Pharmaceutical companies must conform to strict FDA regulations, best use practices and study scientific benchmarks to provide products and services for ongoing use. Marketing plays a critical role in this arrangement and is far more than just a means to an end. The physician or pharmacist has to juggle a lot of information, much of it based on older science, together with the wants and needs of the patient and budgetary restrictions applied by insurance companies or individual positions.

The direct communication between health care professionals and the pharmaceutical companies through various marketing channels ultimately dictates the efficient delivery of products and services to the end-user, the patient. There is a lot at stake as the patient's ability to lead a healthy and productive life can be affected by the quality and standard of the marketing trail. Marketing in this environment is most certainly a two-way operation. The company must not only communicate the benefits and risks of its product to the professional, the reasoning and science behind its introduction and instructions for its use, but the professional must give real world feedback and crucial data to the company.

The fact that pharma consulting can provide cutting-edge information about conditions and treatments, spotlighting certain illnesses which may not have received much attention, should not be underestimated. We still have many conditions without a cure and pharmaceutical company research can often go a long way to bridging that gap, if not even enabling cutting-edge treatment for patients. There is no guarantee that such amazing products may even find their way into the hands of the sufferer. As such, marketing is pivotal in helping to relay this information from the manufacture, through the professional to the end-user.

As more and more information is revealed through scientific study, product creation and government rubber-stamping, more of a spotlight is turned on the need for treatment of chronic diseases. For example, certain side effects or by-products of a critical element may not have been apparent, or the link between illness and cure revealed, unless and until adequate marketing channels are open between the researchers, producers, professionals and patients.

In most instances, pharmaceutical consulting firms can also play a critical role in educating clients, producers and users. Their interaction, encouragement and foresight can help to ensure that the marketing machine is primed and key players are aware of each other's vital contributions, so important in this hyper-competitive environment.

Alan Gillies is the CEO of L2L Consulting, a cutting-edge pharma consultancy firm which specialises in optimising productivity and performance within international companies by applying tailored organisational strategies.

Pharmaceutical companies must conform to strict FDA regulations, best use practices and study scientific benchmarks to provide products and services for ongoing use. Marketing plays a critical role in this arrangement and is far more than just a means to an end. The physician or pharmacist has to juggle a lot of information, much of it based on older science, together with the wants and needs of the patient and budgetary restrictions applied by insurance companies or individual positions.

The direct communication between health care professionals and the pharmaceutical companies through various marketing channels ultimately dictates the efficient delivery of products and services to the end-user, the patient. It follows that the standard of this marketing and its effectiveness directly contributes to the patient's ability to live a longer, healthier and more productive life. Marketing in this environment is most certainly a two-way operation. The company must not only communicate the benefits and risks of its product to the professional, the reasoning and science behind its introduction and instructions for its use, but the professional must give real world feedback and crucial data to the company.

The contribution of pharma consulting should never be underestimated as it can help to emphasise how certain conditions can be treated by emerging products and help to reveal how other illnesses, previously under-served, could be addressed. We still have many conditions without a cure and pharmaceutical company research can often go a long way to bridging that gap, if not even enabling cutting-edge treatment for patients. Just because the pharmaceutical products may exist, it does not mean that these products will find their way into the hands of the consumer. As such, marketing is pivotal in helping to relay this information from the manufacture, through the professional to the end-user.

Scientific breakthroughs enable the creation of products which are subsequently sanctioned by the government and this whole process focuses on the need for treatment of chronic illnesses. For example, certain side effects or by-products of a critical element may not have been apparent, or the link between illness and cure revealed, unless and until adequate marketing channels are open between the researchers, producers, professionals and patients.

In most instances, pharmaceutical consulting firms can also play a critical role in educating clients, producers and users. Their interaction, encouragement and foresight can help to ensure that the marketing machine is primed and key players are aware of each other's vital contributions, so important in this hyper-competitive environment.

Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of L2L Consulting, specialising in enabling pharmaceutical companies to achieve new heights of productivity and performance, throughout all levels of management and revenue generating activities.

Have you ever heard of the saying, coined by a famous football coach – “winning isn't everything, it's the only thing!” Remember to keep this mindset engaged at all times. Although valuable contacts may be made and additional experience a must, if no sales are made then no value is realised, either.

