Diagnosis
Having doctors respect your science knowledge is no easy feat.

Prescription
Taking cues from medical-science liaisons are the first steps to equal footing.

I WAS WORKING AS A new sales rep, when a doctor I called on had some tough, high-science questions for me. My manager suggested that I bring in our local medical-science liaison (MSL) to meet with the doctor. The MSL (also known as a health-science associate) agreed to work with me for a day, and while we worked, I simply couldn't believe the instant rapport he had with the physicians! They seemed to lean forward when he spoke, listening intently to what he had to say, giving him all the time he wanted!

I always wondered how he, and the other MSLs I would later meet, were able to command the doctors' attention and respect so easily. Fortunately, when I became an MSL many years later, I was taught all of their secrets. If you've always wanted to gain your doctors' respect and attention like an MSL, keep reading. Here are 10 things that you, as a sales rep, can learn from MSLs to take your job performance to the next level.

1. BE A CONSULTANT – NOT A SALES REP

The best MSLs are truly consultants, and thus view themselves as colleagues of the physicians. As consultants, they view themselves as being on par with – or perhaps even more qualified than – the doctors they call on. This makes sense for you, too – as a sales rep, you probably know more about your products and your competitor's products than 98 percent of the doctors you call on. They may have gone to medical school, but they didn't spend six weeks in training, focusing solely on the minutiae of one drug and drug class like you did. They'll know the important information about each drug and its class, but you'll know the small details that can make a big difference for patients. This is where you begin consulting. So, view yourself as a colleague of the doctor, not a salesperson. This will take a lot of confidence and require you to change your mindset about your role in doctors' offices, but it is the best way to get a doctor to respect and listen to you.

2. QUIT WEARING A BADGE

Salespeople wear badges, colleagues don't. If you want to be considered a colleague, don't wear a badge.

3. DON'T DEVALUE YOURSELF!

According to Neil Berliner, MD, many reps increase the gap in the perceived hierarchy between the physician and the representative by devaluing themselves and their offerings, and elevating the physicians and their time. For example, at the start of a dinner program, many representatives take the microphone to introduce the speaker. They inevitably begin by saying how grateful they are for the doctors' time, and that they understand how valuable their time is and how difficult it is to attend dinner programs when they have such busy schedules. This basically says to the doctors, "You are supreme beings, much too worthy of my time, and I am eternally grateful to have the opportunity to treat each of you to a $100 dinner. Please accept my undying gratitude." This simply widens the gap in the concept of Implied Hierarchy, which is detrimental to your success in establishing a relationship as a colleague. Be sure to be astutely aware of the language that you use when speaking to doctors and their staffs, and never degrade yourself, your time, your expertise or your position.