Bonus Compensation Accounts for Nearly 25% of Pharmaceutical Sales Reps' Pay

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC--(Marketwire - March 27, 2008) - Pharmaceutical companies heavily weight bonuses when compensating sales reps, according to a recent study by competitive intelligence firm Cutting Edge Information. On average, primary care reps receive 22% of their compensation in the form of bonus pay, while their specialty care counterparts receive 23% of their pay in the form of bonuses. The study, entitled, "Pharmaceutical Sales Management 2008," is available at http://www.PharmaSalesManagement.com.

According to the study, most companies' primary care reps receive between 20% and 25% of their total pay by way of bonuses, with some reps receiving as much as 27% of their pay via incentive-based compensation. By assigning nearly a quarter of compensation to bonuses, pharmaceutical companies allow reps to reap rewards commensurate to their sales performance. If a rep performs exceptionally, that fact will be reflected in his or her pay.

"These companies want to ensure that their reps are 100% vested in achieving their sales targets," says David Richardson, senior analyst at Cutting Edge Information. "Tying their compensation directly to performance is one of the best ways to do that." According to surveyed companies, the focus on rep-physician relationships encourages reps to think about long-term strategies rather than have a near-sighted view of sales.

In addition to the bonus strategies discussed here, "Pharmaceutical Sales Management 2008" also delves into the compensation levels for primary and specialty care reps, as well as compensation for district, area and regional managers.

"Pharmaceutical Sales Management 2008" explores the latest trends, budgets and strategies of top pharmaceutical companies. Key metrics in the report include:

-- Budgeting and Financial Support

-- Structure and Headcounts

-- Product Prioritization, Territory Alignment and Coordination

-- Sales Operations and Contract Sales

-- Training and Development

-- Rep Activities

-- Segmenting and Targeting

-- Overcoming Reduced Physician Access

-- Optimizing Time Earned with Physicians

To download a free, online summary of this report, visit http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/pharmasalesmanagement/PH103_Download.asp#body.

Contact Information: CONTACT INFORMATON: David Richardson 919-433-0216