Converting leads is easy compared to generating leads. You need to do market research and promotions. If you’ve never done lead generation in the past, you might find it challenging to say the least. Fortunately, there is a service that helps with lead generation, particularly live transfer leads.

Leads are consumers who show keen interest in anything you are selling. Before we can discuss telemarketing sales leads or live transfer leads, we must clarify some things. A lead generation company also pre-sells a product for you so that they can get the attention of individuals who are really interested in what you have to offer. The company may also have done the market research. They focus on the demographic that is most likely to buy a product and generate leads within the demographic.

Most people transact through online websites, and they often don’t have qualms about applying for a specific service online. These lead generation companies have mastered the skill of driving traffic and leads to their partner companies.

Paper leads are the type of leads that most lead generation companies offer. Paper leads contain information that the lead has provided himself. These leads can be bought per piece or per list. Once a marketing personnel has this paper lead, he can create a marketing method to convert that lead or group of leads into sales. Before a telemarketer calls a prospect, he can review the information to come up with a more persuasive pitch.

But instead of outbound marketing, you can have your leads call you. The marketing campaign may have been designed so that the interested leads are the ones to call in to inquire about your service. In contrast to a paper lead, you don’t have to do outbound calls to pre-sell the product to a customer who may not welcome the call at the moment. With paper leads, there’s a chance that the customer has already talked to a customer service representative from another company, while live leads are customers who are looking for more information. Investing time and money on dead-end leads, like what happens when a paper lead contains faulty information, can be frustrating. The call gets redirected to your number after the customer calls and gets pre-screened.

One thing that you need to look at when purchasing leads from a company is whether or not the leads are exclusive. In a nutshell, the prospect receives calls from various companies who have obtained the lead.

Visit this website as they will look at Live Transfer Leads and Telemarketing Sales Leads.

The food and beverage industry has always been one of the most attractive for the would-be entrepreneur. When we consider fundamentals, something that each one of us must purchase to survive, food and drink of course comes in at the top of the list. This may very well be true, but so many interrelated complex issues arise when you look to buy a business, that you should remember that only one in 10 companies such as this will actually survive. Correct valuation upfront and an adequate process of due diligence will help you to survive against these odds and prosper.

One of the key skills that you can possess when you get ready to buy restaurant business assets is the ability to communicate and to decipher information. You will need numerous meetings with the seller and don’t be surprised if the early ones don’t reveal some fundamental facts and figures. Normally, a seller will want to be just a little protective and will want to see how enthusiastic you are or whether you are really serious before any important data may be divulged.

There are some basic facts and figures to absorb before you are able to project your own figures for the future. What style of food does the business favor and how many tables are there in the restaurant? You need to know how many meals are served per day, per week and by month and if the menu is somewhat specialized, are the supplier contracts strong enough and is the supply chain sufficient?

In any business, labor costs are significant. How do the costs breakdown in this particular business and be careful if the strength of the organization is entirely based on certain personalities, key figures, or even the master chef. You may not expect to get a lot of the finer details during the early process, as a seller often wants to keep any news of a potential sale away from the employees until the appropriate moment.

Write up a check-list of questions to ask the owner; you should have hundreds and not be afraid to be very specific, nor to insist on detailed answers. Before you even go there, however, understand that this kind of business involves very long hours and is typically a seven days per week concern. You will definitely be required to be good at managing people, dealing with significant problems and you might have to be patient before you can expect to see any profit from your endeavours.

As a new owner, you will need to set up and develop new relationships with all your suppliers. Some suppliers see a change of ownership as an opportunity to significantly “amend” their contracts, and prices. You must be able to deal with distraught people, who may be upset because their table is not available, even though they booked it but arrived late. You must be able to motivate your employees and be able to handle all situations immediately, resulting in praise or termination accordingly.

If you are really sure that you want to get involved with the restaurant industry, have thought about the right questions and received full answers from the seller, have crunched the financials and studied the contracts, then you are now ready to look at the business value. Always work with knowledgeable experts in the field who have experience in the restaurant industry and use their findings to backup your own thoughts. If you know what the business bottom line is, the salary take of the owner, net profits and owner benefits, then you should adjust this figure according to any capital expenditure you feel is important.

With any restaurant for sale, the three major costs involved – labor, rent and food, should be no more than two thirds of total expenditure and always remember that you will have to have a superb marketing plan so that you can tell everyone about your new creation.

Richard Parker is the author of the How to Buy a Good Business at a Great Price series. As President and founder of Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center, his materials, seminars and consulting have helped thousands of business buyers realize their dream to buy a business.

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The process of closing a sale is far more than just the mechanics of achieving a result, to provide products and services on the one hand and receive financial remuneration on the other. Highly successful sales representatives understand that they need to take into account strategies, personality types, positions and a host of external influences and factors. It may well be possible to reach a handshake agreement, but the key is to ensure that the relationship is being enhanced and is not endangered due to the tactics involved, or the lack of skill applied.

During key account management training, all the potential hurdles and obstacles that may be encountered, especially if the process of preparation is poor, must be understood as each party’s position is clarified. The pharmaceutical sales rep must be aware of the difference between positional bargaining and principled negotiation. Positional bargaining in an outcome that is less than palatable and not equitable. Should a hard position be adopted this can result in fractured trust and relationships, while if a soft position is adopted during the process, concessions can be made just for the sake of arriving at an agreement, often overlooking the very core of the problem.

The process of negotiation can only succeed if both parties are able to see the other side’s view of the situation. It is important that no process of blame is attached to any particular stumbling block or problem and that one party does not criticise the other for a particular stance. It is important to “get to the bottom” of each issue and to openly discuss the potential outcomes, either way. Each party should have a perceived stake in the outcome of the negotiation and as those discussions proceed, each party will then feel their positive involvement and a wish to find a mutually acceptable conclusion.

In our constantly evolving market, pharma training really engages the sales practitioner. It is their job to make sure that the professional is in possession of all education necessary, including facts about dosage, usability, restrictions, effects, side effects, safety and other issues, so that the healthcare professional can do the right job. Invariably, key account management training clearly understands how complicated this can be and that the path to sales closure is far from straightforward. The process of negotiation between the two parties is quite subtle and it’s important to realise that emotions can come into the picture. There can often be a process of resistance, which may be fuelled by poor sales practice experience in the past.

Preparation is everything and before any process of negotiation is undertaken, the sales representative should have gathered a lot of intelligence, information and data to bolster a clear understanding of the purpose at hand. This will help to ensure that the process can be completed without confusion or misunderstanding, presenting the position distinctly. By taking time to understand the intricacies of the other party’s position, the successful sales representative can tailor the approach, while still successfully trying to match the company’s ultimate objective.

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.

Unfortunately, the process of decision-making is often based on so many, often irrational factors, that the pharmaceutical sales representative has his or her work cut out. Contrary to some opinion, doctors and healthcare professionals do not operate in an emotional vacuum, even though they often have to keep their emotional sides in check to maintain professional competency and sanity. They lead their lives in the real world and are subject to the formation of opinions, the attraction of positive and negative emotions in any number of ways. This subtle interaction of external factors can often help persuade a process of decision-making and this is becoming readily apparent in the field of pharma training.

The marketplace is becoming more and more difficult, is a very competitive environment with legislation and restrictions ensuring that pharmaceutical companies have to train their employees really well to cope. We have learned from some independent studies that emotions can be classified as significant triggers, just as much as their rational alternatives can be. Whether the professional is aware of the situation or not is conjecture, but it certainly makes the role of the pharmaceutical sales representative a lot more difficult. The professional may be inspired by a particular brand reputation, by a particularly positive or negative reaction from a client or two and could form opinions based on the overall success of a brand marketing campaign. Often, a brand that is not able to portray its “nobility” in holistic terms, may fall well short of satisfying a healthcare professional’s avowed intention, to provide for their patient’s ultimate care.

These days, key account management training should encourage individuals within the organisation to observe and decipher the process of decision-making as keenly as possible. It is often impossible to fully determine and to understand what emotional factors may drive the choice, as a professional may not reveal these elements, consciously or subconsciously. Nevertheless, a keen observation may reveal subtle clues, be they visual, spoken or sometimes written and this data should be gathered and assessed to enable a pattern to be revealed.

Certain insight research groups are beginning to compile trend information and analysing the emotional needs of physicians and practitioners, providing such information to the pharmaceutical industry. Consultants should pay particular attention to the findings of these surveys, which could help where the particular organisation can improve. Not surprisingly, key account management training must keep up with these new revelations and positions, so that a consistent approach is applied and the clients are served, based on both their rational and emotional needs.

In the ultimate position, the pharmaceutical sales company will be more aware of individual buying decisions than the individual responsible for making the decision. It’s important to understand that emotional triggers cannot only affect individual prescription decisions, but also affect engagement from an overall perspective. If the pharmaceutical company can make alterations to its modus operandi, then it may in turn bypass the objections of the client.

The market is likely to become even more regulated and more highly competitive; we are sure to see these emotional buying triggers, in greater number.

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.

By now, pharmaceutical companies must appreciate the importance of key account management training and how they must always be in possession of the latest, cutting-edge marketing information to enable them to actively solicit and then cultivate major, important accounts. There may be a tendency to concentrate on the establishment of a “system,” where a large number of individuals within key roles are all engaged in helping to ensure that the “big picture” is realised. We know that it takes many individuals within an organisation to satisfy the requirements of the key account and that these individuals must all work together in harmony. However, there may be a danger that the personal element of interaction is overlooked, to the company’s peril, when an organisation’s marketing structure is designed.

Failure to communicate effectively may be one of the principal reasons why relationships fail, even though actual value is being exchanged. The element of one-on-one contact is still the most important and must be handled very carefully. Key account management training will help to position a number of different individuals, so that they are actively aware of what the client wants. A large variety of individual, interactive communications will arise. While this is going on, a specific “point person” must be front and centre, and focused on maintaining the critical communication with the key individual in that key account. This relationship must be identified at the very earliest stage and must be constantly tended to, or failure may be ahead.

If slower times roll around, customer service is often one of the first areas to be cut back, and while consolidation within key account management may be acceptable in certain circumstances, it should never affect the personal contact with the key client, specifically. It is also not sensible for the organisation to put all its eggs in one collective personality basket. The interactive development of two different personalities is often very effective in building business or personal relationships, but it should not be relied upon by itself. A certain amount of redundancy must be included within key account management structures, so that if one particular individual should depart the company, the client relationship will not completely fold under.

These days, key account management training should never be cast in stone, or the subject of a repetitive, “proven” philosophy. The management team responsible for setting up the company structures should be “street smart,” and well aware of what the particular client needs, as a consequence. They should not operate in isolation from the marketing office, but should get out and visit clients. This will help them to understand how to modify their marketing structure and also enable them to act readily and with confidence, should any break in the interpersonal relationship pipeline occur.

Any pharmaceutical company faces a long and difficult road ahead as legislation is sure to impact and as company acquisitions and consolidation take hold. As major patents expire and as more focus is put on “niche” solutions and products, pharma training must become more comprehensive and diversified.

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.

