MITX Event: The Role of Internet-Based Technology In Pre-Launch Marketing

Earlier today Cesar and I attended a MITX event on The Role of Internet-Based Technology In Pre-Launch Marketing (part of their Technology In Healthcare Series).

Panelists included David Stern, Vice President of Marketing, Metabolic and Endocrinology at Serono, James A. Gardner, Vice President & Group Director, Life Sciences Practice at One to One Interactive, and Dan Eybergen, Principal at Deloitte Consulting.  Elizabeth W. Boehm, Senior Analyst, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Forrester Research moderated the session.

There was a strong turnout (barely enough seats in the room!) and a lively discussion on a wide range of topics related to the use of interactive channels for marketing to both professionals and consumers.

Some of the highlights from the discussion included:

The use of eDetailing:

·         Consensus that this would never replace traditional rep model but provides a good opportunity to: extend reach (particularly to “low-see” or “no-see” physicians), increase rep effectiveness (by providing valuable information to physicians prior to a detail and could potentially be used to arm reps with data on what hot-button issues are on physicians’ minds), and improve efficiency (can work better than a costly visit by a poorly trained rep)

·         ROI on eDetailing efforts vary and success is often predicated on strategy and execution.  For example, simply posting static sales aids or conducting an eDetailing program for a mature product with no compelling or new messages doesn’t work. 

·         From our experience working with several large pharamaceutical, medical device, and biotech companies we’ve seen eDetailing work particularly well for newly launched products or products with new indications.  We’ve also seen that coordination with the field and leveraging data gleaned from eDetailing interactions (e.g., to manage contacts and tailor messaging) is vital to success.

·         Bottom line is companies must be judicious about when and how to use eDetailing and ensure it is an integrated element to a product or company’s overall marketing mix.  A sophisticated e-detailing program gives marketers the ability to track the success of various non-in-person marketing channels and to collect information that would help marketers get to know their different customer segments. And integrated marketing is all about delivering personalized messaging through the right channels based on customer segmentation, thereby increasing the productivity and performance of the entire marketing budget.

Leveraging Key Opinion Leaders

·         There was discussion on how to provide KOLs with valuable information and foster interactions that will keep KOLs active and engaged.  As part of this discussion, the group discussed peer-to-peer communications and discussed tactics like chat rooms and message boards as a means for providing value.

·         In our experience with companies both inside and outside of healthcare, we’ve found that social networking applications (like message boards and chat) often have mixed results and  can be made more successful by offering some structure to the communication (e.g., by taking polls, gathering and reporting back data, etc.).   For more detail see the attached discussion on social networking applications.

Branded vs. unbranded communications to consumers

·         The best use of branded product websites is for products targeted at niche communities where there is likely to be an audience of more fanatical patients who are thirsty for information (e.g., MS, hemophilia, etc.).

·         Product websites should also be oriented to serve the needs of patients already using the product (research consistently shows they are much more likely to visit a product.com website than consumers not using the product), and can be used to improve compliance and persistency. 

·         From our experience, we’ve found that while having a branded product site is table-stakes for most products, companies often over-invest in these initiatives and under-invest in unbranded condition sites and content syndication strategies. 

·         Best-in-class companies provide third-party websites and patient groups with content that can be posted on their websites (they often value the content and will use it) and sponsor KOLs to write articles on salient topics related to their products.

Organizational issues

·         The group also discussed the challenges of working in interactive and ensuring it is integrated with other elements of a brand’s marketing mix.  Believe it or not, there are still siloed “e-Groups” out there that are not well aligned with the brand’s salesforce, print advertising and TV.  In some organizations, large IT departments may not be fully briefed on or have the capacity to deliver on initiatives the brand needs and may needlessly slow down execution.  And in many organizations, brand managers are grappling with how to manage multiple agencies and vendors.

·         All this points to the need for brands to form cross-functional teams, or better yet, appoint a Chief Experience Officer who is responsible for managing and integrating all interactions with both professionals and consumers.  This would entail coordinating with all the relevant people in the organization, agencies and vendors to ensure the right messages are being communicated through the rights channels at the right time in order to achieve the brand’s objectives and that appropriate investments / budget allocations are being made where they are needed.  Here is a link to an article written by Marketspace CEO Jeffrey Rayport titled “Who Knows the Customer Best?” that makes the case for why companies need chief experience officers and what the role entails. 

Comments

[James Gardner]

Great summary of the morning's discussion! Kudos to MITX for organizing such a successful event. To the extent anyone's interested in continuing the discussion or probing other aspects of interactive pharmaceutical marketing, please feel free to reach me by email.

Best,

- James Gardner
One to One Interactive
[email protected]