The Fight against Pharmaceutical Marketing

After informing individuals of my passion to enter the world of pharmaceutical sales, I often receive a few different responses. Many delightfully smile and confirm that I will excel in such a position that relies on my knowledge of biology, love of business and overall desire to help people and make a difference. Some question my sales experience but I always redirect these feelings by persuading them that my competitive nature, ability to establish relationships and dedicated work ethic to find the right clients will surely propel me to the top. These two scenarios display how the skills I have developed and nurtured over the years will allow me to excel in pharmaceutical sales, don't you agree?

However, there are also those that have a vendetta against big pharma and even more so with those flashy money hungry sales representatives. They complain that sales figures and bonuses motivate sales representatives to the point where their presence now clogs waiting rooms and distracts doctors from their patients. Working in a pharmacy has also allowed me to experience many different reactions to such "ridiculously priced" prescriptions. As much as I would love to debate the issue, my job as a pharmacy technician is to deliver outstanding customer service in accompany with a personal goal of having every customer leave in a better mood than when they arrived. Thus, I often listen to their complaints and comfort them in an effort to make a sincere connection so that I can truly understand why they feel this way and do something about it.

With so much negativity surrounding the world of big pharma, I can't help but become even more anxious to become involved in it! You may think I am crazy but I see all of this as an opportunity to do something incredible. I plan to operate in a manner that will break these speculations and remove such disgruntled feelings. Many argue that I can't be the number one representative without record sales numbers and I always agree! However, I add that this can be done in a manner that is both professional and ethical and leaves both parties with something to gain. I emphasize that when you do the research, find the right clients, and equip yourself for success your reputation and hard work will bring in those soaring sales figures that make everyone so happy.

Of course not everyone will agree and many will continue to work against it. The following article discusses such practices and I hope that such actions will soon motivate pharmaceutical sales representative and companies to change the way they operate. Encountering frustrated individuals almost every day drives my desire to make a change. The starting point for much of this starts with research.

Continuous effort to acquire knowledge on the pharmaceutical industry and all that it details is just the beginning of my plan. However, I encourage everyone to spend some time reading about the subject. The topic of healthcare and prescription drugs will not disappear with time but will grow exponentially as new research reveals new opportunities. With sales teams constantly being cut and competition increasing many ask if I am worried. I respond that I am excited of such news as it means only the truly best representatives will remain. When I am offered a position I can then rest assured that I am working with the best and my role as a pharmaceutical representative will be ever so important as I must represent a new adaptive sales force that relies on efficiency and knowledge. As a pharmaceutical representative, I will have the opportunity to help the right people receive the drugs they need, while generating revenue for a company to support in the development of future compounds. During all of this, I will be setting a new standard for pharmaceutical representatives and hopefully many will start to see the knowledge and caring attitude that all of us in the health care field share, including those nasty pharm reps!


Counter-detailers help doctors wade through drug company marketing
Independent lens - The Boston Globe

Labels: Pharmaceutical, Pharmaceutical Sales, Sales

posted by Jason Dorko at 3:06 PM 0 comments links to this post