Attention and decision-making often come down to how we interact with all the “noise” around us. We are bombarded by noise in our personal lives, on a constant basis. When we enter our professional arena, this noise level tends to increase and as human beings, we can be forgiven for resisting this noise and becoming very jaded on any given day. Noise is evident in the relentless marketing all around us, be it subtle, strategic or annoying. Like it or not, this is the way that society is made up and we are all used to it.

The job of the pharmaceutical sales rep is far from simple. This is a very competitive and often very emotional arena and the product can have far-reaching consequences for the pharmaceutical professional and the end-user, the patient. Many professionals and practitioners have little time for pharmaceutical sales representatives and they may have amassed bad feelings, often due to poor sales practices and/or incorrect information.

These days, key account management training focuses on teaching the representative to cut through the noise and to speak the words that the client really wants to hear. They need to get past the interpretation that they are only in it for themselves, do not really understand what the practitioner has to deal with, what is needed and what may help and understand that there is a certain tendency to believe that the relationship is taken for granted. As bad relationships have been built up over time, a lot more resistance will be apparent. In this scenario, it can be very difficult to get to the “yes,” and pharma training must concentrate on how to prepare for the meeting, how to re-create relationships and how to clear away the damage caused by bad historical practices.

There is a lot of strategic and subtle content within key account management training. A relationship has been classified as key for certain reasons, but it cannot be taken for granted in any shape or form. Quite the contrary, this type of relationship may require much more interaction, as compared to an account that is not “key.”

Employees who are designated to interact with the key account must always be clear about their objectives. Trainers must lay out all these objectives categorically and ensure that employees engage. When a particular position is required, the end goal must be readily apparent. This cannot be over emphasised. Remember that the client organisation could be the subject of a specific structure of influence, including the interaction of subordinates, professionals, secretaries, peers or receptionists. Overlook a particular individual at your peril, as you will not get past the rebuttal.

Every single client and prospect differs and there are so many external influences at play, with various levels of “noise reduction,” so that a novel approach is required by the sales team, in each case. Understanding how each client is different, to a finite degree, is essential and this will allow the sales company’s point people to create a valuable exchange of some kind, drastically increasing the prospects that the client will come on board.

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.

Entrepreneurs often worry about how to accurately value and buy a business that is up for sale. Numerous intangibles can often be involved and these can “muddy the waters” when it comes to arriving at a true value. It’s possible to investigate all the financials, refer to benchmarks and talk to experts, valuing leasehold or freehold asset positions, inventory levels and generally conducting a wide exploration. When you’re looking at a website for sale, though, a number of other issues may emerge during this process.

The Internet has grown to become a very significant part of our lives, fundamental in many respects, even during its relatively short existence. We often wonder how we might function without access to the Internet, used as we are to jumping online whenever we need answers to our burgeoning list of questions. It is this invaluable nature that should make a website business attractive to start off with. After all, if the business has been well put together, then there could be a whole lot of potential for growth. It seems clear that we will increasingly rely on the Internet for our research and for the purchase of products and services through this new decade.

As the Internet is still relatively in its infancy, many conflicting valuations may arise and you could be faced with seemingly contradictory facts and figures. Certainly we may find that it is difficult to value an Internet business, but due to the very nature of the beast it is likely that we will be able to find all the resources necessary to conduct our research online.

In general terms, an Internet business relies completely on its traffic generation methods and the quality of its websites. Remember that we are looking at Internet marketing methods, list generation, e-mail interaction and other variables and not conventional marketing approaches.

A website often relies on the strength of its domain name, and originality and creativity can sometimes represent a distinct value; you will be able to check this value at specific sites online. As most people find websites through the major search engines, site optimization is very important so that researchers can find the site according to specific keywords. You will need to know what the specific keywords are for the business and how the seller actually markets them.

One of the first things you will need to do is to find out all about the construction and design of the website. If you are not technically astute, get help here. Find out who designed and built the website, who is currently in charge of maintaining it, what form of coding they used and where it is all hosted and maintained. Above all else, you need to be sure that the site will be available as much as possible and that you will have access to all the data necessary to maintain the site to your optimum advantage going forward.

Analyze the existing clients and see how long they have been loyal to the business. You will need to know how they discovered the site in the very beginning and also what marketing initiatives work best for the current owner. If the business is based on the provision of services, who will provide the services after the sale? The talent required to run such a business should not be underestimated and if you need to rely on the outgoing seller, ensure that he or she will be willing and able to help you proceed.

With an unusual business niche, you might look on the one hand at this and conclude it could be a definite and exclusive asset, but be wary if your business operates in certain areas, as legislation in the future may impact you. As with any venture such as this, satisfy yourself that there is a demand first and do not assume that a novel idea will sell, simply due to its novelty! It’s always a prudent decision to buy website business assets selectively when you are trying to get into the online world!

Richard Parker is the author of the How to Buy a Good Business at a Great Price series. As President and founder of Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center, his materials, seminars and consulting have helped thousands of business buyers realize their dream to buy a business.

If you want to set up productive, lengthy and reliable relationships in business, you have to be able to exert influence without appearing to be trying to position yourself as an authoritarian. Not surprisingly, key account management training should help to show you how you can exert influence in any relationship, but should definitely focus on the amount of time and effort that you need to put into preparing, before you set out to engage with the prospect. The field of pharmaceutical sales can be more like a minefield, as the sales representative tries to bring a particular product to the attention of the end-user. So many external influences are at play, with so many different and sometimes powerful emotions to take into consideration that the really focused sales rep will ensure that he or she does a lot of work behind the scenes, before even venturing out onto the street.

Many healthcare professionals, pharmacists and practitioners have become rather jaded, often as a consequence of saturation, overkill and poor sales and marketing techniques. It is safe to say that the average professional does not look forward to meetings with pharmaceutical reps, which can be all too frequent. This makes the pharmaceutical sales rep’s job a lot more difficult, as influence must be exerted without any posturing or undue articulation.

Consultants who provide pharma training to sales representatives must focus on building confidence and must ensure that the rep understands the importance of preparation. You have to know what your endgame is and what you want to achieve, very clearly. Every client is different of course, but the representative must know how to differentiate and approach from a different angle, even if the product is essentially the same. Be prepared for the rebuttal, which could be couched in many different forms and be prepared to be clear and assertive, without appearing to try and dominate.

It takes a lot to build a foundation of influence, through a process of preparation and subtle action. It might well be necessary to engage with others, often gatekeepers, who work within the target organisation. It is very important to be proactive and to show that you understand the challenges that face the client. You will need to look vertically and horizontally and take into account factors which may not necessarily have any direct association with the ultimate goal, but may nevertheless impact in one way or another. All this work will pay off as you will end up making a position of trust, an essential prerequisite, as taught during key account management training.

By knowing what your prospects are likely to say to you in advance, you can have your position carefully crafted and be prepared to deal with their objections, positions and likely response. You should be able to predict and provide them with a clear solution, one that meets their needs and wants and satisfies your ultimate objective, as well. It’s important to build flexibility into your stance, so that you can be seen to “give” somewhat, if necessary, helping to achieve a powerful feeling of collaboration between all parties, creating good relationships going forward.

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.

A typical pharmaceutical company is very complex. Its primary job is to produce cutting edge products, to make a fundamental difference to the livelihood and well-being of the patients. From research to product development, many individuals are involved. Once a product is sanctioned and made available to market, an army of sales representatives must be deployed, together with their support network. At the head of this operation is the senior executive team, all of whom have a certain number of dedicated tasks to perform themselves, on a daily basis. At the other end of the spectrum, a healthcare professional needs to understand and have access to the products that the pharmaceutical company produces. They have their own organisational structure to take into account and their primary focus is on the needs of their own clients, the patients. These organisations exist within complex environments as well and have many distractions, on a daily basis.

We can see that the industry is very complicated indeed and it’s something of a miracle that the product ever find its way into the hands of the patient, to say nothing of the delays caused by the sheer amount of regulation that dominates this industry. Fundamentally, the pharmaceutical company has to make sales or they will not survive, but if you analyse the situation it is amazing to see that the actual process of selling can be determined by a relatively simple interaction, often taking just a few moments, when a junior member of the sales team engages, one on one, with the healthcare professional’s decision-maker. This surely represents a pressure packed moment, if you look at it this way, with much riding on the outcome and it is true to say that many organisations do not pay enough attention to these critical moments; they need to field a team that is ultimately prepared to get involved with the job through comprehensive pharma training.

Remember that the healthcare professional is looking to build a relationship and not particularly interested in one transaction. This is why some resistance is often evident, as the professional may feel that the sales rep is interested in a numbers game alone, not particularly vested in the client’s outcome. Invariably, key account management training shows how a very dedicated approach must be maintained and how the total strength of the company’s team must be trained so that they work cohesively to help achieve the desired result. This is so critical, as any organisation that does not understand this and leaves the job of building relationships to some junior member on the team cannot hope to succeed. Much more is demanded of the relationship, yet often a more junior person knows more about the particular wants and needs of the professional than the more senior executives within the organisation.

In most cases, key account management training ensures that the sales representative understands the difference between representing the company’s interests and representing the interests of the client. By standing on the client side and looking back to the organisation, the client needs and interests can be addressed more effectively, and the many individual team members within the company engaged to address them. The establishment of a relationship is fundamental. Once this position is enhanced and less emphasis is placed on the generation of more income from the client, the client will become readily aware of this change in position and is likely to promote a much more fruitful association.

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.

Value is very important in any business-to-business relationship and both sides must clearly see its benefits. After all, without value what is the point of the relationship? This value must be apparent on both sides of the coin, in equal amounts, or the relationship is not very likely to survive, let alone prosper. The differential of value is one of the key challenges facing the pharmaceutical company’s executives and their consultants, as they determine how to deliver this value to their clients, most especially those who are classified as “key.” Because of this, much emphasis is to be placed on key account management training, so that all employees who have to interact with the client know how important it is to differentiate value well.

In the ultimate analysis, the pharmaceutical sales company provides products to the professional, which represent a clear value and a distinct benefit to the end user. In order for the purchaser to receive the value of these products, he or she must make certain sacrifices in return. This is how most business-to-business relationships are formed, through an exchange of value in this way. If there is an additional perception of value, relationships can be elevated, on either side. This is where key account management training reveals that additional benefit could take the form of market position, enhanced service, exchange of valuable information, reputational enhancement and/or a number of other, often subtle elements.

In some cases, the value of a key account is interpreted differently and even independently. In one analysis, the client may not think that the company is treating their business as “key, in any shape or form.” The interpretation may be entirely one-sided, as it may not need to affect the way that services and products are delivered from the company to the client. This may be perfectly fine and the relationship may prosper. Often, however, value is determined according to the actual relationship itself, where a certain amount of collaboration is expected and required and value is obtained through close cooperation.

If an organisation pays particular attention to key account management training, its entire operation will be devoted to enhancing the relationship and the value derived from a straightforward exchange of product for remuneration may well represent only a small part of the value exchanged. The relationship should be everything and a clear definition should be established to show exactly why the key account is so special and important. Not surprisingly, pharma training can, consequently, be very complicated and can be set to focus on areas that do not represent the critical mission statement of the organisation, necessarily. Pharma training must emphasise how dynamic these relationships should be and how “over delivery” can help to cement their future.

