Transforming Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology sales through proven methodologies
Pharma and biotech sales have completely changed. It’s no longer about building relationships, it’s about navigating strict rules and proving your product works in the real world.
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What’s not working for commercial teams in the Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology sector?
Sales teams now deal with limited access to doctors, tougher approvals for getting on the list of drugs that health plans will pay for, and constant pressure to show evidence beyond clinical trials. For specialty drugs, the challenge is even bigger: helping patients get access, understanding reimbursement processes, and coordinating with a large network of people across the care journey.
Access to prescribers
Access has become severely restricted. Healthcare systems limit pharmaceutical representative visits, forcing sellers to maximise impact during brief interactions. Virtual engagement has grown but lacks the relationship-building power of in-person meetings. Breaking through requires delivering genuine value rather than promotional messaging.
Approved drug list inclusion
Access to this list determines commercial success. No matter how effective a therapy, without favourable formulary placement and reimbursement, prescribing remains limited. Pharmacy benefit managers and payer medical directors demand head-to-head comparisons, budget impact analyses, and evidence of therapeutic differentiation that justifies premium pricing over established alternatives.
Demonstrating therapeutic differentiation
In crowded therapeutic categories, products often have similar efficacy profiles. Differentiation may lie in safety profiles, dosing convenience, patient adherence factors, or specific subpopulations – nuances that require sophisticated positioning beyond simple "our drug works better" claims.
Value-based contracting
Shifts risk to manufacturers. Payers increasingly demand outcomes-based agreements where reimbursement ties to real-world performance. These contracts require manufacturers to demonstrate not just clinical efficacy but actual patient outcomes in diverse populations.
These challenges not only weaken your competitive advantage but also make it harder to build long-term customer relationships.
Ready to improve your skills?
The sales imperatives for medical device companies
Discover the four biggest challenges faced by medical device sales teams and the strategies sales teams are adopting to help them sell better. Learn why a formal sales methodology will help increase profitability and how to sell new commercial models and other added value initiatives.
How Huthwaite solutions address these challenges
SPIN Selling helps pharmaceutical professionals transition from product promotion to therapeutic consultation. The methodology enables sellers to uncover the specific patient populations, treatment challenges, and outcomes gaps that prescribers and payers care about, then position therapies as solutions to those specific problems.
Maximise prescriber access time
Maximise limited prescriber access time by focusing conversations on their specific treatment challenges rather than generic product messaging
Engage payer medical directors
Engage payer medical directors and pharmacy directors in clinical and economic discussions that address their formulary decision criteria
Position therapeutic differentiation
Position therapeutic differentiation around the problems it solves rather than abstract claims of superiority
Build relationships
Build relationships with key opinion leaders by demonstrating clinical insight and understanding of treatment landscape complexities
Navigate reimbursement challenges
Navigate reimbursement challenges by understanding payer concerns and addressing them proactively
Support value-based contracting discussions
Support value-based contracting discussions by helping stakeholders identify meaningful outcome measures
Solutions for the Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology industry
With 50 years' research guiding our understanding of consumer behaviour, our Academy has evolved beyond traditional sales. Discover our comprehensive range of courses below.
Complex Negotiation
Learn proven techniques that deliver measurable results in real-world complex scenarios
Opportunity Management
Unlock the psychology behind successful decision making and manage complex sales
Why choose Huthwaite?
Fifty years of research
Research-proven behavioural science for real world sales, negotiation and communication results
Global reach
Trusted by businesses in over 100 countries
Behaviour change that lasts
We don’t just train skills – we help you embed them for sustainable success
Training built for the Healthcare sector and delivered by our experts
Benefit from the experience of 157+ expert trainers and 50 years of research-backed learning to transform your sales teams and deliver superior outcomes. Our licensed trainers combine our unique methodology with consistently high-quality learning experiences.
Here are just a few of the trainers you could work with.
Robin Hoyle
Robin has over 30 years’ experience in L&D and in 2021 was named one of the 15 most influential people in L&D.
Robin Hoyle
Head of Learning Innovation
Robin has over 30 years’ experience in L&D, having worked internationally designing programmes, running development sessions for people at all levels in most sectors and building innovative learning interventions. He has designed award-winning corporate development programmes in the UK, seamlessly integrating synchronous and asynchronous digital delivery.
Katie Adgie
With 15+ years of experience in L&D, Katie provides an innovative and energetic learner experience.
Katie Adgie
Learning Development Consultant
Katie is a highly experienced learning facilitator with over 15 years in L&D. Her experience of creating, developing and embedding learning journeys has given her valuable insight and expertise in successfully managing the requirements of an organisation, alongside the individual learner needs.
A self-confessed L&D fanatic, Katie shares her extensive knowledge and passion with participants, providing an innovative and energetic learner experience in both virtual and face-to-face training environments.
Shaun James
Shaun has been a L&D professional for 25 years, specialising in sales, negotiation and communication skills.
Shaun James
Head of Learning & Skills
Shaun has been a Learning and Development professional for 25 years, specialising in sales, negotiation and communication skills. His current role is as our Head of Learning and Skills, where he has responsibility for the quality of delivery across the international network of trainers.
Anders Hjort
One of our Regional Directors, Anders leads multinational behaviour change projects across various sectors.
Anders Hjort
Regional Development Director
As Regional Development Director and behaviour change expert at Huthwaite International, Anders takes a robust approach to change management, ensuring stakeholder buy-in, participant support, and clear communication of project goals for the highest chance of success and he understands how to bridge the gap between the different cultures across a breadth of different industries.
Rob Honeyman
Rob encourages an engaging environment that focuses on fostering wider exploration.
Rob Honeyman
Learning Development Consultant
Rob is a professional and affable personality with experience of delivering to groups of all sizes and has worked in L&D roles in a variety of sectors. Growing up in a military family, Rob has experience living and working in many different cultures in various countries. He currently delivers sales and negotiation skills development to Huthwaite International’s clients across the globe.
Marco Weijers
Marco, our Regional Director for Netherlands & Germany, leads global projects in all industries.
Marco Weijers
Regional Director
Marco has been Huthwaite’s Regional Director for Netherlands and Germany since 2003. His current role is underpinned by an impressive 20-year career in sales and sales management at leading companies in the field of medical supplies and technology.
Now primarily responsible for business development in the Netherlands and Germany, Marco and his team successfully deliver the full Huthwaite suite of programmes throughout those countries.
Ready to improve your commercial skills?
Complete the form below to find out how we can help your business reach its commercial potential.