The "80/20" rule is very important in sales: medical sales, healthcare sales, pharmaceutical sales, clinical diagnostics sales, laboratory sales, medical device sales, pathology sales, imaging sales, cellular products sales, molecular products sales, and biotechnology products sales. Really, it's a universal principle that can be applied/interpreted any number of ways: 20% of the people do 80% of the work; 80% of the sales come from 20% of the customers; 80% of the sales are made by 20% of the salespeople...you see what I mean. Knowing this principle and how it works is very useful in deciding where to focus your effort and what to plan for. It makes you more effective.

The "80/20" rule was created by Joseph Juran, who passed away recently (at the age of 103-wow!). Juran named this rule the Pareto Principle, after an Italian economist who observed that 80% of the wealth in Italy was held by 20% of the people. Juran applied that idea to quality management issues in manufacturing, and it became one of the most useful tools available for modern-day managers as well as a general principle that the rest of us can depend on.

Dr. Juran's contributions to sales, marketing, and mangement through his ideas and insights are tremendously important. I just wanted to pay my respects, and give you all a little education about where that "80/20" rule you all use came from.

By: Peggy McKee - the medical sales recruiter, PHCConsulting