It is the job of the successful pharmaceutical consultant to ensure that the parent organisation is well aware of how real value should be imparted to each of the key accounts on the books and how such attention to detail can move them ahead of their competitors, who may not be so proactive and careful. Determination of value is a critical component of key account management.

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.

We have heard in recent times from many of the larger pharmaceutical companies, who tell us how they predict pharmaceutical marketing will change as we go forward. Under pressure from Congress, these organisations are starting to reveal how much money is paid to healthcare professionals during the marketing phase, as they seek to interact and to sell their products. It appears that key doctors have been taken on as consultants, with the aim of telling a particular story about specific products and their benefits; the full scale of these engagements is now apparent.

Congressional health reform will require pharmaceutical companies to declare any payments, fees or gifts made to doctors, practitioners and hospitals, beginning in 2012. The government will add all this information together and reveal it to the public the following year. In advance of this requirement, many organisations are making the information available to the public right now. Pharmaceutical sales companies defend these payments as important and indeed essential in helping to spread the word about the benefits associated with individual products. Although these payments are defended as necessary for ultimate patient care, the public does view them with a certain amount of negativity, in their perception. A lot of work needs to be done and the pharmaceutical marketing and sales industry must provide a clearer and more distinct picture for the public.

Changes in the healthcare field dictate that executives and pharmaceutical consultants must pay more and more attention to sales and marketing and specific pharma training. Not surprisingly, key account management training must focus in on the leadership of the parties, whether direct payments are involved or not, so that everybody is aware of the actual scope of the specific association. It may be necessary to reposition the relationship, in the light of changes, legislation or public opinion. If nothing else, the most recent changes emphasise the need for key account management training to be cutting-edge and to recognise the level of dynamism in the field.

Doctors invariably want to assure observers that they are not crossing ethical boundaries and that they concur with the findings of the pharmaceutical companies. Doctors routinely disclose that they have a relationship with these companies and make sure that they tailor their talks, and recommendations, so that they are not seen as being partisan.

The result of the turmoil is likely to ensure that direct payments become far less important in the overall marketing mix, especially as new reporting requirements are established. Change is often perceived as a threat, but those pharmaceutical companies that are “on top of” their marketing tactics will know how to manipulate their key account management and turn any change into a positive.

Pharmaceutical consultants understand how many external forces are in play, in this case due to political initiatives and from changes in public perception. They will ensure that pharma training keeps up with differing trends and requirements and further ensures that staff are ready to be proactive in a new field of operations. In short, the consultants will always ensure that the organisation is adequately prepared for any eventualities that may transpire.

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.

In order for a business-to-business relationship to be formed, some form of value must be evident and attached to both sides. There is no point in trying to build a relationship without establishing its value. Furthermore, unless value is readily apparent on both sides of the equation and is seen as being equitable, the relationship is not likely to last. One of the main challenges facing the pharmaceutical company’s executives and their consultant team is how to differentiate value and how to ensure that it is delivered to all their clients, especially the most important ones. Because of this, much emphasis is to be placed on key account management training, so that all employees who have to interact with the client know how important it is to differentiate value well.

Fundamentally, the pharmaceutical sales company is providing products to the health care professional and these valuable instruments provide a distinct benefit to the purchaser. In order for the purchaser to receive the value of these products, he or she must make certain sacrifices in return. This exchange of value is at the core of any business-to-business relationship. If there is an additional perception of value, relationships can be elevated, on either side. These days, key account management training focuses on the fact that additional benefits could be construed in many different ways, such as through important information exchange, service enhancements, market positioning, reputational gain, or a combination of other, maybe more subtle aspects.

In some cases, the value of a key account is interpreted differently and even independently. For example, the client may not be aware that the sales company is treating their association as “key,” at all. The interpretation may be entirely one-sided, as it may not need to affect the way that services and products are delivered from the company to the client. The relationship between the two may work entirely well on this basis. In most cases however, the actual relationship itself determines the real value and through collaboration, the relationship prospers and moves forward pro-actively.

The pharmaceutical organisation should make sure that its key account management training is very purposeful, so that great attention is paid to developing the relationship and elevating it above the straightforward exchange of pharmaceuticals for money. Much attention should be attached to relationship building, with a particular focus on to what extent the key account relationship is important and special. Not surprisingly, pharma training can, consequently, be very complicated and can be set to focus on areas that do not represent the critical mission statement of the organisation, necessarily. Pharma training will clearly show that these relationships are very dynamic and can only be expected to thrive if the company goes above and beyond standard practice.

Pharmaceutical consultants that take the time to dissect the meaning of value in relation to each and every key account can often help the parent organisation move much further than competitive organisations, which often ignore or gloss over the importance of this concept. Determination of value is a critical component of key account management.

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 food and beverage industry has always been one of the most attractive for the would-be entrepreneur. When we consider fundamentals, something that each one of us must purchase to survive, food and drink of course comes in at the top of the list. While this may be the case, there are many complex and interrelated issues to consider before you buy a business involving an existing restaurant and it’s important to bear in mind that less than one in 10 purchases will actually succeed. Correct valuation upfront and an adequate process of due diligence will help you to survive against these odds and prosper.

When you begin trying to buy restaurant business assets, you’ll quickly learn that one of the key skills you’ll require is the ability to decipher information and to communicate effectively. A number of meetings will be required with the seller and don’t be frustrated if the meetings don’t reveal some of the significant information. Normally, a seller will want to be just a little protective and will want to see how enthusiastic you are or whether you are really serious before any important data may be divulged.

Before you can start projecting a position in the future, you need to know some basic facts and figures. What style of food does the business favor and how many tables are there in the restaurant? You need to know how many meals are served per day, per week and by month and if the menu is somewhat specialized, are the supplier contracts strong enough and is the supply chain sufficient?

Labor is a major cost in any business and particularly here. How do the costs breakdown in this particular business and be careful if the strength of the organization is entirely based on certain personalities, key figures, or even the master chef. Tread carefully here as the seller may well want to keep news of the potential sale away from his employees, so you might not get some of the finer details right away.

When you start to compose a check-list of questions for the owner – and you might find you have hundreds, don’t be afraid to be as specific as you need to be and insist on appropriate answers. Before you even go there, however, understand that this kind of business involves very long hours and is typically a seven days per week concern. You will be required to deal with many “fires,” be great at managing people and your time and may not expect to see a specific net profit for quite a while.

Some of the challenges you may well face as a new owner include the ability to consummate new relationships with your suppliers. Some suppliers see a change of ownership as an opportunity to significantly “amend” their contracts, and prices. You must be able to deal with distraught people, who may be upset because their table is not available, even though they booked it but arrived late. Employee motivation is very important and you should be ready to deal with every situation as it arises, whether that means praise or even termination!

If you are really sure that you want to get involved with the restaurant industry, have thought about the right questions and received full answers from the seller, have crunched the financials and studied the contracts, then you are now ready to look at the business value. Experts in this field should be engaged to help you understand what you are dealing with and you should use their findings to help you solidify your thoughts. If you know what the business bottom line is, the salary take of the owner, net profits and owner benefits, then you should adjust this figure according to any capital expenditure you feel is important.

With a restaurant for sale, expect your three major costs – food, labor and rent to be no more than two thirds of your total expenses and make sure that you have a first-class marketing plan so that you can tell the world about your new baby.

Richard Parker is the author of the How to Buy a Good Business at a Great Price series. As President and founder of Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center, his materials, seminars and consulting have helped thousands of business buyers realize their dream to buy a business.

If you have not engaged in something like this before, buying business assets can be quite a daunting prospect. While it may be somewhat easier than establishing your own operation from scratch, understand that you are taking on, in many respects, the liabilities of somebody who is a complete stranger to you. You can certainly reveal many of the inner workings of the business for sale and consult numerous documents to help you understand what it is all about, but you must be able to read between the lines, and this is exactly why you need a due diligence checklist.

Many of the business owners you will come across are diligent and enthusiastic people, are justifiably proud of their creation and really want their baby to be nurtured and cared for by a new and careful owner, but you cannot assume that this is always the case. Please don’t think that this means you have to assume the worst in all cases, but it does unfortunately mean that you cannot take any statement at face value and you must look for proof in all cases to back up claims made. Expert analysis will come in very handy here as you get ready to buy a business and you should seek out business experts, accountants and financiers right now.

Here, your primary purpose is to set a value. Both parties concerned, the seller and the buyer, will undoubtedly have a different interpretation of the business’ value. You will not come to an agreement or deal unless both parties are happy, but always bear in mind that you have to set the specifics under which a deal is likely to be made.

When you buy a business, there are numerous steps that you have to take as you proceed through your due diligence checklist, and all of these will help you to reveal the inner workings of the business in question. Never rely on industry benchmarks, even though they may be useful for your information gathering purposes. In the majority of cases you will always want to rely on the most recent data and while there are many documents to check, the financials are of paramount importance. Never be tempted to gloss over some of the less palatable financial figures, if a specific business asset appears to be of particular interest to you.

Some of the important factors to consider when assessing the value of a business for sale include the scope and level of services on offer and the potential for expansion, the age and established nature of the organization and, most certainly, its reputation in the marketplace. Get a good impression of the competition in the industry and in the local area and understand that location may be the most important asset of all. You may be considering purchasing an Internet-based business or one that does not have a “bricks and mortar” location. Certainly, a physical location is not important in this situation, however you may have to undergo an even more thorough process of due diligence.

Time spent going through this process of revelation as you work your way through your due diligence checklist, will be well worthwhile. If part of your due diligence process involves the analysis of daily operations, staff behaviour, client interaction and so on, this will invariably take many days if not weeks. Be prepared for a lengthy process and you will not become overly anxious to consummate an early deal.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the prestigious Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His celebrated materials, seminars and consulting have encouraged thousands of aspiring business buyers from around the World to pursue their dream to buy a business.

Many of us can remember our trip to a great seminar, or a multi-day trip to an important convention, with memories of the positive atmosphere and how we were able to become totally enthused by what we were to learn, our motivational engines firing on all cylinders. This is exactly what these events are designed to do, to instil that sense of excitement, ready to propel us into the market and really sell whatever product or service is in question. In most cases, pharmaceutical sales training sessions or books can be similarly motivational and there is always an important time and a place for these tools to be used by the typical sales force. However, we can never underestimate the importance of effective implementation, as when the “rubber hits the road,” a lot of that motivation quickly seems to be absorbed into the atmosphere.

Here lies the main point, the problem that has faced the motivational speaker or corporate trainer for years, now. The act of making a salesperson originate and formulate a plan, attached to a realistic goal is not the biggest task — execution is where the challenge lies. It’s all very well talking about theoretical situations in a classroom environment, outlining the threats and challenges that are likely to be faced in the real world and implementing training to ensure that the salesperson is best prepared to cope. However, it must be understood that very many different factors come into play when the salesperson is actually engaged with the prospect and one could argue that the biggest hurdle facing the salesperson when trying to “land” a sale is the attitude or subconscious direction displayed by the salesperson him or herself.