It is essential to correctly motivate a team and one of the first things that a pharmaceutical consulting firm will help initiate is the creation of meaningful measurement tools. Within sales, the measurement of activity levels is only part of the equation. A sales executive is not necessarily highly efficient, even though his or her volume of sales may be high, as ultimate value must be assessed. If a valuable relationship is not established between all principals concerned, then the account may not necessarily be seen as successful, as we need to judge more than the actual dollar amount involved. Of critical importance is the alignment between the company and the buyer's strategy. Sales people should not be incentivised unless there is a clear gain for the company and the client achieves value, thereby cementing the relationship.

Incentivisation requires the creation of meaningful benchmarks and goals. There must always be something for the salesperson to reach and always a further incentive throughout the sales structure. If the sales executive is able to “get” to an end result, then he or she will not be adequately motivated to reach even further and keep working.

Time management is essential and while a sales manager will undoubtedly have administrative elements to take care of, the company should make sure that he or she is able to complete these as efficiently as possible, using provided, high-efficiency tools as needed. Did you know that many sales executives actually spend less than 25% of their time in direct communication with clients?

In summary, a sales team can only be highly effective if they have been trained well and are involved in an ongoing process of training. Such training will include education in the products to be sold, latest sales techniques and delivery processes in addition to management of time and the vital elements of interpersonal communication. To help get this right, engage pharma consulting experts.

Alan Gillies is the CEO of L2L Consulting, a cutting-edge pharma consultancy firm which specialises in optimising productivity and performance within international companies by applying tailored organisational strategies.

Senior management must ensure that all members are team players. To ensure that the ultimate marketing results are achieved, the team must be effectively managed and pharmaceutical consultants are fully positioned to do this. Visualisation is an important tool within sales and marketing and results must be quantified, with control and measurement at all levels. Day by day programs are part of an ultimate and achievable goal and when a team works together as one, good results can be anticipated.

After planning is complete, the sales force must put it into action. There is a time and a place for the planning and charting of the program, but no sales are made until executives interact in the real world. No matter the amount of experience, the healthcare industry is particularly complex and all these intricacies must be part of an ongoing education. Without adequate coaching and being unaware of potential loopholes ahead, time can be wasted and worse still, clients can be overlooked or lost in such a competitive marketplace. As they have a considerable amount of experience in the industry, pharma consulting firms appreciate time management and know that full application and dedication is required before key results may be achieved.

Never assume, as this inevitably leads to confusion and poor productivity. Effective implementation requires a level of awareness that comes as part of a true playing team. Celebrate the contribution of each team member and make sure that it is completely visible to all concerned. Once again, the overall goal is to engage and not to procrastinate. Three critical components make up an effective salesperson – creativity, assertiveness and flair.

Out in the market, a salesperson must be completely educated in all the benefits, solutions, finer details and product availability, while also being able to think quickly, reschedule and meet goals. Certain key skills must be in evidence before success may be achieved, but this can certainly be enhanced by full training, great management and team cohesiveness. Generally, pharmaceutical consulting organisations are by far best positioned to take on these critical challenges.

Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of L2L Consulting, specialising in enabling pharmaceutical companies to achieve new heights of productivity and performance, throughout all levels of management and revenue generating activities.

The achievement of the sale is not the end of the story. While winning a sale is undoubtedly important, as after all without sales nothing is achieved, there must be tangible and measurable value attached to the sale, from every point of view. The sales executive may appear to be very efficient, but unless a meaningful relationship has been created between the buyer and the seller, the overall or net value of the transaction can be questioned. In this analysis, incentives must be prepared and deployed selectively, with the aim of achieving a “win-win” solution all around.

Productivity generally increases if an individual is incentivised, as this is within our nature. Create sensible goals to move the sales force forward. Correct incentivisation will enhance the effectiveness of the sales force, but the opposite is also true. The goals set should represent a journey rather than the destination and multi-tiered targets should encourage, but always lead to a “carrot” which is just out of reach. In this way, the sales executive will be always focused.

In most cases, pharmaceutical consulting firms tell us that sales executives spend the majority of their time on ancillary and sometimes mundane administrative work and a minority of their time in direct communication with prospects or engaged with client management. Due to this amazing statistic, time management should be a top priority and executives should do whatever they can to cut down on the ancillary or administrative work necessary. Creativity and enthusiasm can be stifled within certain outgoing personality types, through the imposition of onerous or even boring demands.

