Skip to main content
SEARCH

Time management tips for Medical Sales Representatives

When you work in Medical Sales, efficiency is everything. In an industry where hitting sales targets is vital, many sales reps put in hours of work for sometimes very little reward. What counts is making sales, and sometimes it may feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything you need to: follow up on leads, schedule appointments and meetings and hit the road to see GPs and convince them that your product is the thing they need to make a difference to the lives of their patients.

With many salespeople spending most of the working day on administrative tasks- and only 34% of the time selling- here’s how you can speed up the routine work, become more efficient with the time you spend, and focus on what really matters: doing your job well.

Track your time: how are you spending it?

One of the best ways to find out how you’re spending your time- and what you can do to improve your efficiency- is track the time you spend on each of your tasks in a day. Do you spend more time procrastinating than you’d like? Do you spend more time doing administration than developing your relationship with clients or researching the latest product you’ll be selling?

Investing in a tracking app like Toggl or Rescue Time will help you to keep track of what you’re doing and how much time you’re wasting. Once you know this, then you’ll be able to restructure your day, assign certain administrative tasks to other people- or even automate them- and be able to work out more concise and accurate deadlines for getting your work done.

Break up your day

Do you ever find yourself cycling between tasks- going from writing emails to meeting clients, then back to emails again? One way to tackle this is to break up your day and block out time for specific tasks. Assign half an hour at the start of the day to answering emails; an hour for making calls and another half hour after lunchtime for handling customer queries. Not only will this help you to focus but it’ll mean you get your work done quicker and save energy and stress without switching from job to job.

Work around your buyer

When it comes to making sales, you need to structure your day around your buyer, and when is most convenient for them: after all, it’s them you need to convince. GPs and surgeries are notoriously busy, so make the effort to schedule a meeting for a time that is favourable to them, as slotting yourself in during a hectic week is probably not going to lead to a fruitful discussion. To avoid wasted time and unanswered calls,  know when their office hours are and avoid calling during the lunch break, or at the very start or end of the day when practice staff will be bogged down in administration.

Know when you’re most productive

Everybody has their ups and downs during the day. Some people are at their freshest first thing in the morning, whilst others feel best after lunch, or after they’ve drunk a few cups of coffee. Regardless, knowing how you work and when you’re most productive is essential if you want to get things done. Schedule the things you like doing least, or your hardest tasks, for the times in which you’re feeling most alert, and save the easier work like admin for when you’re feeling tired, or less enthusiastic.

Similarly, taking breaks is essential if you want to maintain your productivity. You may be the most focussed person in the world, but taking a break from the computer screen and getting up to stretch your legs, check the news or make a cup of tea does wonders for your concentration and morale. So although even a short break vastly increases concentration and your mood to boot, 36% of UK employees are taking less lunch breaks than they were a year ago.

Avoid distractions

Stay focussed. British people spend an average of 24 days a year procrastinating, and with the advent of the internet it’s become ever easier to get distracted when you’re supposed to be at work- especially when you’re working on a task that you don’t much like. There are free apps online that you can use to block yourself from the internet or from social media, if you want to concentrate on specific tasks- try using the Chrome extension Blocksite to remove the temptation to click on your favourite website.

The most effective thing you can do, though, is to allot a specific amount of time to each task that you have to do: by planning what you’re going to do in advance, you should give yourself an incentive to stay on track.

Follow the 2-minute rule…

One of the biggest distractions from getting projects done is the build-up of short tasks that need doing- for instance, sending an email sending, or taking a telephone call there. A good way to deal with them is by following the ‘two minute rule’ from David Allen’s book Getting Things Done: if a task can be done within two minutes, do it on the spot rather than leaving it until later. It’ll take up hardly any time, and you’ll be able to get back to the job at hand without having it stay in the back of your mind. Anything longer can wait until the time you’ve blocked out to tackle the longer tasks: for instance, an email to say you’ve received a client’s request can and should be done on the spot, whereas taking the time to answer questions and arrange appointments can be saved to earmarked ‘administration time.

At IQVIA, we take the time to match the best Medical Sales Representatives to the best jobs, and equip them with all the skills they need to be a success in the Pharmaceutical industry. Find out more about what we do here, or browse our latest Medical Sales Rep jobs

List #1

IQVIA Related insights

Diana Heres - Service Development Executive at IQVIA Interface
What does career growth mean at IQVIA? Q&A with Diana Heres

Teaser

Medical Sales & Services

Content Type

Article

Published

24/10/2024

Summary

We caught up with Diana Heres, a Service Development Executive at IQVIA Interface, on her career development journey with us so far.  Diana shares her journey to help answer questions such as “How do

Teaser

Diana shares her journey to help answer questions such as “How do I build up my career?”

Read more
Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Corinne Scott, Client Services Manager at IQVIA
Client Services Manager Corinne Scott shares her career change advice

Teaser

General

Content Type

Article

Published

08/10/2024

Summary

Recently, we interviewed Corinne Scott, Client Services Manager at IQVIA for her insight into how to decide a career change.  Corinne shared her own journey and valuable advice with us to help answer

Teaser

We interviewed Corinne Scott, Client Services Manager, for her insight on changing careers.