It is very important that pharmaceutical sales training does not set up subconscious, relatively impossible and/or psychologically negative barriers, potentially compromising effective implementation. Corporate goals may suggest that a 100% result is required and that the salesperson should have only one true goal in mind. Often, however, the salesperson must be able to use individual initiative and to understand that opportunities come in many different shapes and forms. It is sometimes better to accept a result that can be classified as a significantly high percentage, rather than striving to get 100% of zero.

The salesperson must always be coached to understand that persistence when facing adversity is critical. This is not to say that the person should push forward under all circumstances, as it is equally as important to understand that certain parameters may have made any kind of sale unattainable. This requires a person to adapt and evolve and use internal motivation to dodge the final line of defence and score the goal.

The sales force must be supported in the field and anything less than total commitment from the organisation in terms of resources, training, as well as product strength and deliverability will undoubtedly result in a lower effective rate of implementation. This is where critical, key account management training works best, infusing the right person with the right amount of knowledge and ability, allowing them to implement effectively and according to unequivocal guidance from senior management personnel.

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.

One of the ongoing challenges facing the pharmaceutical company is the attraction, motivation, management and handling of key salespeople. The company itself has a significant reputation in the marketplace and has allocated certain resources to the development of its reputation and the dissemination of its cutting-edge products. Every organisation is, of course, very dynamic and its ongoing success will depend on the correct, but complex interaction of many moving parts, on an ongoing basis. Most notably, the all-important clients must be handled very carefully and certain key account management policies and techniques must be developed, so that mature relationships proliferate.

These days, key account management training is so important as the company develops a line of procedural guidelines, disseminated from the highest levels for clarity. However, one of the major challenges facing the company hierarchy is one of communicating to its sales staff through pharmaceutical sales training and in turn ensuring that the level of communication, both outgoing and incoming to and from a client organisation, is perfectly formed.

In truth, a relationship between a supplier and buyer may rise or fall on the strength of communication, which can sometimes be as relatively tenuous as an interpersonal relationship between two people — the key account client contact and the key account manager at the pharmaceutical company end.

When it has been established that an account must retain “key” status, the pharmaceutical company must define the nature of this relationship very clearly and must communicate the appropriate elements of this definition throughout the company through good pharmaceutical sales training. This will ensure that any responses are always well engineered and stable. Of course it is difficult to automate every element of the policy; after all, human elements are always present. It must be recognised that there is potential for a breakdown of relationship if too much emphasis is placed on a particular individual at the interface level. It is much more preferable to build a variety of different tiers of communication between the company and client organisations, be they informal or formal, thereby negating the effects of catastrophic failure.

The pharmaceutical company would be best served by establishing and implementing regular development, planning and review meetings and exercises, with the clear aim of “over delivering” to satisfy the relationship.

When an important relationship is in the process of development, we should remember that financial considerations are not the only motivators in question and both parties should see the dissemination of confidential information as an important ingredient, going forward. As such, the pharmaceutical company must be well aware of who, within the client organisation, is the key person responsible for receiving such information, clearly identifying the role and ensuring success. Without putting too fine a point on it, interpersonal communication and relationships must be very sophisticated, but it is equally important that the focus is not on the particular personality associated with the individual fitting the role. From time to time a “key” individual may leave his or her role and should this happen, ongoing functionality will not be compromised.

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.

In the end, it all comes down to the issue of noise. Noise, quite simply, is a constant bombardment in all our lives. When we enter our professional arena, this noise level tends to increase and as human beings, we can be forgiven for resisting this noise and becoming very jaded on any given day. Noise is evident in the relentless marketing all around us, be it subtle, strategic or annoying. This is just part of the make-up of our society and we are all accustomed to it.

The job of the pharmaceutical sales rep is far from simple. There’s a lot of apparent competition and many emotions are at play as products in this industry can have very far-reaching consequences for both the professional practitioner and the client in question. It is unfortunate that many practitioners and professionals have developed a certain amount of bad feeling toward pharmaceutical sales representatives, due to poor dissemination of information in the past and often inferior sales practices, as well.

In our evolving market, key account management training is very important in helping the sales representative to make him or herself heard through all the noise and to specifically speak to what the client is interested in hearing. Many clients believe that the sales representative is only “in it” for themselves, that they do not understand particular problems, issues and requirements and tend to take them for granted. Over time, poor relationships are built up between the professional and the rep and this is likely to lead to even more resistance. The coveted “yes” decision will be very difficult to achieve, so pharma training must be focused on meeting preparation, relationship re-creation and clearing away all the bad damage that has been caused through poor practice.

There is a lot of strategic and subtle content within key account management training. These accounts are “key” for a reason, but just because they are more likely to engage with the pharmaceutical company, this does not mean that they can be treated as “part of the furniture.” Quite the contrary, this type of relationship may require much more interaction, as compared to an account that is not “key.”

Employees who are designated to interact with the key account must always be clear about their objectives. These must be laid out in a detailed form by the trainers and must be adopted by the employees. When a particular position is required, the end goal must be readily apparent. This is very important. Remember that the client organisation could be the subject of a specific structure of influence, including the interaction of subordinates, professionals, secretaries, peers or receptionists. Unless you are aware of this, an attempt to bypass a particular individual could definitely backfire.

Every single client and prospect differs and there are so many external influences at play, with various levels of “noise reduction,” so that a novel approach is required by the sales team, in each case. Understanding how each client is different, to a finite degree, is essential and this will allow the sales company’s point people to create a valuable exchange of some kind, drastically increasing the prospects that the client will come on board.

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.

Major change in the United States always bring global reverberations and the recent passage of health care reform in that country will no doubt have many repercussions for the global health industry, driving change that will impact all pharmaceutical companies and their marketing efforts. The common marketing landscape has been changing in recent years, in part in response to the lengthy worldwide recession and this has provided notable challenges for every pharmaceutical company and supporting consultant organisation. What seemed to work before does not work anymore and as such, organisations have been forced to become more strategically aligned, focusing more on the consumer, in order for them to be heeded in the marketplace.

The United States legislation could be viewed, on the one hand, as being a potential boon for pharmaceutical companies, as upwards of 30 million people could be expected to be brought into the insurance coverage arena, with consequent potential for enhanced sales. On the other hand, many new pieces of legislation will lead to different procedures and the establishment of new standards, forcing the very make-up of the market in the US to change out of all recognition, challenging budgets like never before. In short, the composition of the redesigned market is yet to be ascertained.

With such a large number of potential end-users entering the marketplace, new methods of information dissemination will undoubtedly take hold. As the digital communication age continues to mature, pharmaceutical marketing methods may increasingly rely on online programs and channels, as health care providers also turn to these channels to solicit clients and to communicate with patients.

As information is disseminated online, consumers may in increasing numbers be driven by social media and word of mouth stimuli and healthcare providers may find that they have to rework their positions, as those who recommend products to the final marketplace. Not surprisingly, pharmaceutical sales training techniques and approaches will need to be continuously modified, so that the company’s message is not diluted or delivered in an inefficient manner, within this new and evolving communications framework.

It’s likely that there will be a shift towards prevention and health awareness and that more funds will be allocated from a global perspective towards this facet of education and the dissemination of products and services accordingly. The pharmaceutical company must revisit its position and understand how important it is to be seen as an educator and as a good role model when it comes to preventative and good health care practices. Furthermore, it still remains to be seen how a restructured healthcare market will take into account the revision of funding sources, as a shift is made within insurance markets and as new consumers enter the picture. At this point, key account management training will be even more important as these accounts are redefined in the new era and pharmaceutical sales training re-purposes itself.

In short, as the entire United States healthcare industry is reinvented and restructured, changes may be expected in the way that pharmaceutical marketing is conducted, in all markets. The entire business continues to be very dynamic as the World’s economies emerge from recession and as new communication methods demand different approaches to marketing, to commute to bring the appropriate message to the right ear.

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.

Don’t have any confusion about it, buying a business for sale is a multi-step process with each step being essential. You should never think about proceeding to the next position until the preceding step is complete and whatever you do, don’t be tempted to short-cut ever. Adequate preparation and time spent revealing everything there is to know about the business will be well spent here and will help to ensure that no horror stories are uncovered once you take the helm.

Before you even start to talk to a prospective seller, a great deal of information can be revealed. But hold on for just a second, are you really sure that you possess the level of enthusiasm you need for this type of business? Do you really want to be involved in that industry and does it represent an area that you truly want to be engrossed in? Be advised, that unless you want to be a completely “absentee” owner and are considering the many additional steps that you need to take if this is the case, you should be enthusiastic about the business that you are getting involved in.

When you are conducting your due diligence, make sure that you inspect all documentation:

* Financials: these documents will include balance sheets, payroll records, tax reports, reconciliation documents and profit and loss statements. If the seller claims a considerable amount of “cash sales” but cannot point to these within tax declarations, then they cannot be counted and you must ignore them.

* Employee records: including longevity, pay scales, behavior, and attendance.

* Licenses: these will include county, city, state and federal licenses, as well as any certification you need to operate the business. It would be in your best interests to look at records independently, certainly if you believe there may have been any problems in the past or possible discrepancies.

* Equipment records: including age, depreciation, maintenance, replacement cost, and any required inspections.

* Inventory records: re-saleability, turnover and overall condition.

* Supplier contracts: including portability, alternatives and goodwill.

* Property records: are any rental agreements transferable to you without any problem, as this can be particularly important.

If you find that all records, licenses, contracts and agreements are in order and are workable for you going forward, you may be wondering how to arrive at a good value when you buy business assets. There are many different ways of looking at this. Here are some of the methods commonly used to calculate:

* Asset-based multipliers, are where a total value of the assets is used to determine a value.

* Rule of thumb – this is not a recommended approach, as industry benchmarks are used to determine value.

* Revenue-based multipliers – a percentage is applied to monthly or annual revenues (not recommended).

* Cash flow multiplier, is where a business owner’s profit level is added to his or her salary and any other perks and certain expenses are deducted. This method is most commonly used to determine the value of a business.

Any number of documents and figures can be used by the owner to back up a claim and it is up to you to take these at their value and determine the appropriate conclusions. What is the age and reputation of the business, the level of competition expected, its physical location in many cases, the legal structure of the business, the quality of the premises and/or the difficulty in obtaining a new lease. When looking at a business for sale, take everything into account as you determine whether you should buy a business like this.

Richard Parker is the author of the How to Buy a Good Business at a Great Price series. As President and founder of Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center, his materials, seminars and consulting have helped thousands of business buyers realize their dream to buy a business.

