Digital pharmaceutical marketing was already being implemented even before the COVID-19 outbreak. With the pandemic mandating social distancing, the use of digital tools as means of communication between HCPs and pharma representatives shifted significantly. That shift is here to stay.
Where and how pharma should reach HCPs to maximize engagement.
Recent research run by Accenture revealed that 87% of HCPs prefer either virtual or a combination of virtual and face-to-face interaction with sales reps. At the same time, almost 30% of the physicians interviewed in another recent survey opted for on-demand access to pharma representatives.
Do digital pharma marketing initiatives meet HCPs’ needs?
The Accenture survey revealed that more than 80% of physicians found that the content they received from pharma during the pandemic was more accurate than the content they had received before. On top of it, HCPs have had fewer in-clinic patient visits since COVID-19 broke out and hence more available time to read the material they are getting.
However, according to the same report, 64% of the physicians interviewed complained that they received too much digital content from pharma companies.
The Digitally Savvy HCP report confirmed the above, presenting a similar percentage of physicians who declared “overwhelmed” by the promotional material they received.
Hence, there is space for pharma companies to enhance their digital marketing activities to target and engage HCPs.
The top 4 pharma digital marketing tactics to engage HCPs.
Undoubtedly, pharma companies should implement innovative ways to share information and enhance HCPs’ education and sales reps’ digital training delivery. Below we identify the four key areas on which pharma should focus their efforts.
1. Content Optimization for HCPs devices.
Pharmaceutical companies should optimize their content to perform better on the HCPs’ devices offering a seamless user experience.
2. Content Dissemination via various platforms.
Pharma should communicate information via different means/tools/platforms and not stick to their website. Metrics about platform usage by physicians will indicate which channels to choose.
An omnichannel digital strategy includes virtual meetings, webinars, online and offline journals, and Social Media, such as Twitter and TikTok, whose adoption by physicians is on the rise.
3. Training sales reps to deliver valuable, relevant content.
Pharma should train their sales reps to go beyond sheer product promotions and engage in broader, insightful conversations that add value.
4. Data-driven decision making
By tracking relevant KPIs, pharma will evaluate the performance of their digital marketing initiatives and adjust them accordingly.
How Pfizer went digital with pharma marketing
Pfizer was one of the first companies that upgraded the digital approach it used before the pandemic.
The company employed video and audio meetings to disseminate information to HCPs. Virtual meetings successfully replaced constrained office visits.
Meanwhile, the company provided support to sales reps by launching a tool supported by AI and machine learning technologies. The so-called “digital rep advisor” provides guidance on the next steps they would need to take to make their interactions with physicians more effective.
Will healthcare marketing turn digital?
We expect that more pharma companies will embrace the digital trends and grow their digital marketing spending to understand deeper the needs of HCPs, foster their relationships with them, provide medical training anywhere and support future product launches.
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Sources:
https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/when-dealing-hcps-for-pharma-future-digital
https://pharmaphorum.com/digital/pfizer-pharma-needs-business-strategy-for-digital-world/