Otsuka to arm sales reps with 1,300 iPads

Otsuka Pharmaceutical has purchased 1,300 iPads for its drug reps in Japan to use on sales calls, reports Bloomberg on June 7, 2010. Otsuka recognizes the importance of providing new medical information to doctors more quickly, and these devices represent the first wave in a more technology-based sales strategy. For more information, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-08/ipads-to-help-otsuka-pharmaceutical-sales-force-market-drugs-to-doctors.html

Astellas staffs up for China sales drive

Much like Pfizer and Bayer, Astellas Pharma will be making the move into China, reports Bloomberg on May 26, 2010. In order to gain market share from its competitors,  Astellas plans on hiring at least 300 sales staff in China, aiming to double its sales there by March 2015. This strategy is designed to help the company meet its ambitious sales-growth goal of 17% in five years. For more information, visit http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-26/astellas-to-double-revenue-in-china-hire-sales-staff-correct-.html

Death of a Salesman: AstraZeneca Replaced Entire Nexium Salesforce With Telemarketers — and It Worked

For sales of Nexium heartburn medication, AstraZeneca has replaced all its traditional reps — people who go door-to-door visiting doctors — with telemarketing call centres, reports BNET on May 18, 2010. By having a call center and a website where doctors can order materials and samples, AstraZeneca says it can adequately meet the needs of purchasers at a lower cost. This strategy is interesting, as it is contrary to industry standards, wherein sales resources are increased for the biggest brands as their patents expire and they face competition from cheap generics. For more information, visit http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/death-of-a-salesman-astrazeneca-replaced-entire-nexium-salesforce-with-telemarketers-8212-and-it-worked/4807

More doctors giving pharma sales reps the cold shoulder

In the past year, the fraction of doctors willing to meet reps regularly has dropped significantly and the group unwilling to see reps at all has grown even faster, reports the Wall Street Journal on May 6, 2010.  The time and effort wasted on fruitless sales calls by drug reps amounts to a loss of more than $1 billion yearly. Moving forward, pharma companies need to operate a far more efficient sales model, in which marketing efforts are tailored to local conditions. For example, in regions where doctors are most standoffish, new strategies such as online detailing might be most helpful.  For more information, visit http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2010/05/06/more-doctors-giving-pharma-sales-reps-the-cold-shoulder/

Sanofi lays off 400 more U.S. sales reps

As a result of competition and underperforming drugs, Sanofi-Aventis is laying off another 400 reps from its already shrunken sales force, reports BNet Pharma on April 5, 2010. Sales support for underperforming drugs such as the antidepressant Aplenzin will instead be largely outsourced. For more information, visit http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/happy-easter-sanofi-again-lays-off-staffers-over-a-holiday/4538

Ranbaxy aims to hire 1,500 reps for rural India sales

Homegrown Ranbaxy Labatories is looking to beef up its sale staff in order to penetrate new rural markets in India, reports The Economic Times on April 1, 2010. This decision was spurred as a result of Ranbaxy’s ambitions to regain its spot as India’s biggest drugmaker and as an attempt to counterbalance its troubles overseas, namely its much-publicized product suspension in the U.S. market. Ranbaxy will need as much sales support as it can get to remain competitive in India, as many multinational Big Pharma companies are also expanding their sales forces in India. For more information, visit http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/Ranbaxy-to-hire-1500-on-expansion-to-push-sales/articleshow/5749015.cms

Sales experience valued most in hiring new drug reps

The most important thing a sales rep needs to have is experience, says a new survey conducted by the Hay Group and published February 1, 2010. Even non-pharma experience is valued, as two-thirds of drugmakers would prefer to hire new drug reps with non-pharma sales experience over internal applicants with no sales experience. For more information, visit http://pharmexec.findpharma.com/pharmexec/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=656050&sk=&date=&pageID=2

Pharma turns to tech for marketing aid

Bayer’s Didget glucometer has joined forces with Nintendo gaming devices, as a way to encourage diabetic kids to monitor their blood sugar, reports Bloomberg on February 11, 2010.  Similarly, Johnson & Johnson is working with Apple on an iPhone app that would allow patients to upload and share their blood sugar. With pharma sales slowing, its time for companies to take a new and innovative approach to how they market their products. For more information, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aX44HEtnF8cE

Pfizer looks for reps, partners in China

Pfizer plans on adding hundreds of new drug reps to its sale staff for its large-scale sales push into China, reports Reuters on January 19, 2010. Currently, Pfizer staffs 2,300 drug reps but is looking to reach 3,200 by the end of 2011 — a 900-person increase. Pfizer is making a concerted effort to put itself on the front lines of fast-growing countries such as China. The company hopes to capitalize on a wave of consolidation among local drugmakers, by partnering up with several of them as it takes on more local staff. However, much like with other big name drug companies, the increase in sales staff in these new markets is invariably offset by cuts in staff in established markets such as the U.S. and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1922426720100119?type=marketsNews

Eli Lilly’s new, leaner sales strategy

Pharma giant Eli Lilly has instituted a new approach to marketing, reports the Indianapolis Star on January 19, 2010. In 2009, Lilly let go 1,000 full-time and contract reps. Moving forward, the company plans to cut the number of reps who call on each physician, as to avoid bombarding doctors. Instead of three or four, each doctor will have just one Lilly contact. Additionally, reps are now trained to ask doctors what they need, rather than simply memorizing their sales pitch from a script. For more information, visit http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/eli-lillys-new-leaner-sales-strategy/2010-01-19