The Unquestionable Importance Of Effective Implementation For A Sales Team

The key to effective marketing essentially lies in taking action. Someone once said that you cannot score a goal unless you first take a shot, so in marketing terms the best intent in the world is worthless unless you actually go out and do something. Within the pharmaceutical industry, effective marketing is more than just making professionals aware of the products available, it is about a host of other objectives as well, including reputational management, education and positioning. Indeed, sales and marketing can sometimes be more concerned with positions, placing and protection rather than the ultimate dollar transaction. This complexity certainly requires the selection of a top class sales and marketing team, and a pharmaceutical consulting firm can often be a significant ally in this pursuit.

Effective marketing begins and ends with the management of all those elemental sales and marketing activities. As such, implementation includes measurement and control, as well as overall co-ordination of daily and weekly activities. All members of the sales and marketing team must be clearly aware of what is required of them and that their actions cannot be isolated, but must be seen as an integral part of the company's overall objectives.

Most pharmaceutical consultants will confirm that the heart of any plan implementation is in the execution, and no amount of paperwork, charting or spreadsheet construction will be of use unless things actually get done. The coordinator will marshal the operations of the sales force and will educate them in the difficulties they will face in the battlefield. This level of coaching is essential, especially where some members may be somewhat new to the arena. They must be able to focus without distraction if need be and single-mindedly concentrate on the task in hand. If a team member is not familiar with time management, this rises to job number one, as prioritisation is critical to production. This does not mean ignoring the less important elements of their jobs, but it does mean that they need to be very careful with the allocation of time to non-core tasks.

Important characteristics of a sales team member include thoroughness and attention to detail. Every member of the sales team contributes to the whole objective and other members must be aware of each contribution. Assumptions should never be made, as vital tasks or elements could be missed in this way and procrastination should be viewed as the enemy of efficiency.

While detail orientation is very important, as is time management, this level of implementation should not stifle the creative powers of the salesperson. It is easy to become overwhelmed and this must be guarded against. This is where this person can set him or herself apart and really go the extra distance for the company. Through prioritisation, primary tasks are always achieved. Delegation is fine if it helps with the overall goal, but no assumptions should ever be made.

Generally, pharma consulting organisations are well trained in the keys to effective implementation and are more than capable of training a sales and marketing force to take on the complex, challenging yet rewarding role of marketing within the pharmaceutical industry.

Alan Gillies is the Director of L2L Consulting, an elite pharmaceutical consultancy firm which specialises in Strategy Development and Implementation Excellence for prestigious multi-national organisations.