Digg It - Business

Salespeople are often alone as they make sales calls. Many say they don’t get coached. Most are hungry for good feedback and would benefit greatly from it.

Just like an artist who can be his

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

/her own best subject (because he/she is always available), you can be an effective self coach. After each call, critique the call by specifically reviewing your strengths and areas for improv

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

Examples of combination products may in

ment. Focus on one area at a time and set a plan on how to improve in that area.

August, if things slow down a bit, is a good time to step back after each call and debrief the call and your p

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

rformance. • Preparation
– Did I set a measurable objective before the call?
– Did I do the necessary homework so I was fully prepared?
– Did I meet with the right person/decisi

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

n maker?

• Opening
– Did I build personal rapport and set the focus of the meeting and check if that the client’s expectations?

• Identifying Needs
– Did I spend enough (mor

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

Combination pro

) time understanding needs vs. pitching?
– Did I ask about or review client objectives, the current situation, and the future and personal needs before getting to my product? What new thi

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

gs did I learn? Did I take good notes to use to follow up and to feed data into CRM?
– Did I use effective questioning skills?
• Did I ask open-ended questions to gain more informati

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

n?
• Did I lead into questions with acknowledgment and benefits to motivate the client to respond?
• Did I drill down to get specifics vs. jump to the next question?
– Did I lear

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

about competitors, budget, time frame?
– Did I use effective listening skills?
• Did I listen to the content and emotional message?
• Did I show signs of listening (eye contact,

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

ask questions, use acknowledgment, incorporate the client’s language, take notes)?
• Resolving Objections
– Did I uncover and resolve objections, including checking to get client feed

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

ack to make sure what I said answered the objection?

• Positioning
– Did I tailor my solution/ideas to my client’s needs?
– Did I ask for feedback on what I presented?

• Clo

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

ing
– Did I accomplish my objective?
– Did I ask for the business and/or put the next step in place to maintain momentum?
– What action steps and time frames did I set so I am po

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

sed to keep moving?
– Did I leave a positive last impression?

• Follow-up
– What is my follow-up? When?
– Did I input CRM and communicate internally?

Once you debrief

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

he call, choose one strength to build on and one area for improvement to work on and focus on that for the next few days:

• Set a game plan of what you will build on and how you will do it to

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

mprove.
• Work on one skill or strategy at a time and when you master that go on to the next. The power of incremental growth is extraordinary. Do something differently.

The key is

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

o commit to a path of continuous development. Sure, all salespeople (almost all) listen, question, and customize what they say, but the big question is at what level? Good, Very Good, or Supe

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

b? By debriefing calls and working on one thing at a time, all salespeople can move up on the skill scale.

Pick one area that you want to focus on. Give yourself a score (0 — not satisfied,

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

— moderately satisfied, 8 — very good, but want to improve more). Work on that area and aim for a 10!

Quick Critique: Did I listen at least 50% of the time? Did I achieve my objective? Wha

.

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

is the next step and time frame?

After you self-assess, seek an outside view.
• Ask yourself: “Where can I go to learn more?” We all have blind spots and need an outside view. Go to y

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

ur manager who can add value. Say, “This is what happened … This is how I handled it … What do you think?” Be open to feedback to what you can learn. Thank the giver — feedback is a gift.

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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