The role of the pharmaceutical sales representative has often been challenged from a public relations perspective. Some protagonists believe that the representative, as an extension of the pharmaceutical company itself, is overly influential when dealing with a healthcare practitioner, which flows through to a product decision-making process. From time to time, populist media points out that far more is spent on pharmaceutical marketing than research associated with the development of the products. Nevertheless, pharmaceutical marketing techniques are essential in disseminating the information necessary for the practitioner to make a final deliberation as to whether the product should be prescribed or not. The sales force plays a critical role in bringing the product to the market as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Due to some of the negative public relations, some markets in the United States have imposed restrictions on gift giving, including the dissemination of drug samples by pharmaceutical salespeople. In particular, Partners Healthcare, the largest hospital and physician network in the state of Massachusetts has implemented guidelines, specifically prohibiting their physicians and researchers from accepting gifts or drug samples from pharmaceutical manufacturers. So stringent are the rules, that even sales representatives must apply for permission before they can even interact with any employees of the network, with a redistribution of any provided drug samples to an anonymous distribution system, spreading their availability throughout the entire network. The president of the Association of American Medical Colleges determined that these new guidelines represent “a serious and comprehensive step forward in the rapidly evolving arena of medicine and its relationship with industry.”

According to the originators of this policy, the recommendations came from an internal review, where potential conflicts of interest were analysed over the preceding two years. At that time it was recognised that the relationship between the pharmaceutical company and the health care professional was fundamental to enable scientific advantages and advances to propagate to the patient, but the body did question whether some techniques used could compromise the integrity of the system.

At the heart of this decision-making process was undoubtedly the view that certain healthcare professionals could become biased in favour of the drug samples or gifts given, prescribing or recommended the associated drugs at the expense of others and more often than should have been the case.

The developments in Massachusetts are relatively new and it remains to be seen whether anything along similar lines will be rolled out within any other areas. This does represent another example of how the pharmaceutical marketing industry is changing and moving with the times. It is yet another reason why pharmaceutical companies should devote their resources to pharmaceutical consultants, so that the consultant can ensure that the team is up-to-date and ahead of the competitive game. In our current economy, pharmaceutical sales training will take on even more importance as new methods of communication are combined with changes in healthcare legislation to redefine the marketplace. The significance of primary accounts will increase in the market, as there is more reliance on two-way communication and information exchange. Not surprisingly, key account management training is a role that the competent pharmaceutical marketing consultant is best placed to undertake under the overall mantra of pharmaceutical sales training.

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.

We’re told that the customer is always right, but are we to believe this every single time? To extend this analogy we could assume that we need to pay an equal amount of the utmost attention to every client, all the time? A considerable amount of resources are necessary to service accounts that we would ultimately classify as “key,” and if we believe our first statement, we should put all this effort into each and every account. The reality is that not all accounts are created equal – and assessed individually, they mean different things to the organisation. In fact, in many organisations, certain accounts are critical to the very survival of the company, while others are far from so important. This leaves us with the problem of determining how we should position ourselves according to a client in question? How is it possible to accurately determine and consequently service, allocating resources correctly and effectively? Enter the subject of key account management and also, the stark realisation that many organisations do not possess the resources, education or skills necessary to determine and subsequently look after such clients.

While we can define key account management several different ways, ultimately it is the process of looking after important accounts by giving them a raft of services or products, specifically tailored to them and delivered consistently. This sounds rather simplistic and in truth is dependent on many rather complex and interrelated factors. Many a sleepless night could be spent by a company executive, when trying to establish a set of factors that determine how to progress effectively. In many cases, significant customers will be looking for enhanced value through selection of preferred suppliers. They may well be looking for strategic information, the joint development of certain projects or special methods of financing. Depending on their level of proficiency, they may also seek and demand that their suppliers maintain a sophisticated approach to the relationship and even become party to the adoption of certain accounting, procurement and delivery methods.

No two key accounts will be the same when it comes to the way that they are structured, the expectations or the behaviour and we can expect to see unusual demands which might be very difficult for the pharmaceutical company to deal with, stretching and straining its resources. It is also likely that a raft of sophisticated techniques will be required to ensure the highest level of delivery and to ensure that the client itself is happy. The underlying challenge is to make the client feel as if their company is the only organisation that matters to the pharmaceutical company.

The pharmaceutical sales training company will discuss and deploy a number of sophisticated techniques during key account management training, and while many of these techniques may be confidential to the company, the end result of this planning and deployment will be an increase in reputation for the company. Some external parties may view the relationship as a successful and developing one – and as such, key account management deployment can be beneficial in terms of attracting the attention of new clients, in the future. So, we can see that there are many different ways of looking at pharmaceutical sales training.

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.

Unfortunately, the process of decision-making is often based on so many, often irrational factors, that the pharmaceutical sales representative has his or her work cut out. Contrary to some opinion, doctors and healthcare professionals do not operate in an emotional vacuum, even though they often have to keep their emotional sides in check to maintain professional competency and sanity. These people have to live in the same world as you and I, pick up many positive and negative emotions as they go about life and have their own opinions, of course. So many different factors determine how they make up their mind on any number of issues and this process is often referred to in pharma training.

As the marketplace becomes more diverse, more competitive and is subject to more restriction, pharmaceutical companies must ensure that their employees are trained to deal with the new reality. Some studies have shown that emotional factors can account for almost as many motivational triggers as their rational counterparts. Whether the professional is aware of the situation or not is conjecture, but it certainly makes the role of the pharmaceutical sales representative a lot more difficult. A professional may or may not be motivated by the reputation of a certain brand, by some comments or reaction from one or two of their clients, or even by the perceived success of a marketing campaign itself. Often, if a brand is not able to establish its superior position effectively, it may not be able to convince a healthcare professional, due to their avowed intent to look after the patient, first and foremost.

These days, key account management training should encourage individuals within the organisation to observe and decipher the process of decision-making as keenly as possible. This is far more difficult than it might seem on the face of it, as emotional factors often drive the professional’s choice and these factors may not be consciously or subconsciously apparent. By looking very closely, however, one or two subtle clues may be apparent, be they spoken, written or visual and when these clues are seen, they must be recorded, discussed and a pattern assessed.

There are a number of research groups active in this area, looking at trends and trying to determine the emotional needs of practitioners and physicians, ready to give this data to the pharmaceutical industry. Consultants should pay particular attention to the findings of these surveys, which could help where the particular organisation can improve. With this information, key account management training should then be modified to ensure that the approach is consistent with the needs of the client, from both a rational and from an emotional perspective.

In the ultimate position, the pharmaceutical sales company will be more aware of individual buying decisions than the individual responsible for making the decision. Remember that emotional triggers can not only alter the way that the professional prescribes, but can also determine the strength of the entire relationship. If the pharmaceutical company can make alterations to its modus operandi, then it may in turn bypass the objections of the client.

As the market becomes more and more competitive and even more heavily regulated, it is likely that emotional buying decisions will become even more relevant.

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.

To establish market superiority in the pharmaceutical sales business requires a large degree of analysis and the establishment of certain criteria to enable the training consultant to analyse effectively and to get the most out of the sales force resource. It’s certainly possible to achieve significant and top class performance, so long as the client listens to the consultant and defines important benchmarks and abilities. Accurate measurement must be possible, otherwise abilities cannot be assessed, goals may not be set and individuals will be left floundering. Framework development is therefore very important, if the pharmaceutical company is going to take full advantage of its potential.

When certain sales targets have been identified, marketing positions that are specific to those goals must be designed. Within each role, an individual’s tasks must be identified and methods assessed. There are almost always core principles within each identified role within the company, but any competencies that are very specific must be made clear to the attending individual, so that they may be understood and mastered.

Not surprisingly, pharmaceutical sales training uses the latest strategies and theory, as well as experience gained by the consultant and his organisation in the process of building ability. Selling skills are very sophisticated these days, and rely on personal interaction rather than a straightforward focus on the achievement of goals. To pick up specific product knowledge, pertinent to the individual’s objective, requires a salesperson to have a clear understanding of the buyer’s position and the variety of external factors that could influence his or her decision, when it comes to decision time.

These days, pharmaceutical sales training will help to instil the company’s brand strategy and overall objectives, so that the salesperson fully understands what the company is trying to achieve from a broader perspective. The consultant will help the salesperson understand the composition of the market, how strategic marketing can help to impart knowledge of the brand and how the latest communication tools and methods can work.

The salesperson of today must be a public relations expert and be very adept at interpersonal communication. We could go so far as to say that the relationship between the buyer and seller in the modern pharmaceutical industry is based more upon an exchange of information. In addition, the salesperson really must understand what factors influence the buying decision and will come to realise that many of these are subtle and somewhat subliminal.

As an account is designated as principal and very important for the pharmaceutical company’s ongoing performance, key account management training must ensure that those individuals who deal with that particular account are trained in the intricacies. Standard sales and closing skills will not be sufficient alone and more focused and specific skill sets could be required. The pharmaceutical company must understand that the key account is looking for more than might be immediately obvious and that a straightforward, two-way interaction is not sufficient for success. Other than the particular person responsible for face-to-face relations with the key account, everybody involved must understand the delicacy of dealing with the account and that there may be some special techniques needed, if an ultimately successful relationship is to be enjoyed with this client.

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.

You could argue, in many respects, that pharmaceutical and healthcare consulting firms form the position of a referee, or maybe even an arbitrator, challenging conventions and bringing a real world perspective to bear, both in the boardroom and in the training class. Major challenges face the pharmaceutical company as its strives to exist in an environment where its cutting edge and beneficial products are manufactured, despite endless levels of regulation and emotionally charged input. The economy of every country relies in large part on the success of its pharmaceutical and healthcare industry and this is why pharmaceutical company management faces so many extraordinary challenges as they try and live up to expectations. This is where the pharmaceutical and healthcare consulting firm comes into its own, as it can be independent, can look at all the problems facing the client from “outside the box,” and can bring multiple layers of knowledge and experience to bear, even when the issues seem to be just about impossible.

As we look forward, we can see a road that is very challenging, dotted with an increasing number of niche products, within an industry and a marketplace that is now much more in touch and educated than ever before. This is where pharmaceutical sales training instructors will really come into their own and be available to suggest alternatives and options when needed. Established tactics may well need to be modified to take into account changes in the marketplace and this may often need to be achieved in short order and without the luxury of advance planning and preparation.

In many respects, certain clients may represent more of a partner, than simply a party within a strict seller-buyer relationship. These all-important accounts will require careful handling by those responsible and this goes far beyond the simple provision of products in return for financial remuneration. In our modern society, key account management training will help key employees to service these top accounts correctly, whether this means the supply of critical and partial information from time to time, or the provisioning of other business intelligence.

They say that we are living in the age of communication and that we are all more powerful as a result of this. As education is so relatively easy to access and as end-users are likely to be much more aware of their options, the pharmaceutical sales force must be one step ahead of the game. At this point, pharmaceutical sales training must be sophisticated enough so that the sales force is able to anticipate a wide new range of potential questions and stumbling blocks, most especially when dealing with key account management. These key accounts will only become even more important in the future.

Today, the market is much more dynamic and complicated than it once was. Senior management officials within the pharmaceutical company cannot hope to look after the day by day activities that they are responsible for, while at the same time trying to dissect such a rapidly changing market arena. This is why pharmaceutical and healthcare consulting organisations should be engaged to bring their level of currency and ability to the table.

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.

