Pharmaceutical

Selling
skills
Submitted to:

Respected Mam Sadia

Submitted by:

 Saba Ahmed
 Pharm- D
 The University Of Faisalabad
Contents: • Aim

• What Is Selling?

• Philosophy of Selling

• The 7 basic selling steps

• Objectives of Greeting and Opening

• Asking Questions

• DAPA Method of Selling

• Presenting the benefits of the Product

• Handling Objections

• Selling the Price

• Closing A Sale
AIM

 To Create an Outstanding Success for Your Brands

 Understand in depth, the role of Sales Team

 Develop a Framework for an Effective Sales Approach

To satisfy a Need / Want with your
product for Mutual Benefits.
Philosophy Of Selling

Selling = Motivating Doctor’s Commitment

Medical Rep

All good reasons

why a doctor
DOCTOR
should prescribe
your product

All the things that

a doctor has to
give up

BY ASKING
 The 7 Basic Selling Steps

1. Pre call 3. 4.
2. Opening
planning Questioning Presentation

7. Post call 5. Handling

6. Closing
analysis objections
 1. Pre call • Identifying the right
planning doctors

Targeting

 • Review last call

Call preparation • Objective selling:
S.M.A.R.T =
 Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Re
Projecting the alistic, Time bound
right company
• Posture, image
Facial
Expressions, 
Utilize waiting
Dressing & time • Observe different things
Grooming • No. of patients, sex, age,
economic status
2. Opening
Opening is the skill of capturing the doctor’s
attention and focusing the sales call.

• Greeting
Steps of • Rapport building
opening: • Purpose of call
• Initiating business discussion

• Need/Benefit opening:
• Identify a known or presumed need
Types of
• Offer a product feature & benefit to
opening:
satisfy that need.
• Opening as a question
• Stimulating opening
3. Questioning

• Questioning is used for the purpose of gaining

information to use in the sales call.
• Start with open questions and then move to close
questions.

• Invites an extended doctor response

Open Questioning: • Start with
What, When, Why, Where, Who &
How

Closed Questioning: • Invites a “Yes” or “No” reply from the

doctor
• Start with Do, Will, Is, Should

Choice • Give doctor two or more positive

Questioning: options in order to rule out a negative
“No” response.
4. Presentation

Presentation is zeroing on the doctor’s identified

Needs/Wants with appropriate Product Features and
Benefits.

• Sit up straight in front of the doctor

• Look confident and speak with
enthusiasm.
During • Hold the Detail Aid in front and use a pen
Presentation: to focus doctors attention
• Don’t look at the Detail Aid, look at the
doctor. Observe his/her actions.
• If interrupted, do a brief recap before
continuing
• Don’t be distracted by surroundings
5. Handling
objections
• Can be question, comment or query.
• Shows interest of the doctor in your product.

• An incorrect negative perception

Misunderstanding: because of misinformation.
• To handle this provide the right
information.

Skepticism: • A doctor’s doubt that your product can

actually deliver the stated benefit.
• Offer proof (clinical studies, references)

• A real short coming or disadvantage of

Real Objection: your product.
• To handle real objection, minimize the
impact by focusing on the advantages.
5. Handling
objections

• Doctor is not interested in your product

because doctor is satisfied with
competitor’s product or doctor has never
used that type of product.
Indifference: • Identify a need that can not be satisfied
by the doctor’s preferred product.

• Doctor does not openly raise an

objection because the doctor is
Hidden Objection:
disinterested.
• How to handle: Ask doctor if they have
concerns.
6. Closing
Real success of a sales call depends on the use of
effective closing.

• Review all the benefits accepted by the

After doctor
Presentation: • Ask for business (trial use, continued
use, expanded use)
• Wait for a response.
7. Post call Post call analysis is the process of evaluating and
analysis recording the outcome of the call, in order to plan for
future calls.

After • Evaluate the Call

leaving the • Record Call Information
chamber: • Set Objectives for next meeting with the
doctor.
 Objectives Of Greeting &
Opening
Positive atmosphere

Exchange
of names

Simply connect

Start a gentle
conversation
Asking Questions

 Questions are used to PROBE information from doctors

 Questions starting with

WHAT
WHERE
WHY
HOW
WHO
WHICH
are very useful
DAPA Method Of Selling

D efine the doctor’s requirement for your product.

A cceptance by the doctor of the requirements.

P rove that your product can fulfil the doctor’s requirement.

A cceptance of the proof by the doctor.

 *
NEED

what the doctor

wants?

what the doctor

gains?

BENEFIT FEATURE/
OFFERING

what do we offer?
 *
Objection – An Obstacle Or An Opportunity

When Do Objections come?

 When D to A from DAPA is not done

 It’s a doctor tactic to get a discount
 The doctor is confused due to hidden cost or
competition
 A habit of asking questions
 A strategy to postpone decision making
How do we tend to feel?

 Dejected  Frustrated

 Angry
 Defensive

Challenging
How Should We React?

Don’t get aggressive.

 Pause
Do not disturb the customer.
Let him/her speak first.

 Stay calm.

 Don’t get defensive

  Objection that we hear
 Unspoken Objection
and cannot answer

 Objection that we hear

and can answer
 Doctor frowns
 Doctor looks elsewhere

 Doctor smiles
(sarcastic)
 What do you do when such an
Objection Comes?

 PAUSE and then convert it into a

SPOKEN OBJECTION by asking:

You are thinking something Sir?

Anything particular Sir?

When you hear an Objection:

 Pause
 Probe gently
 When you hear an Objection:

Probe gently

 Give your best possible solution?

 Are you satisfied with my answer?

Features we offer Features the
but doctor does doctor wants, but
not need Product we do not have
Find Out: features
that meet Find Out:
 Why the doctor may the doctor’s
needs  Why does the doctor
not need it?
want it?
 How long will the
doctor not need it?  How important is it?
1) Essential 2) Desirable
3) Useful
 Will the doctor ever
need it in future?
 Can we explore an
alternative?
Psychological aspects of price:

 Price is the only weapon that the doctor has.

 Make sure YOU believe in your own pricing.

 Make the doctor feel that you are there to help

and not to fight.
 The right stage to present the price:
NOT UNTIL the doctor has REALISED the BENEFITS of your
product

What does a customer pay for?

QUALITY
BENEFITS
CONSISTENCY
RELIABILITY
REPUTATION
BRAND NAME
SERVICE
YOU
SANDWICH METHOD
 SANDWICH METHOD
STEP I: present the BENEFITS of your product

STEP II: put the price in front of the doctor

STEP III: JUST CONTINUE with explaining him/her

the features that he/she will derive out of this price
*
Handling Price Objection
STEP I: doctor objects

STEP II:
Medical rep : what are you comparing with, sir?
Doctor : competition, perception, budget, past experience

STEP III:
Medical rep : how much is the difference we are talking, sir?
Doctor : 20% (the faster he says this, ITS FALSE)

STEP IV: express the difference

STEP V: demonstrate the benefits passable when compared to the

difference
 *
What prevents a medical rep from closing
EFFECTIVELY?

 FEAR

 UNCERTAINTY

 DOUBT
 Why a medical rep may not
close well?

Too Early
Too Late
Too Meek
Too Aggressive
Doctor’s objections not resolved completely
Sales process not followed
 When to close?

• The DOCTOR has understood your product

completely

• The DOCTOR has developed trust in your

company

• The DOCTOR has a desire for the benefits for

his/her patients