"Physicians overall indicated samples had the most influence on prescribing habits…"

— Verispan's Sales Force Effectiveness 2006:
The Physician Perspective

"The only reason a lot of doctors still see reps is to get the free drug samples."

— Bob Davenport, V.P. Hay Group Inc.,
BusinessWeek Online 2/5/2007

I'm willing to bet two things. First, you've seen statements like this before. Second, you don't disagree with any of it.

Those of us in pharma brand marketing have known for a long time that the value of the sales rep — above and beyond the samples he brings — has become increasingly marginalized.

	Indeed, the drastic sales force reductions we've seen of late (from Pfizer on down), are less a reduction, than they are an outright rejection of the long standing pharma sales model.

It's not working. Sales people are no longer viewed by doctors as the providers of unbiased research, perspective, industry news and practice management tools that might help a physician do a better job. Today, the sales rep faces an unwelcome (if not outright hostile) environment when she/he enters the doctor's office, a reality that (again, according to BusinessWeek Online), leads to "fewer than 25% of visits to physicians result[ing] in actual face time," and the need for reps to "often wait an hour for a mere 90 seconds with the doctor."

But again, you already knew that. So here's my question. Since doctors do appreciate samples, why are we ignoring the untapped brand opportunity that lives within the precious samples we give away?

In other words, if, as the data suggests, samples truly are the key that unlocks the door to more prescriptions, why not focus more on improving the effectiveness of the one tool in our arsenal — the samples — that continues to perform?

With that in mind, I've got two specific recommendations:

1. Help doctors be better doctors.

   There's not a physician on the planet who doesn't want to provide better care to his or her patients. In 2007 and beyond, however, it won't be about spending more time with patients in the office, but rather providing both patient and physician with better information and information sources that they can tap outside the office visit.

   All of this starts with the samples. Wrap your samples (both figuratively and literally) in instructive information and experiences — both passive and as part of a feedback loop to the doctor — that will let the patient begin getting maximum benefit from your product as soon as the sample is given. Don't wait for the prescription to be filled… make the sample itself a better experience for the patient, while removing some of the patient-education burden from the doctor.

   The point is, instead of spending 100% of your resources empowering your sales force to perform better, shift some of that attention and money towards helping your clients (i.e. the docs themselves) do a better job, in less time and with less effort.

2. View samples as a branding opportunity.

   Typically, by the time a sample is handed to a patient — whether in a sparsely labeled bottle or unremarkable blister pack — any connection with the pharma company is long gone. Under these circumstances, the product — your product — may as well be generic.

   Remember that receiving samples is viewed by patients as high value (whether because they offset prescription costs or simply provide convenience). And yet, in the sample-receiving scenario described above, the doctor (not you) is the one who comes out as hero in the eyes of the patient.

   The solution is to intertwine your brand with the samples, in a way that increases the likelihood they will not be separated at the moment of truth (i.e. when the doctor grabs them from the sample cabinet). That's done partly by giving the doctor a good reason to include your information in the first place (as described above), and partly by packaging and branding the physical sample itself in an interesting, innovative and compelling way.

   The bottom line is to make sure you're there in the winner's circle when the positive message of "free sample" is delivered.

Clearly, it's time for a new approach.

Am I suggesting you replace your sales force with branded-sample-delivering UPS drivers? Not a chance. I am saying, however, that given the reality of sales force rejection that's occurring every day in doctors' offices around the globe, you're focusing your attention in the wrong place by worrying about whether five reps carrying two products is more efficient than three reps carrying four products. Fine tuning over here is not the answer.

Instead, look for innovative ways to better leverage the samples that are already welcomed by doctors, and already appreciated by patients.

Live or Recorded Voices… Which is Better?

In conducting follow-up surveys with patients, we nearly always use a prerecorded voice to ask the questions. Not just because of the expense advantage of using recordings rather than live surveyors, although that certainly is a benefit. No, the primary reason is patient comfort.

There have been many studies conducted which demonstrate that sensitive information (i.e. the kind of information patients typically provide) is more easily and truthfully offered to a machine than to another individual. In a live interaction with an "authority figure," one is inclined to give the best answer — an answer that places you in the best light in the eyes of that person, such as "Yes, I took all my medicine" — rather than the truthful answer… "I missed a few doses this week."

Respondents are aware that the machine asks the same question in precisely the same way to thousands of people, and is not modifying the questions or judging me based on previous statements I've made. This puts patients at ease, and allows them to provide better information. Often better, in fact, than if asked by their own doctor, who, in the eyes of the patient, may somehow see their deepest thoughts and intentions.

Prerecorded questions also allow for optimization — by recording them over and over until they are just right. This benefit is not present with a live questioner, who may ask a given question one way when fresh in the morning and another way when fatigued and ready to go home at the end of the day.

What are the odds? Two great conferences in two different cities, both held on the same days (March 26 & 27).   And… both featuring InfoMedics insiders!

First, Jeanne Zucker and Rob Bedford participate in two leadership panels at the Pharmaceutical Sales & Marketing Executive Congress, in Atlantic City. Don't miss this opportunity to hear directly from Washington insiders about the changing political landscape and its impact on sales and marketing for the pharmaceutical industry. More information here: www.iibig.com/P0701.

Or, come to Boston for the dual-track conference — Integrated Relationship Marketing for the Pharmaceutical Industry & The Patient Focused Paradigm — and meet InfoMedics Vice President, Analytic Services, Paul LeVine, as he unleashes his presentation: "Unleash the Power of Patient Feedback and Create a Personalized Message Channel for your Brand." To register, visit www.exlpharma.com

Hmm… Atlantic City or Boston? A tough choice if ever there was one.

Patient willingness to participate in surveys and programs is influenced by their understanding of how the results will be used:

"If I knew other people would benefit from it, I would be more likely to participate. I would like to help others in my situation."

— Epilepsy Patient, InfoMedics Research,
Fall, 2006

Do you agree? Are we as an industry, underutilizing the opportunity that samples provide?

InfoMedics creates an interactive, real-time means for helping patients and physicians better communicate about a diagnosed condition or prescribed treatment.

This results in improved health outcomes and consistent increases in prescribing levels for new prescriptions and refills.

January 2007

December 2006

November 2006