Digital has made it easier for healthcare practitioners to access disease and treatment information. Some would say this reduces their dependence on Sales and Medical Representatives for information. Does that mean we should shrink our field force and funnel everything to digital?....NO
Even in today's digital world, personal relationships matter. Its important that we leverage these relationships when using digital channels to reach out to our customers. One of our favourite ways to do this is through email. Contrary to popular belief, email is NOT dead. When used appropriately it is an extremely effective tool.
Here are 4 ways we've leveraged the Sales Rep’s relationship through Email Marketing:
1. Send Emails From Your Rep's Email Address
After sending 1000's of emails to doctors, nurses and pharmacists, we have confirmed that customers who receive information from a known sender are more likely to open and engage with content.
2. Avoid Sending From Generic Email Addresses
Don't make the mistake of sending from a generic email address or third party newsletter. Customers know these are un-manned and usually "no-reply" addresses. By sending from a "real" person's email address you create the expectation of a response and ideally an urgency to open or view the email.
3. Share Your Email Analytics With Your Reps
The more Reps know about their customers the better. Imagine providing your Sales Reps with a detailed report about what their customers have seen and are interested in. Knowing these details can dramatically change the focus of their next sales interaction. Thankfully, the wealth of customer data generated from emails is extremely vast. But don't assume your Reps want to see it all. Sometimes its simply knowing which one of their customers opened that “New Dosing” Email that recently went out.
4. Manage Your Personnel Transitions
One of the more volatile periods for a territory is during a Personnel change. For some reason or another, really skilled veteran sales reps move on. They're usually well liked and have built great relationships over the years. That doesn't have to change when a new Rep moves into territory. Using email marketing, we've actually facilitated the introduction of the new Rep via the incumbent Rep's email address. This gives them an added level of credibility which then helps them with their open rates.
From our experience launching 1000's of emails monthly, Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to get your message out.
If you want to leverage your sales rep's relationships to get your message in front of customers, get in touch and we'll show you how. Contact Us
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ken Stopay is the President and CEO for Oromo Digital Group Inc. based in Toronto. In past lives, he has been a pharmaceutical sales representative, healthcare marketer and a successful entrepreneur in the digital healthcare space all while racing motorcycles on occasion.