by Susan Walsh, President and CEO, Sales-Link Inc.
I get this a lot: “Please call Pfizer and see if you can get me in.” Okay, let me put my wizard hat on, and see what I can magically produce! Funny it is, but on a serious note, if you are tasking your lead generators to secure meetings for you, you need to hand them a recipe for success. I don’t mean that you should find the contact, pick up the phone, or even write the email. What I’m talking about is your SECRET SAUCE! (And it’s not made with magic - it’s made with specific ingredients.)
For every visit a salesperson makes to a company, rest assured that another salesperson will be there in an hour. It’s very competitive out there, and you need to make your seat at the table count. You want them to remember you, even after you left their offices; even after the next salesperson comes in.
So how do you do that? By knowing your stuff. Many CROs do very much the same things, but it is HOW they do it, and what background and knowledge of the prospects they have in their repertoire…the SECRET SAUCE recipe that you will offer them that helps them avoid hiccups and roadblocks. And, don’t forget to educate lead generators, sales assistants, and your marketing team.
Recipe ingredients:
Know the endpoints your clients want to reach with clinical trials.
Understand the science behind the company.
Understand the potential benefits their research can bring to patients.
Know who else in the industry is developing similar drugs/devices.
Gather this information, write the recipe, and ensure your marketing and sales support teams know it and apply it!