Free Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman by Jamie Reidy

completing paperwork in their offices. Field rides gave managers an excuse to get out of their rut and do what they loved most: selling.Sales reps preferred their bosses indoors approving expense reports.
    Bruce and I started off at the biggest pediatric office in northern Indiana, and he hung back in the waiting room as I approached the receptionist in my blue suit, white shirt, and red tie. An attractive woman with an approachable air, she smiled brightly at me while introducing herself as Brenda. I felt easy like Sunday morning. “Do you have an appointment?” she asked. I did not. “Our doctors only see reps who have appointments.” No longer humming Lionel Ritchie, I began stammering about being a brand-new rep who only wanted to introduce myself to the office manager to find out what the practice’s policies were. She tilted her head sympathetically. “ Amy is our office manager, but she’s busy all morning and asked us not to interrupt her.”
    Heart sinking, I glanced over my shoulder at Bruce, whose abnormally large eyes had been observing intently. Turning back to Brenda, I tried to look as pathetic as possible, hopefully appealing to her maternal instincts. Subtly motioning behind me with my thumb, I whispered forcefully, “That is my boss! This is my first call ever! Is there any way I can see the office manager?” She leaned toward me conspiratorially and said she’d see what she could do.
    As Bruce nodded approvingly, I could hear Brenda telling no one in particular, “He looks like he’s ten years old! You have to see this rep.” At this, several administrative workers stood up to check me out, which resulted ina chorus of giggling hellos. Soon, a well-dressed, dark-haired woman emerged from behind a door in the back of the office. Brenda gave me a thumbs-up sign. It was Amy.
    Amy opened the door leading from the waiting room to the back office, and I smiled and walked toward it. She then closed the door and met me in front of the receptionist’s window; there’d be no back office invitation for me. After I introduced myself and she very pleasantly explained that she had little time to talk, I sensed someone behind me; Bruce had stealthily crept up. Sweat beaded on my forehead. I explained to Amy that I was a member of Pfizer’s new pediatric sales force and that we had a new antibiotic; could I leave information for the doctors? She asked for nine packets of information (six pediatricians and three nurse practitioners), saying she was certain they would be very interested. “Why don’t you schedule a lunch for the office?” She winked at this last part, letting me know she knew how much she was helping me out.
    Having handed over the product information, I asked her if the doctors needed any samples. Since both Zithromax and Diflucan oral suspensions were new, the physicians wouldn’t use drugs about which they knew nothing. In training we had been told that “just about every office” would have employees taking Zoloft, Pfizer’s antidepressant, and that when in need of a “Hail Mary” to keep a sales call alive, it was worthwhile to resort to the Zoloft play. I started to do so, saying, “You know, I also have Zoloft. Perhaps some of your coworkers—”
    “Zoloft! My doctors use that for some of their teenaged patients. We’ve never had samples before, though.” At this, Bruce winked at me. Pfizer based our division’s antidepressant sales quotas on past ob-gyn prescribing history (Zoloft, Prozac, and Paxil were used according to FDA indications for depression and “off label” to treat extreme PMS symptoms), not on past pediatric history, since few physicians felt comfortable using medications that were not FDA approved in children under eighteen. Amy’s comment pulled back the curtain on a potential gold mine of Zoloft sales. Excited, I asked how many samples they’d like. “As many as you can give us!” Amy had just become a Jamie fan. I turned to Bruce for guidance and