Enhancing brand performance; research shows best sales and marketing strategies

After a decade of pooling resources into R&D, pharmaceutical companies are ready to see their drug on the shelves of pharmacies, physician clinics and patients' homes. To get to that stage, drugmakers must hire the appropriate number of sales representatives to research which specific segments of the pharmaceutical market should be targeted, and they should emphasize clinical and scientific excellence. Best Practices has conducted a study, Enhancing Brand Performance Through Sales & Marketing Excellence, to help companies in this.

Brand executives from 12 pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Merck, were interviewed regarding winning strategies of leading brands in highly-competitive markets. The key topic areas included: efficient field force promotion, marketing strategies, promotional resource allocation and critical success factors.

Critical success factors included: maintaining quality and high share of voice through effective targeting, frequency and coordination in field force promotion; deploying many educational meetings and programs to maximize customer access and impact.