The first ninety days in a new territory decide how the next two years feel.
Michael Watkins wrote The First 90 Days about leaders changing roles. His core ideas, learn fast, secure early wins and build allies, apply just as well to a rep taking over a new territory.
The four steps I give reps:
- 1. Learn the territory. Doctors, pharmacies, and who prescribes in your therapy class. Listen before you change anything.
- 2. Build credibility. Keep every small promise, on time. Doctors test the new rep first.
- 3. Secure early wins. One doctor, one pharmacy, one visible result. Early wins create momentum.
- 4. Build allies. The nurse, the pharmacist, medical affairs and your manager. Nobody succeeds in a territory alone.
The mistake I see most often is the new rep who changes everything in week one to prove he is different from the last rep. The doctors have not decided about you yet. Give them a reason to trust you before you ask them to change.
“In a new territory, earn trust before you try to earn prescriptions.”
Lesson 1 of 11 in Step 9: Growing your career, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.