Inspired and moved to share below the essence of a true story which has unfolded in our own country in the recent past and in our own midst:
A couple of young gentlemen were working as Medical Representatives in the erstwhile Glaxo (India) with H.Qs based in Tamil Nadu. Remember, they belonged to simple middle class families, didn’t have hi-fi qualifications from great Universities, and also without any godfathers to push them up in the ladder.
However, they possessed the following simple and but essential traits to succeed:
- very sincere
- Keen to do well and come up in life
- mastered the art of detailing communication for each product meticulously, they were able to detail effectively, made the Doctors see the advantages in their products, thus were able to generate demand/prescriptions.
- very regular and punctual in giving visits to the Doctors
- hard working, worked both in mornings and in evenings religiously
- implemented all Sales/Marketing strategies sincerely
Obviously they were quite successful, got noticed by the Management, were promoted as Product/Brand Managers and were relocated to Head Office in Mumbai. There also they have followed the following principles sincerely:
- Made the field force to promote only right products to right Doctors
- Made the detailing stories crisp, easy to memorise, clearly highlighting the major advantages of prescribing their products over others, and got it implemented by the field force as well.
The result was they were successful in creating many popular and high performing brands for the Organization.
Then the thought of ‘entrepruneurship’ crossed their mind, when they thought that if they put in similar efforts in a new venture of their own, it might give them more professional satisfaction, and in the process better rewards too. Thus, they opened a new Pharma Company based at Madras (Chennai now), and began marketing pharmaceutical formulations. The number of products were not that many (limited), but they focussed very hard on what they know best, i.e. Promoting the right products to right Doctors, hard work (morning and evening work), the best detailing for each product, highlighting how their products offer advantages over other products in the market. Their growth rate year after year was very impressive and record breaking. The result was in the next few years, their organization has crossed over Rs.100 crores turnover, and was the envy for many big Pharma Companies then. Finally they sold their business to a big Pharma Company for over 600 crores some years back. This news appeared in almost all leading newspapers. Now they have turned themselves into ‘angel investors’ investing in new Pharma set ups which they believe in, and also into other business lines, ensuring a very secured life for them first and then for their next few generations.
Moral of the story: Discipline, Hardworking, involvement in whatever we do, unending appetite to reach for greater heights, daring to come out of the comfort zone, and be in the learning zone to avoid stagnation in growth are the secrets to succeed. If we develop these traits in all of us, I am sure they will stand for us, and will not allow anyone to stand against us.
V. Srinivasan
(The author Mr. Srinivasan V has a rich experience of over 40 years in Indian Pharma Industry with over 400 published articles in India and abroad to his credit. He has headed Sales Administration, HR, Admin, Personnel and Training functions in reputed Organizations. He can be reached at shridhar1956@rediffmail.com)
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