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The key to making effective outbound calls is structure. The most effective telephone sales person will have a set process for contacting customers and will stick to it, no matter

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

what the temptation to alter their methods. Most outbound call agents will use a ‘working list’ to contact customers, it is important that you approach this list methodically and

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

the following approach will help you to remain effective.

Define your ideal customer – The best way to predict who your future customers will be is to understan

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

who your past customers have been. For instance, if by looking at your past client base you realise that the majority of your orders have come from the 18 – 30 year old bracket,

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

then this would likely be the best people to focus your attention on. Of course age isn’t the only consideration to make. You may also want to look at geography, past buying patte

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

rns, interests etc.

Develop a good ‘script’ – A good script or series of specific questions is the most important thing you can do to improve your effectiveness

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

hen selling on the telephone. This becomes even more important when you are making outbound calls.

Some people resist the idea of using a script. They argue that it is better to

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

sound natural and this will help build the relationship with the customer. The trick is to use the script as a series of prompts or reminder of what to say rather than reading it

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

verbatim. This way you can concentrate on how you say things as opposed to what you are saying. More importantly, it allows you to focus on what the customer is saying and helps y

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

u tailor your conversation to suit.

The script should be seen as a method of allowing you to be flexible in your approach as opposed to being a restraint.

Eliminate
ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi
ong> – The trouble with making outbound sales calls is you usually have absolutely no idea of the level of interest of the recipient until you have called them. It may be that the
ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a
first ten people you call are all interested in what you have to sell. Alternatively, it may be the last ten! You role is simply to find those people that are interested and temp
dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod
rarily eliminate those that are not. It is useful to methodical in your approach to calling customers.

It is tempting to disregard the customers that you couldn’t reach or did no
cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin
t show an immediate interest. However, a good salesperson will ensure that they follow-up on all of these opportunities. In order to ensure you keep track of the customers you hav
tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen
e previously called, it is useful to create a system of note-taking. If a customer is not available then you should make a good clear note of this next to their contact details, o
t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel
you could mark their level of interest from 1 – 3. By using this system you will ensure that you are fully prepared when it is time to call them again. Although this may seem ted
ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust
ious, it is a lot better than having to call a prospect ‘cold’.

Persist – A good telephone salesperson will develop a thick skin throughout their career. You wil
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
l need to accept rejection as part of the job and consider each new call as a new opportunity. Even the most hardy individual will get despondent at times, it is useful to set you
.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de
expectations early on and realise that you will not be able to convert the large majority of calls you make. This does not mean that the customer will never buy from you, just no
elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip
t today.

By making clear notes on your call list, you will be able to re-work an old list and even convert some previous rejections. The key to outbound sales is to never give up

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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