Maybe for the first time, the pharmaceutical company can no longer depend on the phrase “bigger is better,” as it once was the case that the more people who heard the message, the greater the return. At one time, pharmaceutical companies used to look at each other and judge effectiveness based on how big the workforce was, as more volume would undoubtedly lead to enhanced revenue and a more than fruitful rate of return at the bottom line. All this approach resulted in was market saturation and this occurred even as the market was reinventing itself, anyway. There is more emphasis now on “niche” products and marketability and as such there is more demand for dedicated training and focus, rather than a blanket approach to the issue. As we come to the stark realisation that sales force effectiveness is far more important than sales force size, we realise that if we don’t take action, such inefficiency could prove highly detrimental.

These days, pharmaceutical sales training falls into two definite categories — education relating to the product itself and technical training in the area of sales and marketing technique, with the emphasis on the latest cutting-edge approaches. While the salesperson must always be focused on “winning,” it is not acceptable to approach the art of landing a sales contract at any cost. The value of the new contract must be assessed in terms of its strategic goal and logistical impact, quite apart from its economic benefit. It’s quite possible that a profitable sale, when viewed narrowly, could be far from as beneficial when all the other factors are taken into consideration.

These days there is not so much difference between success and failure, as margins are so thin and therefore sales force effectiveness is a highly important metric. Knowledgeable consultants understand how important this element of pharmaceutical sales training is and how they should focus on high levels of morale, productive engagement and less waste among the sales force. Motivation is a very delicate subject and is far from just the provision of relevant financial bonuses for the salesperson. All individuals are different and certain people in the sales force may be more motivated by another style of reward, rather than viewing financial compensation as the be-all and end-all. More often than not, a goal must not be infinitely achievable, or the sales person could be subconsciously held back as progress is made.

Sales force effectiveness can have a high impact on not only volume, but thin margins and high costs, so individual performance can have a ‘knock on’ effect in other areas. To start off with, the organisation should look at where it is right now, what factors it is using to measure success and how these factors, or metrics, may or may not be detrimental. Size the sales force correctly, so the territories are adequately serviced and the company’s voice is heard to best effect. How many sales calls does the salesperson make on any given day and is an inordinate amount of time spent travelling or on other non-productive activities?

Whether engaged in detailing or not, every single moment that the salesperson spends with a professional should be optimised and this should be a cornerstone of key account management training.

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.

Clients of a typical pharmaceutical company often have a choice when it comes to selection of business partners and may look for a distinct type of relationship in return for further patronage. Therefore, the pharmaceutical company must really comprehend the value that the business of that strategic account imparts and must realise that when it designates “key account” status, a certain level of quality control should ensue and measurable results be expected.

Key account management is not something to be designated and reviewed at some later stage. It must be essentially dynamic and while certain elements of such an association will mean different things to different staff members, the overall goal must be the same – to ensure that the client and all its executives are happy and wish to remain.

Clients are often “turned off” by a failure to recognise the importance of key account management and by an inability of the organisation to step up to the plate. The key account expects a pharmaceutical company to be proactive and not simply to react when any events take place. It’s important for the client to see that the company is acting in its best interests and, most especially in this field, keeping abreast of developments within the industry.

In certain circumstances, the client will be looking to the pharmaceutical company to help it develop its strategies. While there can be many different levels of key account designation and there can and should be variations across client levels, the pharmaceutical company must ensure that its staff at all levels are trained to recognise particular needs. The company must intimately know the client and this does not necessarily mean socially. For example, the company may want to send some of its appropriate staff into the field to work directly with the client and should remember that this can also help to provide an element of in-depth knowledge about the client, intelligence which could be used in the future.

The pharmaceutical company should never be afraid to perform a certain amount of work at no charge for truly key clients and this once again points to the need for each client to be treated as its own entity. The moral is that there should be no such thing as a textbook approach to key account management and pharmaceutical consulting firms fully realise this and can help to educate all staff levels in the intricacies of such an approach.

Pharmaceutical companies can often be in a delicate position when it comes to the dissemination of any information seen as being proprietary. In this kind of business, information can be very powerful and while the client may be looking for added “value” from the company through the passing of information, this element is best handled at the senior vice presidential level, in consultation with the company’s pharma consulting firm.

The pharmaceutical consultants will help ensure that the company is going above and beyond, over-delivering its part of the equation. Remember that a key account must be key in all respects and this goes all the way to the bottom of the balance sheet, to enable a truly “win-win” situation to result.

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.

As it’s estimated that the marketing of pharmaceutical products accounts for up to $25 billion of spending each year, there is a lot at stake for healthcare professionals everywhere. Understandably, a substantial amount of interest has arisen in the methodology used and the tactics employed by pharmaceutical companies as they deploy their sales organisations to contact and influence professionals. Indeed, some advocate that the industry should be more tightly regulated and the U.S. Congress has been strongly urged to take an in depth look at how business is conducted in this arena. With these dynamics in the background, the pharmaceutical company must take a highly focused and professional approach to the very way that it acts and how it reaches the people responsible for buying products and generating revenues enabling it to survive in the first place.

Certain countries around the World have been quick to introduce legislation and restrictions governing how pharmaceutical companies may interact with professionals. For example in Australia, codes of conduct have been established, with ethical marketing standards implemented and all member organisations must comply with the clearly laid out requirements or face legal action.

Pharmaceutical sales executives spend a large proportion of their time “detailing,” which refers to the act of visiting professionals and explaining the concept of the product, the reach, suggested markets, dosage, availability, side effects and other general industry news. Their communication skills must be absolutely excellent and sales executives must be able to systematically break down barriers that may have been built up over years of suspicion. The sales executive has a pivotal role to play in helping to give the professional supplemental educational information. Much attention must be paid to these marketing methods by the pharmaceutical company.

Who knows whether restrictions or regulations may be brought into effect someday soon, thereby putting additional emphasis on an organisation’s effective marketing requirements? In these situations, pharmaceutical consulting firms should be employed by the company, as they have direct experience in the field and are ideally tuned to help educate the sales force to ensure that they do not meet any stumbling blocks, cross any lines or come away from any interaction with a professional without the most positive end result.

Disclosure may be called for in future, detailing hospitality provided or suggested, levels of assistance given or gifts related and a clear indication of the style and type of education imparted. Not only will it be necessary for the sales executive to be highly educated in the product itself, fully understanding of restrictions and implications, but the executive must also be fully able to market to their highest ability.

The majority of pharmaceutical consultants dedicate a lot of their time to providing the correct balance between product awareness and marketing and to training methods as well. Staff will be trained in the essential elements of time management, and in addition to the dissemination of traditional marketing skills, any up-to-date or new legal requirements will be the subject of focus. Company chiefs should outsource these methods to pharma consulting, enabling them to focus on other areas. With ineffective marketing, reputations can be compromised and there can be other implications, including problems with regulations and authorities; consultants must steer the organisation carefully.

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.

Over the years, a gas station has been seen as a reliable investment, most especially when the price of gasoline was relatively stable and by world standards was seen as low in the United States. In the past, there wasn’t so much pressure to cut down on oil sales or to be selective in our energy use, due to carbon emissions and consequent global warming effects. Now, however, conspicuous energy consumption is seen as being very bad policy and as gas prices have forged ahead in recent times, we’ve even started to look at electric or hybrid vehicles as alternatives. Nevertheless, it seems clear that as a society we will still rely on gas for our vehicles for the foreseeable future and as we develop, the typical gas station has become more of a convenient destination for a variety of other services and products as well.

Perhaps more so than any other business, location is very important when it comes to the selection of a gas station for sale. You might think that the value of the location is obvious, but if you talk to local authorities before you go too far, you will be able to see if events such as road construction would factor into your equation, or whether certain environmental issues need to be addressed including storage tank upgrades, or if there have been past issues with litigation. If you’re not careful, your income potential could be decimated!

It’s certainly true to say that gasoline sales by themselves may not represent a significant margin potential, so to value a gas station when you’re looking to buy a business, you may often rely on ancillary sales and other products or services. If the location you are looking at is not so advanced in these respects, consider the potential. Could you enlarge or install a convenience store, or license it out to another organization to handle it for you? Could you place a first-class car wash operation on property and benefit from revenues here?

To buy gas station business assets successfully, note that operations that are known to be full service (gas, car wash and c-store) will generally command up to three times whatever the owner benefit figure is. Owner benefits are referred to as salary, profits plus any perks, adjusted for depreciation, interest and any capital expenditure you may be forced to make. A smaller or simpler establishment may be of interest to you, due to the additional potential and in this case you might only expect to pay one or maybe two times the owner benefit.

Be careful when you look at the business financials, refer to your supplier contracts and have a good conversation with the landlord in advance. Many deals trip up at the landlord/tenant stage, as the landlord often takes it upon him or herself to try and ensure that the incoming new owner is up to the job of making the business a success!

Keenly observe what is going on at the gas station during the process of observation. You should be especially wary if the owner appears to be working “hands on” for long periods of time. Also make note of any family members putting in a lot of effort as they may be being paid under the table, or below market, or not at all and you may have to recruit paid staff to do their jobs when you take over. Make sure that you observe the busier time periods, counting traffic and people, so you can gauge the potential accurately and know how to create a good offer.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the prestigious Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His celebrated materials, seminars and consulting have encouraged thousands of aspiring business buyers from around the World to pursue their dream to buy a business.

Do you see the prospect of buying an existing business for sale as being a leap in the dark, as this discourages many an enterprising individual? If they have never been involved in such a transaction before, it can seem to be very alien. After all, it is not like buying a more tangible product like a vehicle or a house, where in many respects “what you see is what you get.” To value a business correctly, you need to look at a number of different intangibles as well as assets that need to be inspected and you also need to consider goodwill in many situations. In a service related business, goodwill and a maintainable client list can be critical elements, but the process of due diligence involves the revelation and exploration of numerous areas and documents.

It’s important to remember that there are two distinct and different viewpoints. The seller will have a clear indication of the worth that he or she places on the business. Expect to see a certain amount of natural enthusiasm, as a lot of hard work and dedication has undoubtedly been put into the business by the outgoing seller. Never disrespect the sellers’ point of view of course, but look at the documentation and evidence that you will find in the cold light of day and remember that it is entirely up to you to determine if you’re going to get involved and buy business interests in this way, according to your value parameters.

When you decide that you want to move forward and investigate whether to buy a business of interest, understand that this may be a lengthy process. At this time, you had better have a good level of common sense and humor and be ready to communicate at length with the seller.

This is where expert advisers will come into their own and if you have no real experience with this kind of business, its related market or niche, utilize proven resources and get as much help as you can. This is not to say that you will simply hand off all the work to these advisers, barely looking at the documentation presented to you, as the decision-making must in the end be made by you and you alone. The financial documents and all of the paperwork must be reviewed by you first to be sure that you have a great feeling initially before you hand them over for further processing by your experts.

Always be wary if some of the financial documents are either missing or incomplete, or are not balanced and reconciled correctly. Certain precedents must be maintained and accounting procedures completed. You may be asked to sign some non-disclosure or non-compete documents before these are made available, but the financials are the rock upon which everything else is built.

Each and every operation is different in its own right and no two businesses are the same. So many external influences are involved and any number of different events can come to bear to create a variety of different situations. You will undoubtedly uncover some surprises and come across unusual figures and facts, but remember that while industry benchmarks are definitely of interest, you are focused on real-world information here.

