How much does it cost for the medical companies to bring the donuts?

How much does it cost for a clinical sales rep to call on a physician’s office?  I discovered this question posted on LinkedIn, and the answer is….it depends.  Pharma Marketing Blog contends that with all the pharma layoffs, the cost is going up.  Theo M., Director for Business Development at MSA.com, cites figures ranging from $150 to $300, and offers these links, which cite anywhere from $142 to way over $600:

Meanwhile, Xavier T, CEO of Strategic Consulting, Mexico, says that an “average” cost would be between $200-$400, but notes that specialized calls could go as high as $600.  He does a nice career opportunity of detailing all the expenses that can be included in a sales force budget:

- Salaries and benefits
- Incentives (although some incentives come from actual sales so they don’t affect the bottom line…)
- Tour expenses
- Gas, parking
- Cell phone and computing expenses (because the physical Laptop or cell phone are considered assets).
- Promotional materials
- Samples
- “Educational” and “Professional Relations” talks (an important part of the budget some years ago…).

I think when I was a rep at Bio Rad Laboratories in 1993, the cost of a single call (medical diagnostics, not pharma) was $330. Given that everything is more expensive now, I believe the # must be closer to $500 or $600 per call. So it makes sense that you want the very best candidates to choose from when hiring someone to represent you in such expensive calls - use a headhunter who can help you increase the talent on your team.

And did I mention that your time as a manager is worth ~$100 per hour?  Don’t spend it weeding through a stack of resumes….call someone who can deliver choices to you!

Then you can focus on making the major deals happen.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized clinical and pharmaceutical revenue recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
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