How to Follow Up with a Provider After an Educational Event: A Smart Approach to Pharma Sales Routing
- AtlasRoutes
- Oct 27
- 3 min read
In pharma sales, educational events like speaker programs, peer discussions, and clinical updates are powerful tools for building credibility and sparking interest.
But here’s the reality — the event itself isn’t what moves the needle.
It’s the follow-up.
Without timely, strategic follow-up, even the most successful event can fade quickly from a provider’s mind. The key is knowing when and how to follow up — and using smart pharma sales routing to make it efficient and impactful.
🗓️ Step 1: Schedule Follow-Ups While the Event Is Still Fresh
Timing is everything. The best window for a meaningful follow-up is within 3–5 business days after the event.
This is when providers still remember the discussion, the speaker’s key points, and the momentum from the meeting.
If possible, schedule your follow-up before you leave the event. A simple close works perfectly:
“I’d love to stop by next week to hear your thoughts once you’ve had a chance to digest what was shared.”
Why it matters:
Early follow-up reinforces your value as a resource and shows attentiveness — traits that providers appreciate.
Pharma Sales Routing Tip:
Add these follow-up calls to your next week’s route plan immediately. Treat them as Tier A priorities, not “if I have time” tasks.
🧭 Step 2: Use Pharma Sales Routing to Plan Efficient Follow-Ups
Follow-ups are most effective when they’re intentional, not random. That’s where pharma sales routing becomes your secret weapon.
Here’s how to make your follow-ups strategic and time-efficient:
Cluster Attendees: If several event participants are from the same area or hospital system, plan to see them on the same route day.
Anchor Your Route: Choose one high-value provider as your anchor stop and build surrounding visits around them.
Have Backup Options: If one office cancels, have a secondary attendee nearby to pivot to.
Result: You reinforce educational messages while maximizing face-to-face time and minimizing drive time.
💬 Step 3: Keep the Conversation Educational
The first follow-up isn’t about selling — it’s about continuing the conversation.
Start with curiosity and reflection rather than a pitch:
“What stood out most from the program?”
“Did the data Dr. ___ shared line up with what you’re seeing in practice?”
“How do you see this fitting into your treatment approach?”
These questions create space for providers to engage and help you position yourself as a knowledgeable partner, not just a messenger.
🧩 Step 4: Plan Your Pull-Through
After reconnecting, plan your next step based on the provider’s response. This might include:
Sharing additional clinical resources or data.
Scheduling a peer follow-up or in-office discussion.
Setting up a lunch-and-learn for staff who missed the program.
Pharma Sales Routing Tip:
Add this second visit to your route 2–3 weeks after the initial follow-up. By then, the provider has had time to think through the information and is often ready for a deeper discussion.
🕓 Step 5: Track and Review Follow-Ups
Don’t let your event work disappear into a busy schedule.
Track who attended, who you’ve followed up with, and who still needs a touchpoint.
A strong pharma sales routing tool can help you:
Tag event attendees in your CRM.
Visualize follow-up clusters on a map.
Schedule future visits efficiently.
Tools like AtlasRx simplify this process by combining smart routing with territory insights, helping you stay consistent and strategic with your follow-through.
💡 Example: Turning Engagement Into Action
A rep hosted a successful educational dinner for six providers. Instead of letting the event fade, she used pharma sales routing to plan next-week visits with three key attendees in the same geographic area.
Each visit focused on reinforcing key discussion points, answering follow-up questions, and offering additional resources.
Two weeks later, she revisited one of those providers to explore integration into their treatment flow — and saw measurable pull-through within the month.
🧭 Final Thought
Educational events build awareness. Strategic follow-up builds results.
By planning your follow-ups through pharma sales routing, you ensure your message doesn’t just end with the event — it evolves into meaningful next steps that strengthen relationships and drive growth.
The reps who win aren’t the ones who just host great events.
They’re the ones who plan great follow-through.
💼 Plan Smarter Event Follow-Ups with AtlasRx
With AtlasRx, you can easily tag event attendees, schedule timely follow-ups, and optimize your route for maximum impact — all in one platform designed specifically for pharma sales routing.
Comments