Handling marketing and sales at pharmaceutical, medical device, and other healthcare-related companies has always been a tough grind. Doing it during a pandemic takes things to entirely new levels. Few industries are dealing with the same levels of complexity and constantly changing risk when it comes to marketing and selling their products.
Reps interact with medical professionals across the country and all over the world, in big cities and small communities. All these places are being impacted by COVID-19 in different ways. And it changes every day. It’s almost impossible for sales reps to stay up-to-date on the best ways to interact with the people they do business with. It’s even harder for them to know what they can say that will resonate during these challenging times that’s also legal, approved, and compliant.
Add to all this the fact that reps are spread out geographically and, because of health concerns, are unwilling or unable to meet in person with marketing teams and sales leaders. This is leaving them feeling disconnected from their companies when they most need to be closely connected.
When reps are able to get access to company news and training, it’s often delivered through a confusing series of emails, newsletters, videos, website updates, and more. It’s impossible to figure out what’s the latest and best information.
So, what can you do to get things under control?
The best option is to leverage the proven practices of sales enablement to:
- Develop the materials needed to support rep meetings with medical professionals during the pandemic.
- Train salespeople on how to sell and communicate during these challenging times.
- Share the latest information about the pandemic and how it could impact your product line.
- Monitor the effectiveness of marketing and communication campaigns and sales results in real-time.
Specifically, here’s how sales enablement could make a big difference to your business during the pandemic and beyond.
- Timely sales support. Marketers and sales reps are able to connect directly and interact through a sales enablement system, even when they’re working remotely. Reps can explain what they’re experiencing in the field and marketers are able to respond quickly.
- Real-time information. Reps don’t have to wait until the end of the day, sort through a lot of confusing information, or connect to wi-fi to learn the latest. They can access information through a sales enablement system at any place, any time. This gives them a competitive edge because they can respond to anything that occurs during the ever-changing coronavirus crisis.
- A better customer experience. Reps are more likely to use the latest approved marketing materials if they’re easy to find. A sales enablement system like Mobile Locker makes it simple for salespeople to know what sales support materials are current and should be used at every step of the sales process. It allows for segmentation and other organizing tactics that ensure reps only have access to the materials they need and are trained (and allowed) to use. This is particularly important at a time when regional differences are magnified because of the pandemic.
- Improved connectivity. The life of sales reps can be lonely and isolated. Sure, they interact with customers all day long, but they often don’t feel that they’re part of a team. Sales enablement and connecting through a sales enablement system creates a sense of community within the sales force that encourages competition and collaboration.
- Reduced risk. Healthcare issues and concerns are changing at a faster pace than ever before. And false information about pharmaceuticals is spreading almost as fast as the pandemic. Distributing your sales materials and product information through a sales enablement system like Mobile Locker’s helps ensure reps are using the latest materials containing the most current information. It helps prevent reps from passing out outdated pieces that could get your company in trouble.
- Enforced training. Pharma salespeople depend on training. Life and death issues hinge on them explaining things clearly and correctly. However, reps often find it difficult to participate in training sessions because of their challenging schedules. Distributing training through a sales enablement platform like Mobile Locker makes it possible to complete training when it’s convenient. It also allows sales managers to track progress to ensure reps are finishing all the training required to sell effectively.
Implementing a sales enablement program and system.
Adopting processes and procedures and installing a new system may seem daunting during a pandemic. However, the benefits clearly outweigh the challenges. Typically, we recommend that organizations adopt sales enablement in a holistic way. However, during challenging times like these, it could make more sense to take a phased approach. An experienced Mobile Locker representative can work with you to identify which benefits and features of our system are most important and beneficial to your organization right now. Then we can partner with you to customize a solution that will work for your business now and that can be scaled over time, as things return to a new normal.
You can rest assured the people on Mobile Locker’s team “get it.” We’ve been working with pharmaceutical, medical device, and other healthcare-related companies for more than a decade. Unlike other sales enablement platforms, you won’t need an interpreter to speak with a rep and we already have the technology available that’s proven in the field. You owe it to yourself and your business to speak with an experienced Mobile Locker rep today.
