How to manage the complexity of multichannel marketing in pharma

The multichannel pharma marketing mix

Marketing in the pharmaceutical industry has rapidly evolved over the last few years. The days when sales reps were the dominant factor in pharma HCP marketing are long gone. Today’s highly digitalised society calls for a multichannel marketing mix in pharma. We can distinguish 3 general categories of communication channels with HCPs:

• Paid Media such as offline and online ads
• Owned Media such as sales reps, medical advisors and mailings
• Earned Media such as guidelines, key opinion leaders and medical reviews

The evolution from omnichannel pharma marketing to a multichannel marketing mix in pharma has increased the complexity of interacting effectively and efficiently with physician target groups enormously. Systematic research in Benelux across different treatment areas gives us valuable insights into this complexity. We share below five important variables that marketing teams in pharma should consider in their pharma marketing mix.

Important variables of the pharma marketing multichannel mix

When building a pharma HCP marketing strategy and composing your multichannel mix, include the following variables in your reasoning:

1. The message you want to convey: depending on the complexity of the message, choose a channel with more or less interaction. More complex messages need channels with sufficient depth and opportunities to interact. If you are looking to compete with similar products, ‘trendy’ channels to keep the brand front and centre are appropriate.
2. The different marketing stages: when your product first hits the market, most HCPs will still be sceptical. In this stage of your marketing strategy, you will need to mainly target innovators and early adopters who, more than other HCPs, have their prescribing behaviour influenced by objective and scientific evidence. Once the initial target group uses your product, you can use their experiences to reach and convince the majority.
3. The target group's channel preferences: HCPs are no different from you and me in their choice of channels. Some prefer online channels. Others continue to prefer face-to-face contacts. Some prefer a ‘pull mode’ where they take the initiative. Others a ‘push mode’ where they expect pharmaceutical marketing teams to provide them with the right information.
4. Competitor approach: selecting the right marketing channels is especially important in highly competitive treatment areas. Your brand and product need to stand out from the many providers actively communicating. The key is to generate a competitive presence and use your selected channels better than the competitors, with a relevant and memorable message.
5. Available budget: all these choices are inextricably linked to the available budget. Through smart use of the right multichannel mix, you can reach the largest possible audience on a low budget. For instance, our studies show that relatively inexpensive web calls - if used according to the rules of the art - can be just as efficient and convincing as a face to face contact.

Applying a multichannel mix in pharma marketing

When building a multichannel pharma marketing strategy, we use insights from pharma HCP marketing and the variables described above to help us fine-tune the multichannel mix in workshops with our clients. The example below shows the desired information by HCPs and the supporting roles fulfilled within the pharma company.

Key takeaways

In conclusion, here are 3 Key Takeaways when looking for the optimal multichannel marketing mix and strategy for your product:

1. Know your target group: find out their preferred channels, whether they like a ‘push’ or ‘pull’ mode and the complexity of the message they expect.
2. Be dynamic: approach your marketing channel mix and strategy in a dynamic way. A strategy that works perfectly today, will more than likely need an update within 12 months.
3. Use relevant and impactful messages: the message of your marketing campaign prevails. Even if you use all the right channels in the best way, marketing without a relevant message is never going to work.

About Optigage

The easiest way to successfully apply a multichannel marketing mix in pharma is to bring in a specialised pharma marketing consultancy. Optigage has over 15 years of experience in 20 different treatment areas, we adapt our workflow to fit your needs. We work alongside our clients as one team, building capabilities with a shared ambition to achieve outstanding results through a tailored mix of marketing channels.

Are you interested in further discussing the complexity of multichannel marketing in pharma? Please contact manuel@optigage.com.