In a previous issue of Pharmaceutical Representative, my colleague Rayna Herman and I offered guidance to primary care representatives seeking to prepare themselves for a transition to specialty sales ("The scoop on specialty sales," December 2005). The article also described approaches current specialty representatives could adopt to excel in their roles. Research by the Lambertville, NJ-based Health Strategies Group on specialty representatives and their customers formed the foundation for the advice presented in the piece.

This month's follow-up article expands on previous themes by drawing on the insights of two outstanding specialty representatives: Kelly Barnett of Cambridge, MA-based Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Debby Fleuridas of South San Francisco-based Genentech Inc.

Getting into specialty sales

If you are a primary care representative who wants to get into specialty sales, you will eventually need to impress a specialty district manager. You will have to stand out as the best candidate, even compared with people who already work as specialty representatives. How can you use your current role to prepare for success? I recommend the following three steps:

Why they switch

Read more ... a lot more. Expand your knowledge well beyond what you need to sell on a day-to-day basis. Read the same journals your doctors do and discuss important issues with your customers.

Ask more questions ... of everyone. Every week you talk with people who collectively possess hundreds of years of postgraduate medical education. You will get a lot smarter if you tap into what they know.

Network and collaborate as much as you can ... especially with high-level physicians. You may not call on the editor of a major medical journal, but you certainly call on physicians who play a leadership role in your local medical community. Get involved with their efforts and you will gain valuable influencing and negotiation skills.

Myths (and truths) about specialty sales

"Primary care selling can be a perfect launching pad to get into specialty sales," adds Barnett. In her opinion, primary care representatives can use their current role to prepare for specialty opportunities by:

• Taking advantage of the training programs and resources (workshops, books, DVDs and tape libraries) their companies offer.
• Polishing their communication skills.
• Gaining skill and experience in building strong relationships with physicians and office staff.
• Demonstrating business acumen and creativity in the way they organize and run a territory.