How to Keep the Balance in Your Multi-Channel Marketing Mix
Multi-Channel Marketing in the Pharmaceutical Industry
The importance of a multi-channel approach to interacting with HCPs has long been accepted. It is one of the major challenges that marketing teams in the pharmaceutical industry face, now more than ever because of two reasons.
On the one hand, more and more HCPs are referring to scientific publications, guidelines, and KOLs as their main sources of information. Does that mean that they place less value on pharmaceutical channels?
On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has given a strong boost to remote interactions via digital channels. Doctors welcome pharma’s own channels, like medical education, webinars, and even emails. We’re even seeing an impact on HCPs’ knowledge and prescribing. Personal contact between healthcare professionals and sales reps remains important in certain treatment areas and specialist groups, online or offline.
The Future of Pharma and HCP Marketing
Recent studies show multi-channel models as the new default in pharma and HCP marketing. A question then rises: How do we keep the balance? When do we stick to remote, and when do we go back to face-to-face.
And additionally, how important is it to, on top of this multitude of earned and owned channels, still invest in advertisements, sponsor events and patient organisations, etc.
How Do You Achieve that ‘Ultimate Mix’ Between Earned, Owned, and Bought Channels?
Finding the right balance between earned, owned, and bought channels is a complicated process that requires decisions to be based on facts and figures that provide insight into:
- HCPs’ attitude and behaviour: select those channels which will be effective and can carry the message than you want to communicate.
- Performance of the current channel mix: measure performance by the channels’ ability to effectively reach the target group with a message that is relevant to them, and can influence HCP prescribing.
- Performance of competitors’ multi-channel strategy: understanding your main competitors multi-channel strategy will help you achieve and adequately competitive strategy yourself.
