For copies of any of our recent White Papers, please contact us and request a copy. “Determining Call Frequency for Targets - A Better Way” Nearly all Pharma and Medical Device Companies determine Call Frequency for Targets based on Response Curves.  Unfortunately, this method has high levels of error and only uses a small portion of the information available on Prescribers.   This article presents a better way to set Call Frequency for Targets. “Does It Matter If Your Sales Incentive Plan Isn't Fair?” Many Pharmaceutical Companies just assume their Sales Incentive Plans are Equitable.  In this article, we explore what the Cost, in Lost Profits, is to a Pharmaceutical Company that has Sales Incentive Plans that are Not Equitable. “Getting Optimal Feedback from the Field on IC Plans” It's a good idea for Pharmaceutical and Biotech Companies to get feedback from the Sales Force on what they think of their Sales Incentive Plan.  This article explores different ways to effectively get the best possible Feedback. “Where the Big Fish Are Biting” Pharmaceutical and Biotech Companies often look to Target the main users of their type of Product.  However, you don't want to just identify the Big Users, but the Big Users who are most receptive to switching to and using your Product. “A Bedtime Story on How to Eliminate Data Issues in Your IC Plan” Pharmaceutical Companies rely on Data Vendors for their Sales Data.   Unfortunately this data often has various anomalies that can put your IC Plan in jeopardy.  This article will explain how to mitigate these problems. “How to Up-Size Sales with a Down-Sized Sales Force” By changing the way that you Target your Prescribers, you can realize a huge increase in the efficiency of your calling activity. “Paying on Goal Gain vs. Goal Attainment” Companies pay IC bonuses based on Goal Attainment.   But should they?  This article looks at a fairer way to reward Sales Reps when a Goal Based Sales Incentive Plan is used. “Identifying Your Best Territory Sales Managers” How do you know who your Best Sales Reps are?  Surprisingly, many Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies don't. “Current Trends in Pharmaceutical and Biotech Sales Incentive Plans” What are the latest Trends in Sales Incentive Planning for Pharmaceutical, Biotech and Medical Device Companies?  This article shares the latest trends in the industry and points out those that are inconsistent with Best Practices. “Stretch Goals - When Perfect Quotas Are Exactly Wrong” If you use a Goal-Based IC Plan and your Territories have different levels of Sales - even perfectly set Quotas will result in your larger Territories being deficiently compensated. “Best Practices Regarding Pharma Sales IC Payout Curves - PART I: Forced Ranking” Pharmaceutical, Biotech and Medical Device Companies spend a good deal of time deciding what to pay top and bottom performers.  Unfortunately in between the two extremes many companies make critical errors in setting their Sales Incentive Bonus structures.  These errors lead to Sales Incentive Plans that aren't as motivating or as effective as they would have been if the proper Payout Curve had been used.  In this article we will look at some common errors when setting Sales Incentive Bonuses and Contrast them with Best Practices. “Is Your Sales Incentive Plan Paying-For-Performance?” Most Pharmaceutical Companies believe that their Sales Incentive Plan is rewarding their Sales Representatives relative to their level of Performance.   Unfortunately, many IC Plans that are adopted don’t do this.  When this occurs, it means that the best paid Sales Reps may not be the best performers.   Also the Pharma or Bio-Tech company that is not Paying-For-Performance is using a IC Plan that is not as motivating as it should be - as the best performers realize that they are neither being recognized nor compensated properly. “Is Your Sales Incentive Plan Working Correctly?  How Do You Know?” Many Companies assume that their IC Plan is working correctly.   Frequently, only when things get so bad that their Sales Force is in revolt do some companies acknowledge that there is a problem.   However, long before that happens there are a number of indicators that tell you that you have a problem with your Sales Incentive Compensation Plan. “How to Conduct Contests for Pharma & Med Device Companies: Some Do's and Don'ts” Next to Sales Incentive Plans, no activity motivates a Sales Force more than Sales Contests.  Unfortunately, most Sales Contests don't motivate as well as they should.  The main reason for Sales Contests' failure to motivate is that they are mis-designed.   In this article we will lay out a simple formula to create a successful Sales Contest Design. “Volatile Times in the Pharma Industry Call for Contingency Sales IC Plans - PART II” This is Part II on how to overcome the effect that unforeseen Market changes can have on Sales Incentive Bonuses. As stated in Part I, to keep the Sales Force motivated, IC Plans need to contain Contingency Elements.   However, unless the Contingency Elements of the Plan are developed correctly, these elements can de-motivate the Sales Force or lead to complacency. “Volatile Times in the Pharma Industry Call for Contingency Sales IC Plans - PART I” Due to unforeseen Market Changes, a Sales Incentive Plan can result in a Sales Force being underpaid or overpaid on IC Bonus. To overcome this problem and keep the Sales Force motivated, IC Plans need to contain Contingency Elements. However, unless the Contingency Elements of the IC Plan are developed correctly, these elements can either de-motivate the Sales Force or lead to complacency. “Combine Sales Incentive Ranking - the Surefire Way to Pick the Wrong Winner” Many Pharmaceutical Companies use a Sales Incentive Plan that Ranks Sales Representatives on several Performance Metrics. One common method of combining these Performance Metrics is to combine the Metrics into a Single Ranking on which IC Bonuses are determined. Unfortunately, this simple method of Ranking Combined Ranks is fraught with inaccuracies and will often result in your Top Performer not being Ranked First. “Advantages of IC Compliant Sales Data over IT Sales Data” This article examines the problems that occur when Sales and Marketing use IT Sales Data instead of IC Sales Data which more accurately reflects the Sales and Marketing Environment. “3 Most Common Errors in Sales IC Planning And Why They Undermine an IC Plan” This article examines the three most common errors made with regard to designing Sales Incentive Compensation Plans for the Pharmaceutical and Biotech Field and why they undermine an IC Plan. “When the Perfect Quotas are Exactly Wrong” This article looks at those times when Pharmaceutical Sales Quotas - even when set accurately and perfectly - still result in an IC Plan that is not equitable. “Understanding Promotion Response Systems” Promotion Response Systems provide Promotion Resource allocation insights for Sales and Marketing Managers. This article compares the two major types: Tactical Promotion Response Systems and Strategic Promotion Response Systems. “New Hampshire Restrictions on Prescribing Data and AMA PDRP” How they impact your Sales Incentive Compensation Programs - and what to do about it. “Dynamically Targeting Prescribers on ROI to Detailing” Dynamically targeting Prescribers each month based on which Prescribers are most likely to give the highest return on our sales activity investment assures us of always targeting the high Response Prescribers. “The Cost of Unfair Compensation Plans” Sales Incentive Plans that are not Equitable cost Pharmaceutical Companies Sales - this article explores just how much. “Targeting Prescribers on Their Behavior: Spreader/Dominant Targeting™” Prescribers demonstrate different types of prescribing behaviors that have been shown to be an effective targeting method. “Retaining the Best: Golden Handcuffs” Explores how to retain and motivate your best Sales Reps.