* Pharmaceutical

Selling
skills
 * Agenda
⮚ Aim

⮚ What Is Selling?
⮚ Philosophy of Selling

⮚ The 7 basic selling steps

⮚ Objectives of Greeting and Opening

⮚ Asking Questions
⮚ The Funnel Technique

⮚ DAPA Method of Selling

⮚ Significance of DAPA

⮚ 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

 * What Is Selling ?

●To satisfy a Need / Want with your product for Mutual

Benefits.

●To Identify / Generate / Influence a Need / Want.

 * Philosophy Of Selling
selling = motivating doctor’s commitment

Medical Rep DOCTOR

All good reasons

why a doctor All the things that
should prescribe a doctor has to
your product give up

BY ASKING
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
1. Pre call
2. Opening 3. Questioning
planning

5. Handling 4.
6. Closing
objections Presentation

7. Post call
analysis
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
• Identifying the
1. Pre call ❶ right doctors
planning Targeting
• Review last call
❷ • Objective selling: S.M.A.R.T =
Call preparation Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Realistic, Time bound
❸ • Plan the call: objectives,
Projecting the promotional materials, sequence
right company of detailing
• Posture, image
Facial • Observe different things
Expressions ❹
Utilize waiting • No. of patients, sex, age,
, Dressing & time economic status
Grooming • Patients information charts,
competitors promotional
material, give aways, dr’s
interests, prescribing habits
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
Opening is the skill of capturing the doctor’s
2. Opening
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
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
• Questioning is used for the purpose of gaining
3. Questioning 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.
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
• Questioning is used for the purpose of gaining
3. Questioning information to use in the sales call.
• Start with open questions and then move to close
questions.

• Benefit is presented in the form of a

Benefit Tag
statement supported by a Feature
Questioning:
and followed by a Closed Question

Tag On Questioning: • Tag on questions are used when

doctor makes a positive statement
which you want to reinforce.
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
Presentation is zeroing on the doctor’s identified
4. Presentation
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
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
5. Handling • Can be question, comment or query.
objections • 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.
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
5. Handling • Can be question or query.
objections • Shows interest of the doctor in your product.

• 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.
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
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.
 * The 7 Basic Selling Steps
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.
 Famous Quote

* The difference between try and

triumph is just a little umph!
 * 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
 * Funnel Technique
a powerful tool to Encourage the Flow of Conversation
1) motivate the doctor to talk.

2
2) open with neutral
questions to get
4) ask closed 3 unbiased information.
questions to pinpoint
precise requirement.

5) summarize to gain
3) ask lead questions to
doctor’s acceptance
5 explore more deeply.
of requirements.
 Famous Quote

* The best and fastest way to learn is

to watch and imitate a champion
 * 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.

 * Significance of DAPA
D efine the doctor's requirement for your product
Medical rep: asks open active questions
Doctor : LISTENS and ANSWERS accordingly

A cceptance by the doctor of the requirements

Doctor : ANSWERS and gives acceptance
Medical rep : does active listening and makes notes

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

Medical rep : offers the product (or service)
Doctor : does active listening and if things are not clear, asks questions

A cceptance of the proof by the doctor

Medical rep : does relevant answering
Doctor : accepts the product as his/her need
 * Presenting the Benefits
NEED

what the doctor

wants?

what the doctor

gains?

BENEFIT FEATURE/
OFFERING

what do we offer?
 Famous Quote

* The important thing about a

problem is not the SOLUTION, but
the strength we gain in finding the
SOLUTION
 * Handling Objections
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
 * Handling Objections
Objection – An Obstacle Or An Opportunity

How do we tend to feel?

● Dejected ● Frustrated

● Angry
● Defensive

●Challenging
 * Handling Objections
Objection – An Obstacle Or An Opportunity

How Should We React?

●Don’t get aggressive.

● Pause

● Stay calm. ●Do not disturb the customer.

Let him/her speak first.

● Don’t get defensive

 * Kinds Of Objections
● Unspoken Objection

● Objection that we hear

and cannot answer

● Objection that we hear

and can answer
&

&
 * Handling the
unspoken objection
● Doctor frowns

● Doctor looks elsewhere

● Doctor smiles
(sarcastic)
 * Handling the
unspoken objection
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?

* Handling the objections we
hear and can answer
When you hear an Objection:

● Pause

● probe gently

▪ Please, tell me more.

▪ Apart from this, is there anything else that is of concern
to you?
▪ If I can take care of this to your satisfaction, could we
proceed forward (would you consider our product)?
* Handling the objections we
hear and can answer
When you hear an Objection:
&
●probe gently

▪ Give your best possible solution?

▪ Are you satisfied with my answer?

 * Handling the objections we
hear and cannot answer
&
Features we offer Product Features the
but doctor does features doctor wants, but
not need that meet we do not have
Find Out: the doctor’s
needs Find Out:
● Why the doctor may
not need it? ● Why does the doctor
want it?
● How long will the
doctor not need it? ● How important is it?
1) Essential 2) Desirable
● Will the doctor ever 3) Useful
need it in future?
● Can we explore an
alternative?
 Famous Quote

* Self respect is a question of

recognizing that anything worth
having has a PRICE
* Selling The Price Effectively

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.
* Selling The Price Effectively
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
* Selling The Price Effectively
how to postpone revealing price:

If the doctor says, “ It must be Expensive” -- Initially Ignore it

If the doctor asks a little later, “How Much” – Tackle him/her in the
following manner:

1) I am coming to that Sir 🡪 ask an Open Neutral Question

2) It depends on your requirement Sir 🡪 ask an Open Neutral Question
3) I am sure the Price is not your only consideration Sir
4) It depends on your order size
5) I will leave you with a full Price list Sir
6) First let me tell you the benefits that you are getting

if pressed a lot, tell the price using the SANDWICH METHOD

and continue
* Selling The Price Effectively
SANDWICH METHOD
* Selling The Price Effectively
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
* Selling The Price Effectively
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
 Famous Quote

* To Finish First, you need to

First Finish
 * Closing The Sale
What prevents a medical rep from closing
EFFECTIVELY?

● FEAR

● UNCERTAINTY

● DOUBT
 * Closing The Sale
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
 * Closing The Sale
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
 * Checklist
Steps to be followed?
STEP I: Greet the doctor 🡪 further ask for his well being.

STEP II: Give a small 15 seconds introduction on company

image.

STEP III: Listen to the doctor and use the FUNNEL TECHNIQUE
to get the flow of conversation.

STEP IV: Once you have understood the requirement, use the
DAPA Method of Selling so as to confirm there is no GAP
between the need and the offering.
 * Checklist
Steps to be followed?
STEP V: In case the doctor has a doubt/objection, then
concentrate and resolve that before moving ahead.

STEP VI: In case the doctor asks about the PRICE. Tell him/her
that you would give him/her the best price comparing others.
(Use the price postponement techniques).

STEP VII: In case the question still arises on PRICE, use the
SANDWICH METHOD to answer it.

STEP VIII: Pleasantly Close the sale and confirm the

prescriptions.
thank you