And in third place...

Half of the 16 speciality groups surveyed said these tactics ranked in the top three.

By Editor on Jan 24, 2007

Half of the 16 speciality groups surveyed said these tactics ranked in the top three. In contrast, dermatologists, gastroenterologists, general surgeons, obstetricians and gynecologists, oncologists and psychiatrists indicated that support materials for patients is among the top three tactics influencing prescribing. Cardiologists, neurologists and gastroenterologists say they are strongly influenced by disease-state management programs.

In addition, the physicians polled rated e-detailing, online events and Internet initiatives as having the least influence on prescribing. However, 10 of the 16 specialty groups gave the approach a higher rating than it received in Verispan's last such survey conducted in 2004.

At first glance, the survey tells us several things worth noting. First and very obviously, the power of samples is undeniable and unrivalled. Second, the industry is doing something right when it comes to the relationship-building it is accomplishing with its meetings and events.

It also seems clear that for certain speciality groups, the value of patient support and disease-state management programs should not be underestimated. These programs are not just better serving patients, but obviously their doctors as well.

However, most striking, perhaps, is what this survey tells about traditional rep-physician interactions. It's tempting, with recent news on the broad sales force cuts at Pfizer, to think that sales force effectiveness gains are finally making a reduction in the number of reps a viable financial and sound strategic decision.

And perhaps that's really true. But, even so, this survey seems to indicate that we still haven'st done what it takes to make relationships with reps as valuable as they could, or should be to physicians. Sales force effectiveness isn'st and shouldn'st be about how to do it faster and cheaper, it is about how to do it better. It's about how to deliver not just samples, but value. It's about how to make reps an indispensable resource to physicians.

When it comes to true sales force effectiveness, we'sre obviously still not there yet.