ASK BEFORE YOU OFFER Turn Doctor Visits Into Gold by Asking Better Questions
BE CURIOUS, NOT CONVINCING. So, how do you avoid Mistake No. 4? You ask questions. Good ones. Ask what they like — and don’t like — about working with pharmacies. Ask what causes bottlenecks in their office. Ask if there’s anything your team could do better to support theirs. And then, here’s the kicker: Listen . Don’t interrupt. Don’t pivot too fast to “here’s what we can do.” Let them talk. Let them be heard. I once had a major clinic in town complain about always getting stuck on hold when they called pharmacies. Their frustration was valid. So, what did we do? We installed a private, direct line just for that office. They now get instant access to our pharmacy team, and guess what?
You’ve done the hard work. You got past the front office staff. You’ve scheduled a meeting. You’re finally face-to-face with the doctor you’ve been trying to connect with. And what do most pharmacy owners do at this golden moment? They talk — a lot. They rattle off a laundry list of services, mention how much their patients love them, and brag about their fast delivery and caring staff … all before the doctor can get a word in . And that is Mistake No. 4 in our top five doctor detailing blunders: not taking the time to understand the doctor’s actual needs . STOP SELLING, START SOLVING. Let’s make one thing crystal clear: You’re not there to pitch a product. You’re there to build a relationship. And relationships are built on trust and understanding, not one-sided sales spiels.
When you walk into a practice, you need to approach it like
Sherlock Holmes. That’s when it’s time to activate “ detective mode. ” You’re looking for clues, asking questions, listening carefully, and
They send us more business than ever.
We wouldn’t have come up with that idea
piecing together the real picture of what the doctor and their staff struggle with on a daily basis.
if we hadn’t asked the right questions and listened for the real pain point.
YOUR SUPERPOWER? TAILORED SOLUTIONS. The beauty of being an independent pharmacy is that you can actually do things big-box chains can’t. You can adapt. You can offer flexible services. But only if you know what your prescribers actually need. So, before you walk into your next doctor’s office with your “menu of services,” take a step back. Go in with curiosity. Be the solution- finder, not the service-seller. Doctor detailing isn’t about pushing but positioning yourself as an essential ally. And allies ask. They dig deep. They solve. And when you do that? The real referrals start to roll in .
Your job? Solve a problem, and whatever you do, do not deliver a monologue . PRESENT SOLUTIONS AFTER INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM
The reason this mistake stings so much is that it’s often well- intentioned. You’re excited. You believe in your pharmacy (and you should!). But when you lead with a list of services instead of empathy, it falls flat. Why? Because you’re presenting a solution to a problem you haven’t taken the time to identify. The doctor doesn’t care how fast you deliver if their biggest gripe is poor communication. It’s like handing out umbrellas in the middle of a drought.
561-379-7750 4
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator