The Enablers - Vol II, Issue IV, October 2011 'Creating trust - first-line managers as field-brand managers'

Creating trust - first-line managers as field-brand managers

Dear Friends,

At the outset let me wish a very happy Diwali and a prosperous new year to my friends from Gujarat.

With great pleasure I present you the monthly e-letter, Vol II, Issue IV, October 2011 of ‘The Enablers’.

this time we discuss an interesting topic – the role of a first-line manager as a brand manager. The role which a first-line manager plays in the brand-building process has neither been recognised nor appreciated. So when a new product fails (and 99 of 100 new products fail in the Indian pharma market!), the brand manager blames the first-line manager while the first-line manager has no clue as to why the brand has failed. 

Active collaboration between the brand manager and the first-line manager is necessary for brand success. The first-line manager, whom I would prefer to call as field-brand manager, need to trained so he can fulfil his role as a field-brand manager.

How can this be done? Here are a few thoughts from me. Those field-brand managers who desire to learn more about this should read my book: “WHAT THE PHARMA CEO WANTS FROM THE BRAND MANAGER’. If you desire to purchase this book, you may go to the last page 5 of this issue.

Those field-brand managers and the corporate brand managers who purchase this book before 30^th November are entitled to a 3-month e-learning course, without any professional fees.

Warm regards,

Vivek Hattangadi

16^th October 2011

Creating trust - first-line managers as field-brand managers

Branding is a key issue in the pharma industry; product managers have evolved into brand managers and are beginning to understand the dynamics of brand equity that lie at the heart of brand management and marketing. Jean Noel Kapferer says that, “a product gives a certain efficacy while a brand gives more trust.” And when it comes to creating that trust, who else, but the first-line managers, can play that crucial role? It is essentially first-line managers who meet the doctor’s day in and day out - in the organization. It is interaction between firs-line managers and doctors that can breed trust or may be mistrust. Trust builds brand loyalty and a sense of commitment. 

Besides creating trust between the brand and the doctors, first-line managers, or more correctly, field-brand managers have two more important roles to play in the brand building process, prescription generation and competition analysis.

Prescription Generation: Brand building in our industry is fundamentally prescription generation. Making existing prescribers prescribe more is relatively easier then getting a prescription from a non-prescriber to prescribe. Strong brands add value to the product, which helps it differentiate itself from competition. While that differentiation is created by the corporate brand manager when designing strategy, it is the field-brand manager, is indirectly or directly involved in the brand building process; through strategy execution resulting in prescription generation. Strategy execution is more important than strategy designing therefore, the field-brand manager holds the key to build a strong pharma brand.

In spite of this contribution, no company directly rewards the first-line manager for their involvement in the brand management process. Nor do the companies encourage participation. First-line managers can actually steer brands around the various hurdles and challenges in the market place if they use all their learning and experience to build robust brands of the future.

While the corporate brand manager decides on the brand strategies, the execution is carried out by the field personnel. Both have to work in tandem to build a strong brand. In our industry it is almost impossible to build a brand without soliciting dynamic collaboration of the first-line manager. After all, a strong pharma brand is recognised only by prescriptions. And, since it is the first-line managers who are responsible for prescription generation, they have a vital role in the brand-building process.

Why does a company require a strong brand?

·         Strong brands create a platform to establish stable relations with the doctors for more prescriptions.

·         Strong brands can enhance differentiated competitive advantage. If companies fail to differentiate themselves at a level beyond functional benefits, they will be unable to sustain brand loyalty.

·         Strong brands can extend the life-cycle of a product. 

·  Strong brands can work across the national territory and without market restrictions.

When there is lack of differentiation and doctors have the tendency to look at products as a commodity. Commodities and brands are the two ends of the product spectrum. Each unit of a commodity is exactly like every other unit. A product is a commodity when all units of production are identical, regardless of who produces them, whether it is Intas or Alkem or Pfizer. For instance, Famotin is very much like Famonite and therefore treated like a commodity. Becosules, however, is a brand. Beplex Forte is a brand – and the two are not similar. 

Competitor Analysis:  Analysing competition is an important part of the strategic brand planning process. Here are a few significant steps which a first-line manager can initiate in the brand building process

·         First, the field manager can analyse observable data on competing products in the market place and even the doctor’s perception of value. If the corporate brand manager trains them in this process, the product-to-a-strong-brand process can be accelerated. It is the first-line manager who is in touch with customer’s day in and day out. Who else can perform this task better – provided they are guided on this aspect?

·         First-line managers are the eyes and ears of the company in the market. They can be trained on writing competitive analysis. Gathering information about competition, customer dynamism, low levels of brand loyalty are some of the issues they can observe and report. Make them a part of the field MIS (Marketing Information System)! The face of any organization is the first-line manager.

·         Training is essential to remain ahead of the competition. Sales force needs training before entering the market as well as training at different stage of the product life cycle, else competitor brands can prevail.

First-line managers thus can play a crucial role in the brand building process by building trust with the doctors, generation prescriptions and playing a key role in analysing completion.

The book, ‘WHAT THE PHARMA CEO WANTS FROM THE BRAND MANAGER’ was released on 6^th October 2011.

  Five reasons to read the book

Reason 1: To the field managers, this book will give an insight into the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of a brand manager.

Reason 2: It will help you appreciate that field managers and brand managers have to work in tandem to build strong brands.

Reason 3: This book will help to shape the future of field managers who wish to make progress in their careers via the route of brand management.

Reason 4: Veteran brand managers will get a chance to revisit the basics of pharma brand management.

Reason 5: It is often said that new products are the life-blood of progressive companies. You will be able to know what it takes to turn a product to a brand.

How to buy the book ‘WHAT THE PHARMA CEO WANTS FROM THE BRAND MANAGER’: 1.    Visit www.pothi.com and Click on buy books 2.    This book is available in both the formats - ‘Print-book’ as well ‘E-book’. Go to the format you desire to purchase. 3.    Under languages, click English 4.    Under category, select ‘Reference’ 5.    Under publishers, select ‘Independent’. 6.    Go to ‘Add to the cart’ and then check out. 7.    Then proceed to make the payments either through (a) Credit / Debit card (b) Online banking / Electronic Transfer (c) Debit card 8.    Those brand managers or first-line sales managers buying this book before 30th November 2011 are entitled to a complimentary 3 month E-learning course either on brand management or sales management. Please do visit www.theenablers.org for details of registration

The Enablers, Vol II, Issue III, What the first-line manager should know about the brand manager

What the first-line manager should know about the brand manager  

Dear Friends,

Many of the successful general managers and vice presidents in the Indian Pharmaceutical Market (IPM) have started their career as medical representatives and from there developed themselves into brand managers and later marketing chiefs.

Brand managers have many nomenclatures – ‘Product Manager’, ‘Therapy Manager’, ‘Product Sales Manager’, and in the good old days, they were even called as Sales Promotion Managers. However, the correct title should be ‘Brand Manager’ and as you read the issue, you will know the reasons.  

This and the following issue of ‘The Enablers’ deals with brand management.

In Volume II, Issue III, September 2011, an overview of the role of a brand manager in the IPI has been outlined. Many misconceptions of his role have been cleared. What does a brand manager do? Just prepare promotional material, choose gifts or design brand campaigns? These tasks are just the tip of the iceberg.

While the sales management is accountable for the top line, the brand manager is accountable for the bottom line, the profits, and the market share among other tasks.

Read this issue for a deep understanding of the role of a brand manager.

Do let me have your feedback. 

Vivek Hattangadi

P.S. Here is a unique opportunity to sharpen your managerial skills. Please see page 5 of this issue.

What the first-line manager should know about the brand manager

The most important role of the medical representative is generating prescriptions for a brand by executing the strategies and tactics suggested by the brand manager. The perception which the medical representative and the first-line managers have about brand managers is that their most important function is to produce and churn out printed promotional material and visual aids. On the other hand, a competent brand manager hardly spends 10% of his time in this activity. What then is the role of a brand manager? It is to build a strong brand worthy of respect by competitors. The successful brand managers are today general managers, vice presidents or CEOs. Their success lies in making the field force understand and appreciate the brand management process.

Having said this, the question which should now come to the mind of the first-line manager is; what then is the role of a brand manager? Many think it a job full of glamour. Apparently it is, but also involves hard, strenuous work.  At times, as during the launch of a new product or during annual budget meets or some such important events, it is a 24X7 job. It is not just the field force which has to slog out from 9.00 am to 11.45 pm to call on a difficult doctor! Even the brand managers do it, but at a different location.  

   

The tasks of a brand manager broadly fall into four segments viz.

I.            Understanding the general issues to build a brand. 

II.          Finding out.

III.       Planning and Monitoring.

IV.        Making known or advertising.

The general issues include in the brand building process include:

·         Appreciation of the marketing concept

·         Familiarity with local regulatory affairs

·         Technical competence

·         Knowledge of distribution channels and systems

A very important point made by David Jobber which brand managers realize is: “… being better than the competition leads to the creation of a competitive advantage.” This is where collaboration between the first-line manager and the brand manager will help the brand to nurture.

The second task is finding out – being inquisitive.  This refers to what is essential to be known by a brand manager and needs to be found out to build a mega brand. These include:

·         Internal data

·         Audits

·         Attitudinal surveys

·         Brand    Testing

Once a brand manager has all this information with him, it helps him in strategizing the brand so that it evolves into a mega brand.

The third task for a brand manager is brand planning and monitoring. A brand plan is a very important written document that gives details about the vital actions and measures to achieve the objectives of the brand. It is an intended course of action required to successfully implement a brand strategy and is a part of the overall marketing plan of your company.  It can cover a period between one and five years. Writing a brand plan is not an overnight job. a lot of thought and study goes into it. For a new product launch, writing a brand plan many even take a year! The brand plan is like a ‘Gita’ or a ‘Bible’ to the brand!

The next task is advocacy, communication or making known. And this is where the glamour component comes in. Effective Communication is the key to the successful career of a brand manager. A person with inadequate communication skills is not really appropriate for the job of a brand manager. Communication is a skill area and can be built up and practiced. Brand communication skills have to be developed and honed on an on-going basis.

Would you like to further your career in brand management? Many companies induct senior medical representatives or first-line managers with the right aptitude into brand management. Do await the release of my book: “What The Pharma CEO Wants From The Brand Manager”. This book will help you to appreciate the role of a brand manager and could also serve as a text book in case you want to get into brand management.

 

A unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop your skills!

Purchase the hardcopy of the book “WHAT THE PHARMA CEO WANTS FROM THE BRAND MANAGER” and receive complimentary on-line training from Prof. Vivek Hattangadi.

You can opt for a three-month on-line training either on ‘brand management’ or ‘field sales management’.

For further details, please write to vivekhattangadi@theenablers.org

P.S. You will be happy to know that the entire proceeds from this book, will go to Punyatma Prabhakar Sharma Seva Mandal, (PPSSM) a NGO which runs schools for the mentally and aurally challenged Special Children of God. Currently PPSSM is very active in two schools from Igatpuri, housing 103 Special Children of God from the Adivasis and the tribal families of Nasik district (Maharashtra) and its surroundings. Please do visit www.punyaseva.org for more details.