Improve the Effect of Your Multichannel Approach
The 5 Most-Common Multichannel ‘Communication-Boosters’
In order to prove the effectiveness of a treatment, the information in the message that is being communicated, originates from scientific research. In a highly-competitive and strongly-regulated market like the pharma market, all players and products are of the highest standard. So how do you differentiate yourself from them? Which marketing strategies can you use in pharma? And how does a multichannel approach contribute?
When setting up an action plan together with the product, research, and sales teams, there are 5 changes you can make to either the message or the channel that will significantly improve your relationship with healthcare providers.
1. Translate Technical Details into Patient Benefits
HCPs are moving away from technical discourse about a product and towards what it can do for a patient with regards to quality of life and ease of use. You will be able to forge stronger connections with healthcare professionals and patients if you successfully translate the mechanics behind a treatment into visible results; impact on patients’ lives; how patients can administer the treatment themselves; and into side-effects and how to best deal with them.
2. Write Concrete Patient Cases
Every illness or condition presents itself in varying degrees of seriousness, and each patient has a different view of their situation. Doctors’ choices are always made with that context in mind. The severity of the condition, the physical condition of the patient the patient’s support system, and results from previous treatment all come into play. Leverage this context in your marketing strategies by showcasing your product or treatment in concrete patient cases. Educational materials are also made more accessible to patients by including example cases.
3. Reposition Personal Contact with Sales Reps
The growing number of digital contacts is speeding up HCPs’ experience with treatments. Doctors now have more say in when they want to receive information, and through which channels. In this reality, sales reps still play an important, but changing role. On top of the fundamental information that the HCP has already received or requested, sales reps can offer personalised information and access to educational content or sessions.
4. Tailor a Channel to One Specific Message
When you have an entire arsenal of (digital) channels, it’s best to decide which channel to use for what message. For example, when launching a new product, you can use webinars to provide information about the registration of that treatment and the supporting scientific study.
5. Evolve the Message and Choice of Channel to Reflect HCPs’ Experience
Once HCPs have built up sufficient experience with the treatment and are familiar with its characteristics, the message should evolve with them. Have there been any new medical breakthroughs? Are there new patient cases? Or new ways to curb side-effects? With this information, your message will remain relevant and keep its ‘news value’ for HCPs.
Differentiate Yourself by Highlighting Patient Benefits
It is clear that the pharma and healthcare industry has been moving towards a more patient-centric approach for a while, and will continue to do so (more on this in our blog about patient-centric pharma marketing). Differentiate yourself in the competitive pharma market by adjusting your marketing strategies accordingly. Use a strong multichannel approach to highlight patient benefits, make educational materials accessible to doctors and patients, and sharing valuable, relevant patient cases.