Richard Parker is the author of the How to Buy a Good Business at a Great Price series. As President and founder of Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center, his materials, seminars and consulting have helped thousands of business buyers realize their dream to buy a business.

There is far too much at stake to take a passive approach to the organisation of a company’s sales force, and senior management should ensure that they are well aware of the effectiveness of the operation and are adequately placed to make changes as and when necessary to improve. It is said that the actual cost of a sales call is in the region of $400 or more and as there’s so much at stake, the sales executive must be fully efficient in everything they do, without question.

A good sales executive must be well trained when it comes to the intricacies of sales closure, should have high class communication skills, be a people person and self-starter, but if poor methodology is used by the pharmaceutical company employer, all these skills can be put to waste. Look at what’s at stake – poor deployment could mean the difference between merely surviving or enjoying the many benefits of the company’s ongoing endeavours.

The good news for the pharmaceutical company is that by leveraging existing assets, a significant difference could emerge. It’s amazing how small improvements in significant areas can result in big profit gains. Very often it may not be immediately obvious to the untrained eye that the sales force is working inefficiently, and this is where highly skilled pharmaceutical consultants can really help the organisation move forward.

Sales force effectiveness is about many different facets. For example, optimal sizing of the workforce, optimal allocation of individual efforts and optimal alignment of sales territories, all play the part. A pharmaceutical consulting firm knows through experience how important it is to optimise, drawing on experience gained in business over all the years, through case studies and by an ongoing review of policies, procedures and advancements. No longer is sales force optimisation an exercise to be conducted with pen and paper, but rather digital products and software solutions should be engaged with potentially powerful results. While plans are being incorporated, internal intelligence should be brought in and everything incorporated prior to the actual launch.

Looking back, workload allocation data from previous seasons and historical performance charts can help to reveal the optimum size of the sales force. This should be engaged with market conditions, both current and projected and also fine-tuned according to the company’s product mix and plans for expansion.

In most situations, pharma consulting is multifaceted and can be of particular value to the pharmaceutical company in terms of establishing time management practices to help augment the newly optimised sales force. Schedules must be optimised as keenly as possible and each individual within the sales force should be trained to ensure that they take advantage of every block of time available, while supervisory staff are able to track, compare and advise accordingly. After eliminating potential overlaps and unbalanced workloads, the focused sales team can be ready to get out and work, using their new-found skill set and internally produced intelligence to overcome the competition. The cost of a sales call is only going up, so it only makes sense to rein in these costs as much as possible.

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.

There certainly is no feeling of freedom to compare with the joy of being self-employed and truly independent. You have the opportunity to determine the amount of time that you put in when you run a business and can prepare for your future accordingly. Proponents agree, however, that it is a significant challenge and that there are, of course, no guarantees! Buying a business may not be for the faint of heart and there are significant risks involved.

If you have never run a business of any kind before you may be wondering where to start. For many, the thought of buying an existing business is attractive as it can be said that a lot of the “dirty work” has already been done and there is a certain amount of bedrock already established. Although this may well be true, be sure that you have your eyes wide open whenever you walk into any situation, as you need to do a lot of research, talk to experts and be clear that the business you’re looking at is well valued, and subject to a good degree of diligent checking.

If you have determined that you are going to buy business interests, consider all the steps that you will need to take next. Never be tempted to short cut or to let your heart rule your head. You can build up quite a lot of enthusiasm as you consider the prospects that may lay ahead of you and this may lead you to jump in front and short cut the natural process of discovery if you’re not careful. If you don’t watch out, serious problems can arise.

Successful entrepreneurs know that time in preparation, while it may be a very lengthy process and therefore somewhat costly, is money well spent. Whenever you buy a business for sale, the effort that you put in up front pays dividends all the way down the line as you proceed. As such, expect to spend money researching your business in terms of time at the very least, invest in educational materials, and you won’t be tempted to try and rush through the process.

The self-employed business person possesses a certain number of essential personality traits and if you’re looking to buy a business, you must also be positive and realistic throughout the process. Right at the top of your list should be common sense and a realization that if something appears to be “too good to be true” then it always is, without question. Keep a good sense of humor as you go through this lengthy procedure and keep a positive attitude.

Ensure that your levels of communication are good as you must be able to interact with the seller and other interested parties, while always maintaining your needs and requirements. By asking the right questions at the right time, you can determine a lot from the answers that you receive.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His inspiring materials, seminars and consulting have assisted thousands of business buyers with achieving their life long dream to buy a business.

Any organisation involved in today’s cut throat world of business, knows how important effective implementation is and how those slim margins determine whether or not an organisation will sink or swim. Many stumbling blocks await even the most experienced of all sales executives, threatening the employee’s total productivity, yet it is still so important to focus on each prospect and to try and move the closure rate up. When the sales executive is in the field, there is little that the business chief can do to alter the closing rate, but there is much to do in preparation and this should be a major area of focus.

To start off with, a sales executive must work to build the trust of a client. He or she must earn the trust and must do everything in their power to create the right impression, both personally and professionally. This will flow from a position of consistency and may take numerous visits or interactions to cultivate. Never forget that the executive must always be prompt for any scheduled meetings, must be good at following up and must always call back on schedule. The professional will be looking for the right information and will expect the sales executive to know what he or she is always talking about, without question. In the pharmaceutical industry, professionals and practitioners can be somewhat jaded and are used to dealing with executives from pharmaceutical companies that promise the earth, but don’t deliver. Through bad experiences, they may expect a representative to be interested in just selling and will have set up barriers accordingly, meaning that the first meeting or two would be involved in the breaking down of barriers in search of trust.

Once a position of trust is established and the potential client actually believes in the executive and sees potential for a future, there is more than just a foot in the door. Sales may not ultimately result, but they’re almost impossible to achieve without reaching this critical position. A sales executive should never be afraid to call in testimonials from other established and happy customers, especially if the target has a personal experience with the provider.

Invariably, pharma consulting firms talk about the importance of effective implementation and the various tactics required to get the prospect to agree and to say “yes.” A modern-day sales executive should move away from any old-fashioned high-pressure tactics. After spending so much time building up trust with your prospects, trying to use any pressure tactics to exert sales, be they subliminal or not, can be disastrous. Time is so important and effective use of this resource will surely tell whether the sales executive’s day will represent success and profit to the employer, or not. It’s no surprise that pharmaceutical consultants know all about the various sales techniques required, especially whether they are pertinent to the industry or not. A pharmaceutical consulting firm is of great potential benefit to the parent organisation and can often help to ensure that effective implementation is front and centre to the sales executive’s approach.

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.

It’s very difficult to get ahead of the game in the pharmaceutical sales business and a training consultant must be able to look at a whole list of different criteria in order to motivate the sales force to succeed. It’s certainly possible to achieve significant and top class performance, so long as the client listens to the consultant and defines important benchmarks and abilities. Accurate measurement must be possible, otherwise abilities cannot be assessed, goals may not be set and individuals will be left floundering. It is therefore important that the pharmaceutical company understands and helps to develop the framework at the outset.

Specific marketing roles must be developed according to specific sales targets. Within each role, an individual’s tasks must be identified and methods assessed. There are almost always core principles within each identified role within the company, but any competencies that are very specific must be made clear to the attending individual, so that they may be understood and mastered.

Not surprisingly, pharmaceutical sales training uses the latest strategies and theory, as well as experience gained by the consultant and his organisation in the process of building ability. Selling skills have become more advanced and rely less on pure number crunching and goal orientation, but rather focus on personal interaction with the buying entity. To pick up specific product knowledge, pertinent to the individual’s objective, requires a salesperson to have a clear understanding of the buyer’s position and the variety of external factors that could influence his or her decision, when it comes to decision time.

The salesperson must be fully aware of where his or her employer stands from an overall perspective, certainly in relation to the brand position and this is where pharmaceutical sales training comes into its own. The consultant imparts to the salesperson how the market is made up, how certain levels of strategic marketing can best push the brand and how the most modern communication methods can help.

Today’s salesperson must be very good at communicating and understand the intricacies of public relations. The buyer/seller relationship in the modern pharmaceutical business can often represent more of an informational partner exchange. In addition, the salesperson really must understand what factors influence the buying decision and will come to realise that many of these are subtle and somewhat subliminal.

As an account is designated as principal and very important for the pharmaceutical company’s ongoing performance, key account management training must ensure that those individuals who deal with that particular account are trained in the intricacies. These individuals will require specific skill sets, which will undoubtedly extend far beyond typical sales and closing skills. The pharmaceutical company must understand that the key account is looking for more than might be immediately obvious and that a straightforward, two-way interaction is not sufficient for success. Other than the particular person responsible for face-to-face relations with the key account, everybody involved must understand the delicacy of dealing with the account and that there may be some special techniques needed, if an ultimately successful relationship is to be enjoyed with this client.

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.

Sales force deployment can be segmented into a number of different areas and should be analysed, category by category to see how effective the force actually is. Executive training is of primary importance to ensure that the individual is fully up to speed with details on the product, has great personal inter-communication skills and the company should always ensure that it has set up an effective territorial allocation as well. It is not possible for a sales force to be truly effective if territories have been badly designated or aligned and travel times exacerbated accordingly. While it is true to say that the interaction between the sales executive and the client or potential client is more an art than a science, the creation of the battlefield owes more to planning and technology than to anything else.

A pharmaceutical company must be fully in possession of all the information, the issues and constraints that could stand in its way when it comes to optimising its sales force. It should have clearly set objectives and goals and these should be established based on prior history, realism and the input of adequate intelligence. The company should not be afraid to seek the services of a pharmaceutical consulting firm to provide first-hand knowledge, targeted experience and to employ the latest information and data to best effect. Is the overall target realistic and have objectives and goals been fully audited before work is engaged? While on the subject of being realistic, the potential of each individual within the sales force must be understood. An analysis should be made of each sales executive’s track record and prior history, to assess how each may perform in the field. Assuming that the company has employed the services of the best in their field, territory allocation may follow.

Sales force deployment requires those in control to look back into the past. Input from the executives should be a core ingredient of this assessment and a comprehensive time management snapshot should be required of each member. Optimal alignment can be a rather subtle exercise and it’s important to remember that relatively small changes can sometimes result in big gains in efficiency and potential profits.

The sales force should always be optimised as it can present a significant cost to the pharmaceutical company. To enable this to happen, pharma consulting can help to reveal benchmarks and to use prior knowledge and experience to fine tune everything accordingly.

To maximise revenue potential and increase sales, effective sales force allocation is absolutely essential. Traditional approaches may be found to be too costly and may have produced inferior results in other instances. In the modern pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, competitive pressures are too great to allow for the under-utilisation of resources in this way.

The goal should be to optimise the amount of face-to-face selling time that the sales force executive is able to spend with both existing clients and prospects. Individual time management skills are very important within an optimised territorial area and pharmaceutical consultants stress that training in this area must be an intensive ongoing process. By maximising individual time and minimising travel time, administrative burdens and other unproductive interferences, the sales executive will have every opportunity for achieving their goals.

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.

