Sales

Wael El Zanaty, communications director at sanofi-aventis, talks to Lisa Roner about communicating to and through the sales force in the MENA region.

Wael El Zanaty, communications director at sanofi-aventis, talks to Lisa Roner about communicating to and through the sales force in the MENA region.

According to Wael El Zanaty, communications director at sanofi-aventis, one of the biggest challenges to pharmaceutical companies in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) market is how to convey a true understanding of the corporate principles and marketing messages of Western companies to local sales forces. In most pharmaceuticals in the region, the sales force makes up the majority of staff, 60 to 70 percent, which means their understanding of the corporate vision, mission, and strategy are key. And yet all too often theyre unaware of them.

El Zanaty says the key to confront this challenge is communication: Reps must be well-versed in the organizations key values, management structure, vision, and corporate responsibility focus, and multinational pharmas must make it a priority to convey it in talks, memos, and other forms of internal communication. Thats the only way local sales forces can convey these principles to customers and give them full details of company news, policy, and activity. El Zanaty will be speaking at the Sales Force Effectiveness MENA 2010 conference in Cairo, from March 12. For a preview of his thoughts, click here.