As it’s estimated that the marketing of pharmaceutical products accounts for up to $25 billion of spending each year, there is a lot at stake for healthcare professionals everywhere. In recent times, there’s been much talk about the methodology used by pharmaceutical companies and the tactics they utilise as their sales force members contact and try and convince professionals. Some people feel that this industry requires more regulation and some factors have tried to influence the U.S. Congress to look more deeply into the business. With these dynamics in the background, the pharmaceutical company must take a highly focused and professional approach to the very way that it acts and how it reaches the people responsible for buying products and generating revenues enabling it to survive in the first place.

Certain countries around the World have been quick to introduce legislation and restrictions governing how pharmaceutical companies may interact with professionals. For example in Australia, codes of conduct have been established, with ethical marketing standards implemented and all member organisations must comply with the clearly laid out requirements or face legal action.

Pharmaceutical sales executives spend a large proportion of their time “detailing,” which refers to the act of visiting professionals and explaining the concept of the product, the reach, suggested markets, dosage, availability, side effects and other general industry news. This will require highly polished communication skills and sales executives must be able to overcome barriers to growth over the years due to distrust or suspicion. Having said that, a sales executives is pivotal in bringing some vital information to the professional and supplementing the level of education. Much attention must be paid to these marketing methods by the pharmaceutical company.

Who knows whether restrictions or regulations may be brought into effect someday soon, thereby putting additional emphasis on an organisation’s effective marketing requirements? A company should engage pharmaceutical consulting firms due to the fact that they have direct experience and can as such help to train and educate the sales force so that they do not stumble at a vital time, make mistakes or negatively interact with professionals and spoil any potential gains.

It may be necessary to disclose all types of interaction, any hospitality provided or suggested, any gifts or assistance given and the very nature of the education disseminated. As the very way that the sales executive markets the product becomes more complex, the product itself must, of course, be the subject of high levels of education and understanding in the first place.

Generally, pharmaceutical consultants will focus a great deal of their available time on striving to balance training between methods and product awareness. Staff will be trained in the essential elements of time management, and in addition to the dissemination of traditional marketing skills, any up-to-date or new legal requirements will be the subject of focus. In most cases, pharma consulting outsources these important areas, enabling company chiefs to focus on other core areas of concern. With ineffective marketing, reputations can be compromised and there can be other implications, including problems with regulations and authorities; consultants must steer the organisation carefully.

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.