"Thank you, Doctor, see you next time." It is the most common ending in pharma, and it gives the doctor no reason to see you again.
Reps put a lot of thought into how they open a call. Very few think about how they close it. Yet the last minute decides how the next call starts. A good ending leaves something unfinished that the doctor actually wants finished.
The ladder I teach for the last minute:
- Summarise in one line, in his words.
- Confirm the step, with a date. "I will check in two weeks how they are doing."
- Leave an open loop. "You asked about elderly patients. I will bring that data next time."
- Exit on time, before he has to end it for you.
The third step is the one that changes the next visit. When you walk back in, you are not interrupting him. You are bringing something he asked for. That is a very different call to open.
“End every call with a reason for the next one.”
Lesson 4 of 7 in Step 7: After the visit, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.