Some of the most useful calls I have seen lasted three minutes and were never planned.
A doctor between patients. A door left open. A few minutes before a clinic starts. Most reps treat these moments as a chance to say hello. The good ones treat them as a call, because they carry a structure small enough to use anywhere.
The ladder I teach for an unplanned call:
- Greet and check. "Doctor, do you have two minutes, or is now bad?"
- One patient, one point. Pick the patient type and say one thing worth knowing.
- One question. "Is that a patient you see often?" Then let him talk.
- One next step. "May I come on Tuesday with the full data?"
The second step is where most reps go wrong. They have three minutes and try to fit in the full detail. The doctor hears a rush, not a message.
A short call done well does not replace the proper call. It earns it.
“Carry one point with you every day. You never know which door will open.”
Lesson 14 of 15 in Step 5: The visit, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.