Read more
Corinne  Scott

by

Corinne Scott

Corinne  Scott

by

Corinne Scott

man typing at a laptop with a coffee next to his laptop.
What is a Virtual Sales Representative and how can you become one?

Teaser

Sales

Content Type

Article

Published

04/10/2024

Summary

Virtual Sales has a growing presence in the healthcare and medical solutions industry, especially since the pandemic. Virtual Sales is set to be the new normal, even as we’ve emerged on the other side

Teaser

Virtual Sales is set to be the new normal, even as we’ve emerged on the other side of COVID.

Read more
A clipboard on a table while two peoples arms are visible resting over it.
How do I explain my technical skills in an interview?

Teaser

General

Content Type

Article

Published

27/09/2024

Summary

Kickstarting or switching your career is only made easier by having solid technical skills under your belt. Technical skills are expertise and specialised knowledge that you enhance throughout your c

Teaser

Kickstarting or switching your career is only made easier by having solid technical skills.

Read more
Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

A laptop, notebook, and phone on a desk with a virtual image of Biological molecules.
What can you do with a biomedical science degree at IQVIA?

Teaser

Sales

Content Type

Article

Published

18/09/2024

Summary

If you’re a recent or soon-to-be graduate of biomedical science, and have realised that a laboratory-based career may not be the right direction for you, you may be wondering what other career opti

Teaser

Working in medical sales (or an allied role) could be a great choice to consider after graduating.

Read more
Tracey Smith

by

Tracey Smith

Tracey Smith

by

Tracey Smith

four hands, each holding a piece of a jigsaw, placing the pieces together.
The top 4 medical sales rep challenges and how to overcome them

Teaser

Medical Sales & Services

Content Type

Article

Published

17/09/2024

Summary

Stepping into any role in the healthcare sector comes with its challenges, and being a successful medical sales representative is no exception.  Whether you’re an experienced sales rep and feel confi

Teaser

Stepping into any role in the healthcare sector comes with its challenges

Read more
Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

A man and a woman sat at a computer, both are wearing business-wear.
How to kickstart your medical affairs career

Teaser

Medical Affairs & Services

Content Type

Article

Published

13/08/2024

Summary

Medical Affairs is a fast-paced sector and the work is so varied that no two days will look the same.  Medical affairs professionals working in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device in

Teaser

Medical Affairs is a fast-paced sector and the work is so varied that no two days will look the same.

Read more
Medical technology concept - a virtual screen with med tech symbols.
The roles IQVIA offers in MedTech

Teaser

Medical Affairs & Services

Content Type

Article

Published

31/07/2024

Summary

At IQVIA, we recruit for various roles within the MedTech sphere and we’re always looking for professionals keen to move healthcare forward.  In this article, we’ll outline the market for MedTech so

Teaser

We’ve outlined just some of the field-based roles IQVIA has to offer in MedTech.

Read more
Tracey Smith

by

Tracey Smith

Tracey Smith

by

Tracey Smith

Some hands at a laptop with a virtual screen popping out of it showing data and trends.
What is the outlook for the global oncology market in 2024?

Teaser

Medical

Content Type

Article

Published

30/07/2024

Summary

In IQVIA, we support customers in their mission to get drugs to patients. As such, we recognise the value of keeping track of the latest market trends, developments, and insights.  Modern healthcare

Teaser

Oncology is just one example of a rapidly advancing field in 2024.

Read more
Catherine Scott

by

Catherine Scott

Catherine Scott

by

Catherine Scott

A lab setting with a clinician looking at a tablet.
What is clinical pharmacology?

Teaser

Clinical Operations

Content Type

Article

Published

23/07/2024

Summary

Clinical pharmacology, a specialised branch of biomedical science, holds a pivotal role in developing vital drugs and ensuring their effective use in patients.  Clinical pharmacologists bridge the ga

Teaser

Clinical pharmacology holds a pivotal role in developing vital drugs and ensuring their effective use in patients.

Read more
Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Smiling female executive making successful deal with partner shaking hand at work.
How to specialise in oncology sales

Teaser

Sales

Content Type

Article

Published

23/07/2024

Summary

Oncologists focus on diagnosing and treating cancer while overseeing treatment and managing post-treatment care. The oncology drugs market worldwide is expected to reach a market volume of $268bn by

Teaser

When it comes to medical sales, we dive into how you can specialise in oncology.

Read more
Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Ruth Lynn

by

Ruth Lynn

Group of three young coworkers working together in a sunny office.Man typing on computer keyboard. Woman pointing hand to desktop screen. Horizontal image, blurred background
What does a market access manager do and why should you become one?

Teaser

General

Content Type

Article

Published

17/07/2024

Summary

Market access is all about preparing a drug for market entry, and as such it’s a vitally important part of the drug development process and wider pharmaceutical industry. While for pharmaceutical an

Teaser

Market access is all about preparing a drug for market entry, and as such it’s a vitally important part of the drug development process and wider pharmaceutical industry.

Read more