STOP SAYING ‘My pleasure” when responding to ‘Thank you” in pharma sales! Here are 15 better choices to make your English STAND OUT!

Hey there,

We know that building relationships in pharma sales is all about the details.

Even a small tweak in how we respond to a simple “Thank you” can leave a positive impression and help us stand out.

“My pleasure” is overused...

So, here are 15 alternative responses, organized by formality level.

Each response has a suggested scenario to make it easy to use in your daily interactions.

Most Formal Responses:

1. "You’re very welcome." Example: After providing requested study details to a doctor: Doctor: “Thank you for sharing that data.” You: “You’re very welcome. I’m glad to support you with the latest information.”
2. "The pleasure is mine." Example: After a successful meeting with a healthcare team: Client: “Thank you for explaining everything in detail.” You: “The pleasure is mine. I look forward to our ongoing partnership.”
3. "Much obliged." Example: When a client expresses gratitude for your follow-up: Client: “Thank you for sending the additional resources.” You: “Much obliged—happy to help.”
4. "You’re most welcome." Example: After assisting a hospital administrator with product information: Admin: “Thanks for meeting with us and providing clarity.” You: “You’re most welcome. Happy to answer any further questions.”

Business Casual Responses:

1. "We appreciate your business." Example: After a client expresses appreciation for your support: Client: “Thank you for being so responsive.” You: “We appreciate your business, and I’m always here to help.”
2. "It was the least I could do." Example: After arranging a last-minute meeting: Client: “Thank you for making the time to see us.” You: “It was the least I could do. Your time is valuable to us.”
3. "I’m happy to help." Example: After explaining a complex product feature: Doctor: “Thanks for breaking it down so clearly.” You: “I’m happy to help—feel free to reach out anytime.”
4. "Anytime." Example: When a customer thanks you for promptly answering their questions: Doctor: “Thank you for the quick response.” You: “Anytime! Just let me know if you need any further assistance.”
5. "Thank YOU." Example: When a healthcare professional thanks you for sharing new treatment information: Doctor: “Thank you for presenting those findings.” You: “No, doctor, thank YOU for the opportunity to share this with you!”

Informal Responses:

1. "No problem." Example: After handling an urgent request for product samples: Client: “Thank you for making that happen so quickly.” You: “No problem—happy to help!”
2. "No worries." Example: After helping a doctor troubleshoot a reimbursement issue: Doctor: “Thanks for guiding me through that.” You: “No worries at all—glad to help!”
3. "Sure!" Example: When a teammate thanks you for helping with their workload: Teammate: “Thanks for covering my client call!” You: “Sure! Always here to support the team.”
4. "It was nothing." Example: After filling in on a colleague’s call: Colleague: “Thanks for stepping in last minute.” You: “It was nothing—happy to help out.”
5. "Don’t mention it." Example: After answering in-depth questions about product safety: Client: “Thanks for the detailed information.” You: “Don’t mention it—I’m here to make it as clear as possible.”
6. "I know you’d do the same for me." Example: When a close colleague thanks you for taking over a call: Colleague: “Thanks for handling that!” You: “I know you’d do the same for me.”

With these phrases, you’ll be prepared to handle “Thank you” in ways that feel fresh and make a lasting impact!

Best,

James

PS. All day every day, I work with pharma/medical sales professionals like you who want to improve their English skills for their careers!

That's because I am not just an English teacher, but I was a pharma sales professional myself and now I help my non-native English speaking colleagues level-up their English language skills.

I can help you in one of more of the following ways:

3. If you want to find out more about my 1-on-1 PharmaSpeak Communicator Course, reply with the word 'Course' and I will reply to this email and let you know more

4. If you want a free 20-minute meeting on Zoom to get some advice about how to improve your English for pharma/medical sales, reply with the word 'Meeting' and we can set up a time.