Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - (Page 8) Sales Force Models It’s the type of model that’s familiar to some of the smaller pharma companies that have a stronger heritage in detailing specialty drugs. For example, Shire Pharmaceuticals has long focused on disease areas where it can maintain small sales forces focused on serving specialists. It’s gastrointestinal (GI) division, which houses the Lialda and Pentasa brands, employs specialty reps to call almost exclusively on gastroenterologists — and these reps know they provide value by going far beyond just a product pitch. “We expect our representatives to go in there and identify the needs of the GI doctor, understand the local marketplace, the drivers, the payers in that marketplace,” says Todd Lambert, vice president and national sales director, GI. “They should understand the referral network they have within the healthcare systems in which they operate — and fundamentally understand the business drivers.” Digital detailing Increasing patient and administrative loads for physicians, hospitals and group practices restricting sales visits, and the new PhRMA guidelines adopted in 2009 have put the face-to-face detailing model under even more pressure than ever before. Many companies have decided to cope by turning to alternative sales channel strategies — and it even seems that some doctors are waiting for them. According to a 2008 September market study by Manhattan Research, about 45,000 US physicians meet with sales reps via online video, while more than 300,000 others show interest in interacting with sales or other company reps online. Of the physicians already participating in live video detailing sessions, they do so with an average of seven reps per month. “Incorporating live video details in the physician-sales rep relationship can be a win-win for both,” says Meredith Abreu Ressi, vice president of research at Manhattan Research. “It can be a costeffective strategy for sales forces looking to reach physicians spread out over a wide territory, and physicians enjoy the flexibility and interactive features the sessions offer.” Still, electronic detailing only works if it’s executed well. Mike Luby, CEO of TargetRx, underscores the opportunity for pharma in the digital space, but cautions companies that it comes down to execution. “I see a lot of companies throwing things at the wall to see what sticks,” says Luby. “Efforts should be integrated and co-ordinated so that physicians get a consistent theme and message.” According to TGaS Advisors’ annual state of commercial operations benchmark survey, large-tier pharmas rated digital detailing high on their list of priorities to evolving sales forces, with the most significant change pointing to the addition of closed-loop marketing initiatives. “When we conducted this annual benchmark in 2007, there were not many firms that were even experimenting with closed-loop marketing,” says John Carro, vice president, management advisor, of TGaS Advisors. “But in 2008, a significant number were either piloting or planning to implement it.” Across AstraZeneca’s sales force, tablet PCs supplemented, rather then replaced, paper core visual aids in 2007. “Based on our data, we are confident that e-detailing differentiates our pharmaceutical sales specialists, and provides a competitive advantage. It’s effective across the board because of AstraZeneca’s continuous loop promotion Most effective pharma sales forces GfK Healthcare’s 2008 annual sales force effectiveness study was conducted with more than 800 physicians across 12 specialties. The physicians were organized into segments and asked which single company they felt had the most effective sales force. There were more than a few surprises. For example, Pfizer rated tops among several physician groups, while Novo Nordisk broke through among occupational traditionalists. 1 INDUSTRY ENTHUSIASTS PATIENT-OVERLOADED INDEPENDENTS HOMETOWN ALTRUISTS ACADEMIC HIGH-ACHIEVERS OCCUPATIONAL TRADITIONALISTS CORPORATE PROFESSIONALS Pfizer 15% 2 GSK 11% 3 Lilly 9% 4 Merck 8% AZ, GSK, Lilly, Genentech, Forest, Medicis 5% Lilly, AZ 5% Sanofi-Aventis 5% Genentech, Sanofi-Aventis 5% Merck, AZ, Forest 5% 5 Novartis 6% NONE 1% Pfizer 24% Novartis 15% Merck 7% Pfizer 14% Merck 10% GSK 9% Lilly, Genentch, Amgen 6% Novo Nordisk 7% GSK, Novartis 7% Novartis, Abbott 4% Merck, Novartis, GSK, Abbott 4% Warner Chilcott, OrthoMcNeil 4% Genentech, Sanofi-Aventis 3% 2% AZ 13% Pfizer 10% 3% Pfizer, AZ 16% Merck, Ortho 9% Pfizer 16% Lilly 8% 7% 1 NEWS 2 FROM THE EDITOR / NEWS 3 MEGAMERGERS 7 NEW SALES MODELS 10 UK NEWS 12 CALENDAR 13 ON THE MOVE CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO PHARM EXEC http://www.tgas.com/view/388/_tascops http://www.tgas.com/view/388/_tascops http://www.tgas.com/view/388/_tascops http://www.phrma.org/principles_and_guidelines/ http://www.pharmexeceurope.com/europharmexec/newsletter/subscribeNewsletter.jsp
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 Contents From the Editor Pfizer-Wyeth Sales News Calendar On the Move Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Contents (Page 1) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 2) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Pfizer-Wyeth (Page 3) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Pfizer-Wyeth (Page 4) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Pfizer-Wyeth (Page 5) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Pfizer-Wyeth (Page 6) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Sales (Page 7) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Sales (Page 8) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Sales (Page 9) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - News (Page 10) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - News (Page 11) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - Calendar (Page 12) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 18, 2009 - On the Move (Page 13)
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