If a comprehensive training program is practised by the organisation, each team member will get the feeling that he or she is dynamically engaged with the overall goal. While administrative burdens should be kept to a minimum as we have said, training must nevertheless be prioritised. This should include product awareness as well as methodology and techniques, and the latest procedures can be implemented through pharma consulting firms. Such companies have been proven to raise morale, cut out negative emotions, inject just the right amount of enthusiasm and draw on their extensive industry background.

Alan Gillies is the Director of L2L Consulting, an elite pharmaceutical consultancy firm which specialises in Strategy Development and Implementation Excellence for prestigious multi-national organisations.

A pharmaceutical company has many different stakeholders and must satisfy a number of different “clients.” So many different issues have to be addressed including the company's position, public relations and media activities, lobbying in political circles, quite apart from core issues of marketing and economics. There is so much on the plate, be it daily or weekly and there is always a danger that senior management may take on too many issues and end up being less effective overall. Key account management will not be effective if certain layers of communication are not maintained, leading to a less efficient sales and marketing operation and calling for a pharmaceutical consulting firm to be retained for best effect.

Following the appointment of a specific account to the role of “key,” the pharmaceutical consultants should help in composing a concerted plan of action. The business must look at the relationship from the client point of view and accurately gauge what they feel to be the substance of the relationship. Communication must be full and constant and all parties must be able to achieve a “win” no matter how complex this is to achieve. While attention to the essentials is of course important, the key account would be more likely to continue the association if additional value is perceived.

If the client enters the comfort zone when dealing with a pharmaceutical company, it will be more inclined to not only continue the relationship, but also to enhance it or to expand it. When trust is established, the client will often not have to engage so many of its resources in trying to oversee and control the related activities and will foresee the relationship as an efficient one.

It has been said that account management is often one of “damage control.” Certainly issues and problems will arise from time to time. It falls to the company to try and understand how a client works and to do its best to anticipate any problems or objections before they occur. If a sales and marketing team has achieved a high level of training and education, it will be much better positioned to get past the hurdles in its path.

Key account management calls for a highly intelligent assessment of the client's interpretation of any relationship. As always, a level of satisfaction is at the top of the list and when senior management goes overboard, a long-term relationship is likely, with great potential for additional revenues. In almost every instance, pharma consulting firms practice the art of delivering satisfaction.

Alan Gillies is the CEO of L2L Consulting, a cutting-edge pharma consultancy firm which specialises in optimising productivity and performance within international companies by applying tailored organisational strategies.

The pharmaceutical company has to answer to a number of diverse stakeholders and demanding clients. So many different issues have to be addressed including the company's position, public relations and media activities, lobbying in political circles, quite apart from core issues of marketing and economics. There is so much on the plate, be it daily or weekly and there is always a danger that senior management may take on too many issues and end up being less effective overall. Key account management will not be effective if certain layers of communication are not maintained, leading to a less efficient sales and marketing operation and calling for a pharmaceutical consulting firm to be retained for best effect.

Once an account is designated as key to the success of the business, a determination should be made and a plan of action composed in concert with the pharmaceutical consultants. From the client perspective, what value do they gain from the relationship with the pharmaceutical company and vice versa? There should be an interactive approach to communication here and the goal should be to create a “win-win” scenario at all times, regardless of complexity. While attention to the essentials is of course important, the key account would be more likely to continue the association if additional value is perceived.

If the client enters the comfort zone when dealing with a pharmaceutical company, it will be more inclined to not only continue the relationship, but also to enhance it or to expand it. When trust is established, the client will often not have to engage so many of its resources in trying to oversee and control the related activities and will foresee the relationship as an efficient one.

Some experts observe that account management is really about damage control. Certainly issues and problems will arise from time to time. It falls to the company to try and understand how a client works and to do its best to anticipate any problems or objections before they occur. The more educated the sales and marketing team and the better the training levels initiated, the more likely it is that any potential stumbling blocks will be easily resolved.

Key account management calls for a highly intelligent assessment of the client's interpretation of any relationship. Satisfaction is paramount and should the company and its executives go the extra distance, an enhanced relationship and additional revenue opportunities are very likely. In almost every instance, pharma consulting firms practice the art of delivering satisfaction.

Alan Gillies is the CEO of L2L Consulting, a cutting-edge pharma consultancy firm which specialises in optimising productivity and performance within international companies by applying tailored organisational strategies.