The Sales Process
Step number one – uncover the customer’s needs
When you detail or when you are going to sell something it is important to first ask a series of
questions, otherwise known as probing. This enables you to find out about the customer’s needs
and wants.
Step number two – address the customer’s needs
Think about the last time you bought a telephone – cellular or otherwise. Most likely you were
presented with a multitude of options. You could choose from many different brands all with
different bells and whistles. In the end, though, it almost certainly came down to features and
benefits. A feature is a part of the product that stands alone. A benefit takes some human
interaction. In the case of a cell phone the features and benefits may be . . .
If you were disciplined enough to implement step one (uncovering customer needs) you now
know exactly what features will benefit your customer enabling you to not only make the sale but
to make it more quickly as well. It sounds complicated to be able to think on the fly and present
your products in a way that will address the needs of the customer but the more you know about
your customer and your products, the easier the sell will become.
Step number three – call to action or close
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If you have uncovered the needs of the customer and gone on to address those needs, the final
step in the process is easy. You have to ask the customer to act. Close the deal. While it may
seem uncomfortable, closing is just a natural part of the sales process. If you have all of your
bases covered, closing is easy. If and when you make the mistake of closing too early, you will
inevitably learn that there are other needs you need to address. No problem. Just like a car, the
sales process has a ‘reverse’. If you miss a turn, all you have to do is back up and make it
happen.
Preparing for the Detail
This is a sales script that can be used with any product. Notice the steps of the sales process in
the message. During a detail, I always try to make sure I cover the acronym NIFDA.
NIFDA stands voor:
Name (brand name of drug),
Indication (what the drug is approved to be used for),
Features & Benefits (the features of the drug – what it does, Benefits- how what it
does benefits and makes life easier for the patient & physician),
– Dosing (starting and maintenance dosing),
– Action (Asking for the business, after getting agreement on the features and
benefits, asking the doctor to write the drug for the appropriate patients).
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Use your pen to point to sections on your detail piece as you discuss them. Never
use your finger.