ):
 (For doubt) Supply proof by using third party references or
visuals.
 (For misunderstanding) Explain, then restate the feature
and benefit.
 (For indifference) Acknowledge the comment (do not agree
with it) and present a counterbalancing benefit. (Ask for or
be alert for physician's reaction.)
Check ( To confirm )

52. Rationale:
 To demonstrate your interest in and respect for the
physician’s opinion (without necessarily agreeing with it).
 To identify the physician’s concern that you must clear
it up to get the sales .
 To identify an important, unstated need. (An
objection is a need stated negatively)

53. If Omitted:
• If you don't handle an objection you're likely to get
others (i.e., you will get a series of insincere
objections and you won't know why).
• If you don't follow the skill model, you may:
 Answer the wrong objection.
 Waste time answering an objection when none exist.
 Communicate while you're not interested in what the
doctor is thinking --you'd rather sell than listen.

54. 8- Making an Action Close

55. Action Close …
…is not just shaking
hands , it’s what
perceptions have we
left at a physician’s
mind before we close
.

56. Definitions:
 A favorable decision: The result of the physician's
internal
thoughts about whether or not to prescribe a Apex
product.
 An Observable action: External and therefore
observable
action , the doctor takes to implement a favorable
decision

57. Why PSRs don’t want to close ?
* They don’t want to know how they’re doing .
* They fear a refusal and don’t know how to respond
when they hear one .

58. Rationale :
1- If a PSR cannot close , he cannot sell, regardless
how many words he uses .
2- If you don’t ask for a commitment the physician won’t volunteer one .
3- Asking for a decision lets you know where you stand .
4- A ( No ) answer does not mean the sales is over , only that more work needs to
be done to uncover the objection .
5- If you don’t ask for a commitment , someone else will do .

59. When to close :
1. At the end of the discussion, after you have mentioned
benefits that meet important needs and have handled
any objections (i.e. the benefits offer enough advantage
to represent a reasonable "net gain" for a change of
habits).
2. When you hear a buying signal :
• An enthusiastic comment about a feature or benefit.
• A positive statement you normally hear at the end of the
call.
3. After the doctor agrees you have answered an
objection.

60. Skill Model:
1. Briefly summarize specific product benefits that have
been accepted by the physician as important.
2. Request a specific buying action.
a. Use a direct close for most major decisions.
“ Doctor,in light of these advantages, will you prescribe
Pregdin-Apex as a first line therapy ? “
a. Use an assumptive close which assumes that the
physician is committed to prescribing or expanding
prescription of the product
“ Doctor , how many Apetoid Loading dose would you
like me to leave with you ? “
a. Ask for the largest reasonable commitment first.
b. Wait for an answer… don't talk.
3. When you get a "yes " thank the doctor.

61. Concepts:
 Asking for a decision gives you important information
about what's going on in the doctor's mind.
 Don't be afraid of a “no “ when you close.
 Close when interest is at its highpoint.
 Close as soon as you can.
 Obtaining observable action increases the probability
that the doctor will prescribe the Apex product.

62. Remember
Professionals
respect
professionals

63. The ( Linkage Concept )
The linkage between clinical and personal needs , your role in
probing this linkage .
 PSR : What would you like in a Drugs For Neuropathic pain ?
 Dr : Something that relieves pain quickly with no side effects .
 PSR : How would this affect you personally ?
 Dr : It would save me time having to switch patients from one drug to
another and gives me more time to patients with more serious
problems .
 PSR : These studies show how my product relieves pain quickly with
few side effects .
These studies indicate that you won’t have to keep switching
patients from drug to another . This will free your time to devote to
patients with more serious problems.