You went into the biotech and pharma industry to be a SAS programmer, biostatistician, CRA, project manager, or medical writer - not to be a sales person. Then, as you grew your career in the industry, you suddenly found yourself interacting with clients on a regular basis and attending bid defenses. Have you ever wondered how sales became such a large part of your role?

"Everyone is in sales. Maybe you don't hold the title of salesperson, but if the business you are in requires you to deal with people, you, my friend, are in sales." --Zig Ziglar

Any time you speak with a current or potential client, you are part of the sales cycle. With each email, conversation, or meeting, your goal should be to sell yourself, your department, and your company as competent and capable.

3 Strategies to Find Your Inner Sales Person

According to Jessica Young, Senior Director of North American Sales at Veristat, the 3 best strategies to find your inner sales person are:

• Listen more and speak less
• Understand what motivates your client
• Keep it simple

The more you listen, the more you will learn about what your client thinks they need. However, you may only be able to understand what your client actually needs if you know what is motivating your client or what pressures your client is under. Once have listened and understood, make sure that your response is clear, concise, and explains the benefits of your solutions by addressing the "what's in it for me" question that burns inside each and every one of us.