New Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Guide Module 5: Prove Sales Message

You've learned how to present the product in the previous module. In this module, we're going to look at how to prove sales messages. Pharmaceutical sales are well known for its evidence-based selling thus knowing how to determine your statement is essential.

We'll be using visual aids and clinical reprints to validate our claim.

So let us move on:

Objectives

Upon completing Module 5 - Prove the sales message, you'll be able to:

• a) Prove key message with reprints
• b) Employ visual aid effectively
• c) Prove message during the product presentation

Overview

Proving statements involves using clinical reprints from relevant publications, for example, scientific journals. It is meant to validate points made during presentation or discussion during a sales call.
Visual aids add more impact. They reinforce what you've said and established credibility.

This is the summary of Module 5:

• a) Prove with reprints
• b) Use visual aids

5.a) Prove With Reprints

Reprints are simply copies of articles published in medically related publications. They refer to studies showing the efficacy of products.

It's a huge advantage to be familiar with them before using it.

Here are the steps to proving sales messages:

• i. Introduce proof source
• ii. Establish credibility: name/author, the title of the source, publishing journal, publication date
• iii. Outline research design
• iv. Describe results which apply to the issue being discussed
• v. State the benefits
• vi. Check the impact

A simplified example of how it is done is as follow:

"Dr. Berry at NHS did a study looking at the effects of Drug A on the pharmacokinetics of Substance X. The study was published in the Clinical Pharmacology last month. As you can see (hold up study), unlike other classes of drugs, Drug A produced no drug-drug interaction with Subs X. Other studies have confirmed that Drug A does not interact with Subs X, Y, and Z, and that means fewer office visits, E.R., and better compliance. The lack of interaction is also an important potential cost advantage. For example, the average cost of hospitalization for Subs X interaction was over $5,000, as shown by one study."

Exercise 5.1. Practice Proving

Given a product reprint and sales message, highlight the section which indicates proof of your statement. Next, complete the following:

Title:...
Credibility sources:.....
Research design:.....
Proof statement:.......
Benefits:......

Then, write down how you would present it:

Introduction:.....
Credibility:.......
Proof statements:........
Benefits:........
Check for impact:......

5.b) How to Use Visual Aids Effectively

Visual aids are used with two purposes in mind:

One is to help the HCP remember what you said. When verbal info is combined with visual reinforcement, retention is increased up to 6 times!

Visual aids also reinforce credibility.

When using a visual aid, remember to:

• a) Hold the support so they can see
• b) Point to the appropriate section with pen
• c) Summarize

Check out these modules for free pharmaceutical sales training manual:

Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Module 4 | Module 6 | Module 7 | Module 8 | Module 9