Detailing refers to the process of salespeople informing healthcare professionals of the details about a drug. eDetailing refers to the same transfer of information, but denotes the implementation of digital detailing applications and a host of other digital sales aids to communicate. eDetailing solutions can remove the need for face-to-face detailing altogether, or eDetailing solutions can enhance face-to-face exchanges. Remote selling and face-to-face selling each create completely different exchanges between pharma sales representatives and healthcare professionals, and there are benefits to both methods. Which one is right for you?
Remote selling can occur within eDetailing applications that are cloud-based. Cloud-based solutions house pharmaceutical information on the Internet or a remote server and are accessible by both the pharma rep and the healthcare professional. The information can be updated seamlessly and remotely by the pharma sales and marketing teams. This removes the need to set a meeting with the healthcare professional when drug information changes. And, when information is accessible remotely, healthcare professionals can learn about pharma products whenever they want, wherever they want, and on whatever platform they want, without setting a meeting with the pharma rep.
Remote selling approaches give both the sales representative and the healthcare professional maximum flexibility with scheduling. This can come in handy when healthcare professionals are helplessly busy with the goings-on of their practice, and when they live multiple time zones away from the sales rep.
Face-to-Face selling can be greatly enhanced by eDetailing applications. Those who love making in-office visits may still employ eDetailing applications that deliver amore cutting edge, stimulating presentation. eDetailing applications provide a method to reinforce verbal explanations with digital sales aids, like an iPad sales presentation.
In a digital world, face-to-face interactions become all the more important and memorable. When sales reps are able to meet with a healthcare professional in person, the healthcare professional can bond with a sales rep at a gut level by feeling a handshake, hearing a voice and seeing facial expressions. These types of sensory exchanges help healthcare professionals to make a lasting bond with their sales rep. Exhanges “in real life” may be preferable for the sales representative who is trying to build awareness or enthusiasm in healthcare professionals.
Which method is for you and your pharma sales reps? Perhaps it’s wise to choose different methods for different healthcare professionals, and combine and switch methods depending on the stage of the sales cycle. When working to deliver the right message to the right person, consider the audience.
Have you explored the versatile world of digital detailing solutions?