While the pharmaceutical market may be in a constant state of flux and change, it seems that there is a definite trend away from the marketing of big brand, wide reach products to more “niche” medicines and that this change seems to be accelerating. An additional challenge is thus presented for the pharmaceutical company sales staff, most especially in the area of education.

Pharmaceutical companies may now be more concerned with discussing product branding at an early stage of the development cycle, as they are keenly aware of the volatile nature of the market and additional constraints that will emerge as the company tries to penetrate and satisfy these more narrow-minded niche markets. The branding exercise must take into account potential resistance or the need for additional clarification at an early stage of the marketing cycle.

Increasingly so, pharmaceutical markets are overcrowded. So many choices are presented to a consumer and a wide variety of external forces often come into the purchasing decision, including advice given by the petitioner or front-line professional. We live in an age when information is instantaneously available and we are, in increasingly surprising numbers, spending our time interacting on social networks. As a consequence, we are becoming much more educated about every aspect of our existence. While the consumer becomes more educated and the market becomes more crowded, the efficiency of a marketing program must be in sharp focus for a company’s senior executives.

Pharmaceutical companies are finding that they now need more time to shape and condition the market to ensure that the product is more accepted when it rolls out. This only helps to emphasise the fact that marketing should be considered interactively during brand creation phases and that educational channels are explored.

While niche product areas are the subject of greater marketing emphasis, more emotions are involved in the end-user decision process as well and the professional is less likely to advise the consumer to go down the more beaten track. The pharmaceutical company must be fully in control of its marketing message and methodology, or it will not be able to differentiate itself from competitors in the marketplace. This clearly puts pressure on the company’s sales force as these executives must now try and penetrate a sceptical barrier at the professional level and ensure that the message is stronger, yet more targeted than before.

The sales force is of primary importance to the success of the company and senior officials are turning in greater numbers to pharmaceutical consultants and pharmaceutical consulting firms to help them train and focus the force accordingly. In most cases, pharma consulting plays a great role in helping the organisation to identify shifting marketing forces, especially when associated with niche concentration. If the professional is traditionally distant, sharper skills will be required and more cognitive training must be assured to enable the sales executive to break through and be successful. Effective implementation is almost always dependent on training, at least in equal part to ability and experience.

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.

The pharmaceutical product marketing industry is very large, estimated at more than $25 billion per year and this emphasises the need for a pharmaceutical company to be active and effective in the arena. The organisation can be as creative or as ground breaking as it likes as it brings new products to the marketplace, but without sharp attention to its marketing operations it may falter in an ultra-competitive marketplace. While the healthcare industry always seems to be a growth industry, there is an increasing amount of more focused competition and the company fails to concentrate on its marketing strengths at its peril.

Due to the sheer size of the healthcare industry and the fact that it touches every individual in one way or the other, much attention is given to drug spending. Indeed, it is estimated that spending on pharmaceuticals can account for up to 15% of the total amount spent within the health industry and with such high numbers at stake, marketing proficiency, or a lack of it, can have big consequences.

For the pharmaceutical company, its sales force is at the sharp end and spends much of its time interacting directly with the professional, the practitioner and the advisor. Positive interaction between the sales executive and the professional is essential for progress. The executive spends a lot of his or her time detailing and providing information to the professional, yet this is often a tough wall to breach, as the practitioner is somewhat detuned to marketing advances.

Indeed, a healthcare professional can have a lot of other sources of input, being focused and highly educated to start off with, including first-hand experience, personal training, scientific paper research and advice from colleagues. There is a danger that he or she could believe that the pharmaceutical company sales executive has but one motive in mind and as such, the sales executive requires fairly advanced communication and marketing skills to succeed.

As the pharmaceutical industry matures, more emphasis is being placed on these product areas and with advances in medicine, an increasingly higher level of education is important for the sales team. These complex dynamics worry the pharmaceutical company chiefs, especially as they have enough to fill a plate with regard to product development, lobbying activities, regulatory enforcement, adherence and economic constraints. It is at times like these that they should turn to pharmaceutical consulting firms not only to advise them, but to help educate and direct their sales forces.

Generally, pharmaceutical consultants have a great deal of first-hand experience within the market and specifically with regard to dealing first-hand with professionals and end users. They can advise about correct motivation and the proper balance of training versus direct, “feet on the street” time. Most pharma consulting experts will help to ensure that the sales staff member realises the urgency required, while bringing all members of the team together into a cohesive unit. The executive must not only work with the best interest of the employing company at heart, but must seek to engage the acceptance and trust of the end-user professional at a critical stage in the product life. True balance is required to ensure that motivation works through training to reveal the correct way forward.

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.

You need a specific type of skill, a great deal of information and an ability to calculate potential to find out whether a sales force is truly effective, or not. Essentially, the amount of selling time available, based on a realistic allocation of hours and multiplied by the number of people on the team, can be combined with an assessment of market potential to create a market response matrix. Certainly this used to be a very cumbersome process, prone to errors as it was developed using a spreadsheet and multiple interaction, and this has thankfully given way to more productive methods in modern times.

It’s essential to align territories correctly if a sales force is to be effective at all. This will involve the definition of boundaries, bearing in mind balanced workloads, compact and contiguous territories and a minimisation of travel time. Even though this may sound fairly clear, it’s often not so, and unless the sales executive’s time is protected from waste and fully optimised, the company simply won’t achieve its full potential. Without proper territorial alignment, the sales executive could be faced with having to deal with far too many potential customers. Thus with such a high workload, the employee will likely not be able to interact effectively with all those clients, resulting in a loss. Conversely, if there are too few customers according to the allocated executive, the potential of the executive can be wasted in this situation and this can be aggravated if some of the people with the best track records are underutilised.

Before a sales force should be deployed, the pharmaceutical company must ensure that it has a comprehensive roadmap to success. This can be especially challenging for the business executives as they have so much on their plate to start off with. While sales force effectiveness is obviously on the top of the list, they would do well to engage external assistance from pharmaceutical consultants to help them prioritise. The pharmaceutical consulting firm will show the business executives how to prepare adequately, how to plan and optimise the workload of the sales force. Invariably, pharma consulting draws on many years of experience, training, education, industry knowledge and front line “street smarts,” enabling the company to be ready to do battle from day one.

A company’s sales force should not be deployed unless a number of criteria have been met, including strategic alignment, both current and future, goal and objective auditing, data incorporation and resource deployment, human and otherwise. This is where an honest assessment should be made of the potential, along with the anticipated workload for each individual. Any current deployment of resources should be highly criticised to expose any inequities in territory alignment.

In an ideal world, members of the sales force should each have a excellent and very productive track record. The sales executive isn’t responsible for territorial alignment or necessarily to seek out new clients within. Rather, with help from pharmaceutical consultants, the pharmaceutical company executives must set targets and goals and have created the perfect matrix to enable them to solicit the greatest gains, whether profit or otherwise.

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.

While it may be difficult to categorise the ideal amount of time required to close any sale due to a proliferation of external circumstances, the main goal of a sales executive is to get the prospect to move on to the next stage in an effective buying process. This may not necessarily signify a sale, but there must be either a “yes” or a “no,” and never a “maybe.” The time of both parties in this conversation is very valuable and the executive should pay particular attention to the tone and subtle responses from the prospect in order to make a decision, as to whether time would be better spent elsewhere. Effective implementation requires a sales executive to be on top of time management, including the valuable potential time spent with prospects up front. While this time is generally said to be the most critical part of the sales executive’s day, and much attention may be paid elsewhere to cut down on so-called “non-effective” administrative time, not all time spent engaging with prospects can be classified as fruitful.

In the modern healthcare and pharmaceutical fields, outdated sales tactics are not welcome. So much is at stake here, as the professional healthcare provider needs to cut to the chase and be in possession of all the appropriate facts. As such, the best salespeople realise that they must spend their time building the customer relationship and going the extra distance, rather than trying to work out just how to close the sale according to the prospect’s personality type or other concepts. Getting to know the customer’s specific needs and worries is a good way of approaching the issue, and using brainpower to devise ways to overcome the client’s issues is a much better use of valued resources. It takes a long time to build up the trust and rapport with a client, and it can be easily removed. Other representatives of other organisations may also be vying for the interests of a particular client and there is much to be said for open, honest and frank relationships rather than the implementation of spin tactics.

The ultimate objective of a sales executive is of course to close a sale, but all the background work must be completed carefully involving an investigation of how a company could help a professional, rather than pitching a product. Always ask the right questions and spend as much time as necessary considering what these questions should be. Get the professional to open up and provide information upon which to base the next pertinent question, and through a process of problem solving such as this, the company will be many steps closer to that important sale and to improving the effective implementation ratio.

In our modern marketplace, pharmaceutical consultants know how important an effective implementation ratio is and understand how much the parent company invests in its efforts. These ratios can be elevated by the best pharmaceutical consulting firms, who will take time to ensure that the sales force is well trained, dedicated and in possession of the necessary techniques. Invariably, pharma consulting will eke out the potential and allow a company’s senior executives to focus on the areas where they should be paying particular attention.

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.

Many of us can remember our trip to a great seminar, or a multi-day trip to an important convention, with memories of the positive atmosphere and how we were able to become totally enthused by what we were to learn, our motivational engines firing on all cylinders. This is exactly what these events are designed to do, to instil that sense of excitement, ready to propel us into the market and really sell whatever product or service is in question. In most cases, pharmaceutical sales training sessions or books can be similarly motivational and there is always an important time and a place for these tools to be used by the typical sales force. However, we can never underestimate the importance of effective implementation, as when the “rubber hits the road,” a lot of that motivation quickly seems to be absorbed into the atmosphere.

Here lies the main point, the problem that has faced the motivational speaker or corporate trainer for years, now. It may be relatively easy to propel a salesperson to make a plan and to thereby establish a relative goal, but the execution is often the challenge. It’s all very well talking about theoretical situations in a classroom environment, outlining the threats and challenges that are likely to be faced in the real world and implementing training to ensure that the salesperson is best prepared to cope. So many divergent factors are in play when the salesperson is talking one-on-one with the prospect and, little understood but probably the biggest hurdle of all, is the problem standing in between the sales person and the contract – the subconscious activity going on in the mind of the salesperson him or herself.

These days, pharmaceutical sales training must be careful not to introduce impossible, sometimes psychological barriers, which would effectively stand in the way of effective implementation. We often hear that nothing less than a 100% result is acceptable and this often forms the basis for setting sales goals in the first place. Often, however, the salesperson must be able to use individual initiative and to understand that opportunities come in many different shapes and forms. It is sometimes better to accept a result that can be classified as a significantly high percentage, rather than striving to get 100% of zero.

A sales person must be taught that a display of persistence in the face of adversity is important. This is not to say that the person should push forward under all circumstances, as it is equally as important to understand that certain parameters may have made any kind of sale unattainable. This requires a person to adapt and evolve and use internal motivation to dodge the final line of defence and score the goal.

The sales force must be supported in the field and anything less than total commitment from the organisation in terms of resources, training, as well as product strength and deliverability will undoubtedly result in a lower effective rate of implementation. When key account management training is under the microscope, the “point” person will not be able to service accordingly and implement effectively unless specific and unequivocal parameters have been set by senior management at the outset.

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.