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3 tactics for digitizing your life science sales enablement strategy

Written by Sarah Steensen | Mar 15, 2021 5:00:00 AM
Sales enablement teams–those responsible for providing sales organizations content and tools to sell more effectively–are supporting fewer sellers than ever before. The ratio of seller to sales enablement employee has changed from 30:1 to 20:1, demonstrating the growing impact of the sales enablement role.


For life sciences companies, it is no different. As sales representatives and MSL’s find new ways to approach customer meetings (i.e. through video conferencing calls), sales enablement teams have been forced to respond to the changing market in real-time. 2020 brought in an urgent need to engage customers digitally, and digital engagement is here to stay. The following points are key for life science companies to consider when establishing and executing a digital sales enablement strategy. 

 
 
 
 

Be able to access approved content at anytime

Approved videos, sell sheets, and demonstrations allow for a more customer-centric experience. Time is of the essence. Sales representatives and MSL’s need to maximize on every customer interaction by making the meeting as valuable and relevant as possible to the stakeholders, further amplifying the need to have approved content at your fingertips.

Adding a digital solution to your sales enablement strategy will allow your sales representatives and MSLs to access the right content at any time. The ability to search, view, and download approved content instantly–whether it is in their home office or during a virtual meeting– allows your representatives to stay laser-focused  on educating and servicing your customers.

Integrate your content operations

Smooth content handoff and handback processes between your marketing, medical, and sales teams is essential in a digital sales environment because it ensures compliant content and optimizes team collaboration. 

Smooth handoff and handback processes are made possible by integrating your content review, approval, and distribution solutions. As your content is approved for use or modified, representatives are instantly updated. Whether it is prescription changes or a modified medical claim to your device, the representative is equipped to present the right content at any given time.

Identify what content is working

Successfully capturing and keeping the attention of busy healthcare professionals (HCPs) is guaranteed when your representatives are readily equipped with the most valuable content. Key opinion leaders (KOLs) can now prioritize and share valuable content when key metrics illustrate the value of your content.

Famous business thinker and educator Peter Drucker claimed that “what’s measured improves.” By digitizing your approved content, sales enablement teams now have access to robust content analytics–like content views, downloads, and favorite counts–which enable all teams to understand the most valuable content at your organization. Once you know what content is working, you can maximize on that learning and use it to inform future content creation.

One key theme arises as part of all three of these tactics: tooling. Pivoting to a virtual selling environment requires digital tools that empower your teams to do their job and collaborate. Building a tech stack can be overwhelming, so start with requirements. Work with your team to identify what you need to achieve a digital sales environment and then research your options. Make sure to consult all teams involved so everyone feels heard and can contribute to your organization’s digital transformation.