Enthusiasm key to rep's success

Rep profile

John Sampson

company

Schwarz Pharma

Title

Executive pharmaceutical representative and regional trainer

current home

Orlando, FL

Territory: Orlando and north and west suburbs.

Customers: Cardiologists, nephrologists, urologists, gastroenterologists, general physicians, internal medicine and OB/GYNs.

Awards: In 1991 and 1996, Sampson won the National Sales Award.

Sales techniques: "I give a balanced presentation and feel the representative and physician should come to an understanding about the products they sell. The physician needs to know why he or she should use my product. I need to know what a physician wants in pharmaceuticals. This brings me and the physician to an understanding of each others needs and allows us to reach an agreement about the products."

Sales philosophy: "I am enthusiastic about our products and believe in them 100 percent. I transfer that enthusiasm to the physician."

On mentors: "If you want to achieve what the average person does, you get a consensus. If you want to achieve what the top 10 percent does, you seek them out and find out what they do."

On motivation: "I always reflect upon how I could have done things better and improve on that next time. I also set realistically high goals to keep motivated and take small steps to achieve them."

The top three qualities a rep needs to succeed: "Be enthusiastic, maintain your principles and treat your job as though it were your own business."