How well do you know your KOL and their interests? We all know this is job number 1 for any MSL. We look them up online, we scan the walls in their office, comment on their fishing trip photo, etc. But really, everyone does that. Our job is to help you distinguish yourself, so you don’t look like everyone else. Don’t lose your competitive advantage and more so your distinctiveness. Stand out in your KOL’s mind as the MSL that knows the art of the role, providing value with every interaction.
Investigate the KOL’s areas of interest, practice, research, or focus. While you need to use all resources available to you internally (across your company (including commercial)) and externally (the KOL’s office staff, the office/institutions website, google, Ovid, etc.), dig deeper to discover what makes this KOL unique. This can be from your perspective, or how they believe they are unique in their field.
Did they teach you something today? Did you ask them to do so? Is there a part of what they do that is so unique to you (or should be) that you focus your attention on that for a while? “Today Dr. ____ I want to let you know the latest ____ about ____, but I also have another agenda that is strictly personal. May I begin with that?” (then wait….) You can then say, “Last time we met you mentioned _____about one of your patients and ever since I wanted to ask you about how you knew that? So, if you don’t mind a few minutes on…How did you know that?!” This is critical and far more important than the fish on the wall or their golf handicap. Engaging in this kind of conversation is an intimate look into what you need most from them: How they think.
If you know how someone thinks, you are ahead of the game. We can observe behavior but discovering how they think is a huge deal. It is everything, actually. Let the commercial folks talk about fishing and golf: you can have the most intimate of professional conversations by affirming what is most important to this KOL, their unique ‘take’ on the world, on their patients, on your drug. Tailoring the topic of your scientific exchange to their specific need and interest is good, noticing their unique ‘take’ is even better. “You know as I visit other KOLs they are of the mindset that ______, but you don’t. Can you tell me your thinking on that?”
So, for today think about how you can unveil the uniqueness of your KOLs and stand out in the eyes. Our next post will dive deeper into the nuances of the conversation and what we can learn.