A Brand Manager’s Awakening in the ICU
Preamble
It was Friday, 29th November 2024, at precisely 7:15 a.m.
The hospital corridor felt unnaturally quiet as I lay on the stretcher, being wheeled toward the operation theatre for my cholecystectomy—the removal of my gallbladder.
My mind, however, was anything but quiet. As the fluorescent lights flickered past above me, a thought lingered: As a practicing brand manager, could I learn something from this cholecystectomy experience?
Before I could dwell on it further, the anesthesia began to take hold, pulling me into a heavy slumber.
Four hours later, as I slowly surfaced from the haze of anesthesia that same thought crept back into my curious mind: Was there something to learn here?
A familiar voice broke through my foggy reflections.
“How are you feeling, Vivek?” the surgeon asked, standing by my bedside.
“I feel fine, fresh, and surprisingly free of pain,” I replied with a weak smile. “Thank you so much, doctor!”
But to my surprise, he gently waved off my gratitude. “Don’t thank me alone. You should thank the anesthesiologist, who played an equally vital role in ensuring your smooth recovery.”
He gestured toward the anesthesiologist, who stood nearby. I turned to him and said, “Thank you, doctor.”
The anesthesiologist smiled warmly but shook his head. “No, it was the surgeon who performed the critical task. I just supported the process.”
And in that moment of humility and mutual respect, I understood something profound—something I’ve been searching for as a brand manager…
WHAT I LEARNED AS A PRACTICING BRAND MANAGER
In the sterile silence of an operating room, every second matters. A surgeon, armed with precision, and an anesthetist, vigilant and calm, perform an intricate dance of collaboration.
In an operating room, a surgeon’s success depends completely on the anesthetist—someone who keeps the patient safely asleep and stable.
They’re like two musicians one playing the Tabla and the other the Veena but creating a perfect harmony.
The same magic happens in pharmaceutical sales, where brand managers and sales managers must work together to truly help patients and doctors.
Think about it: just as a surgeon can’t succeed without knowing the patient’s precise medical condition (managed by the anesthetist), a brand manager can’t win without understanding exactly what field sales managers hear from doctors and patients every day. It’s not about individual brilliance, but about listening, understanding, and moving together as one team.
Meanwhile, the sales manager executes them on the ground, responding to real-time market shifts, just as an anesthetist adjusts to a patient’s needs during surgery.
When these two roles align seamlessly, they breathe life into brands, driving growth and trust among healthcare professionals.
Just as the harmony between surgeon and anesthetist saves lives, the synergy between brand and sales managers builds legacies.
This connection isn’t new, yet its profound significance often escapes us until we pause to reflect. True success—whether in the operating room or the boardroom—lies in recognizing and honoring the power of teamwork.
Both scenarios prove the same powerful lesson: great results happen when professionals stop working in isolation and start truly collaborating. Your individual skill matters, but your ability to sync with your teammate? That’s what creates real breakthrough moments.
HOW SALES AND BRAND MANAGERS CAN COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER TO NUOLD SUPER BRANDS
Having said that, let’s explore some aspects where field sales managers and brand managers complement each other in building powerful brands.
Let’s begin with brand insights. Brand insights refer to a deep understanding of how a brand is perceived by doctors and patients. Essentially, they provide information about a brand’s performance and areas for improvement, such as its prescription rate (PDRx) or patient-doctor experience.
Brand insights are most effectively generated through collaborative efforts between field sales managers and brand managers, who can conduct interviews with doctors and patients.
This leads us to brand strategy, a crucial component of a brand plan. Here, too, a close partnership between field sales managers and brand managers is essential, much like the successful collaboration between legendary cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who, despite their contrasting styles and temperaments, complemented each other perfectly.
The ideal approach in crafting a strategy is to involve strategy implementers in crafting the strategy itself. The 3E Process can be a valuable tool for this.
The first E stands for Engagement, where strategy implementers are actively involved in shaping the strategy. The second E is Explanation, ensuring everyone understands the rationale behind specific decisions. The third E is Expectations, clearly outlining the rewards of successful implementation and the consequences of poor execution. It’s important to remember that even the best-laid strategy is ineffective without proper implementation. The 3E Process is an excellent framework for achieving this.
Then its brand audit Vivek’s Window is a strategic framework used in pharmaceutical brand auditing and marketing analysis. It helps pharmaceutical companies evaluate and understand their brand’s performance and market positioning. Vivek’s Window is a specialized tool developed to enhance the brand audit process. By employing Vivek’s Window, sales managers and brand managers can gain deeper insights into their brand’s performance and develop more effective strategies for growth and improvement.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the synergy between field sales managers and brand managers is indispensable in building and sustaining successful brands. By working collaboratively, they can uncover valuable insights, develop effective strategies, and ensure seamless implementation.
The 3E Process provides a structured approach to strategy development and execution, empowering teams to achieve optimal results. Ultimately, the success of a brand hinges on the collective efforts of these key stakeholders.
By prioritizing collaboration, communication, and a shared vision, organizations can unlock the full potential of their brands and drive sustainable growth.
BOTH PHOTO IMAGES COURTESY BING IMAGE CREATOR