When life science sales are poor, turn to marketing
By David Chapin
We’ve had a surge of new clients in recent months, and therefore a significant uptick in the number of diagnostic presentations to evaluate their current life science marketing strategy, positioning, and messaging. The driver for those presentations is a comprehensive intake survey, in which key decision makers share their impressions on a number of things, including their brand’s strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities. We’re often struck by the issues that come up as obstacles in their market space – on-time delivery or availability of their service or product, having the wrong manager in a key role, inadequate marketing budgets. The kinds of issues that even the best of marketing strategies just can’t fix.
Equally intriguing is that life science C-suite executives readily point to their sales team when sales performance is poor. And this is precisely something that marketing can fix – where a solid marketing strategy, positioning and messaging that truly differentiates, and internal alignment can have its greatest impact.
Think about it. If life science sales reps are approaching prospects with their own take on what their organization has to offer – or worse, delivering messages and ‘stories’ that don’t differentiate from their competitors – their organization will be passed over because of price, industry reputation, and perception.
Successful sales starts with a solid strategy. Don’t underestimate its potential, sell your C-suite on the effort, and be prepared to dig in for the tough task of taking an honest look at your organization. Click here to get started.
