To kick off the session, Neil Follett shared a list of issues for pharma to consider when deciding if/when digital fits into the overall marketing strategy. The meeting concluded with question/answer panel discussion, with Neil asking six questions to which Laurie and Claudio responded.
Digital strategy points to consider include:
1. “Digital†is not a tactic…. any more than “paper†is a tactic
The “let's just digitize†mindset is meaningless when creating digital strategies. Digital can be implemented in a multitude of ways and should not be thought of as a mere extension of a print strategy. As Neil remarked, “When is the last time you completed a brand plan and assigned the leftovers to ‘paper'?â€
2. Need very clear marriage between the goals
Digital strategies should employ the same mindset as marketing “101†insofar as there must be overlap between your goals and those of your target audience. Identify your mutual interests and develop your digital strategy accordingly.
3. Tactics must service the need while respecting the audience
Both the pharma company and your agency are not your target audience. They know too much (information/content) and too little (patient/consumer experiences). Put yourselves in the shoes of your audience and ask the following questions:
- Who is going to access your content? (target audience)
- How would they like to access it? (mobile device, online, branded context, extension of existing program)
- Where are they accessing it from? (i.e., mobile device, ipad vs home computer has technology implication such as connection speeds, browsers, etc)
Figure out what and where to communicate and develop digital tactics accordingly.
4. Spend wisely
It is likely that companies have spent too much money implementing their web strategy. Web programmers and designers are ubiquitous and the technology aspects of a digital strategy can be done cost effectively. Programs tend to be broader or made more complicated, time consuming and expensive than they need to be. Consider who in your company has the time to market the program (to influence traffic) and maintain it once it is launched.
One way to manage resources is to create your digital program in phases. As Neil put it, “you don't need to come out of the gates at 100 mph!†Spread out the risk and spending. Roll out your promotional strategy slowly, attract some traffic, test the waters, adapt and add components as you go along. Don't expect to launch a site and expect everyone to visit. Users are not “out there†voraciously and randomly typing in URLs to find your website. A phased in promotional strategy will drive people to your site. Constantly ask why and what value do your tactics bring to your audience and brand.
5. Architecture (and design) makes all the difference
It can be challenging for users to navigate a website. Help move users along the path and assume they are going to drop off everywhere. Focus first on the site architecture (structure) not the design (“look and feelâ€). Think through which buttons you would like the users to click on first and what prominent components you would like seen. The architecture should represent the intersection between client/agency needs and audience wants. Your key performance indicators should provide the foundation.
6. If you build they won't come.
Almost no one will type in your URL except you and your agency. Figure out a strategy to direct traffic flow to your site. Continually monitor user navigation and traffic on a regular basis by assessing the following:
- Where are users going?
- What are they doing?
- How long are they staying?
- What path are they taking?
- Why are they leaving?
7. Don't even think about Social Media
Social media is a tactic that comes later in the digital planning process. Instead of asking what tools your company should use, ask why and for what target market they be used. Public sites such as Facebook may not appropriate for sensitive therapeutic areas such as acne or erectile dysfunction. Alternatively, Facebook can be a preferred tool among users who prefer simple sites with user generated content. Overly polished, well-designed, branded sites “coming out of the corporate machine†have the potential to generate skepticism among some users. Ensure that digital is included as part of the marketing discussion before your company decides whether to include it as part of the overall mix.
Question/Answer Panel Discussion
How far behind is pharma when it comes to accepting, embracing and implementing digital?
We need to re-frame the issue to “is pharma doing it right?†Pharma needs to reflect back to its overall marketing objectives. If the objective is to develop promotional efforts to drive behaviour change with our customers, digital is often left out of the tactics mix. Pharma is likely not doing digital as “right†as they could, particularly with the consumer market. Pharma's primary audience has been healthcare professionals. There is much that remains to be understood with professional target groups in addition to learning about how to engage consumers.
Compared to consumer packaged goods and media/communications sectors that are not regulated or U.S. pharma which has larger brand budgets, pharma is behind. Canadian pharma is still using a more traditional marketing model focusing on journal ads and sales reps.
The consensus is that more digital/social media work needs to be done in pharma. Several challenges abound:
- Being stuck in traditional marketing mindset (and concomitant large budgets) versus experimenting with phased-in digital strategies
- Lack of familiarity with creative ways to drive traffic to consumer sites as well ways to engage health care professionals on social networking sites
- Pharma tends to be risk adverse. All fresh ideas and digital strategies need to be vetted through different part of the company.
- Digital experience is currently lacking among brand and cross functional teams
- Trail-blazing and turnover: need to educate/re-educate brand teams about value and rationale behind developing social media sites
- Convincing procurement to expand supplier/vendor services to ensure that digital specialists are on board
Is there a set process you take to determine if and when digital should fit into the mix?
There is no formal digital process yet. Listen and understand customers' needs first. Digital is appropriate for some brands and not others. When there is money left over in the budget, digital is added to the marketing mix. When there are budget cuts, digital is the first to go.
Digital can be phased in slowly - one brand at a time - to get some “quick wins†started. This enables pharma to “blaze the path†and integrate key learning across other brands and programs. Integrate digital into current brand strategies (e.g., buy ad space online and off-line). The challenges for pharma is to be “on the pulse†of a fast paced field with a continually evolving menu of online tactics.
When planning or implementing a strategy, what are the biggest challenges that you've run into… or that you consistently try to avoid? What can your agency partner do to help?
Design before function is a key issue to consider. Challenges include:
- Understand how users are interacting with content and navigating the site
- Determine how to add value to user experience
- Focus on site analytics and change strategy accordingly
- Ensure that digital is fully integrated
- Measuring ROI in digital space
Pharma marketers “don't know what they don't know†especially with a continually changing online marketplace. Some agencies looking for new opportunities try to be a “jack of all trades and a master at none.†One of the challenges that pharma faces is finding the right vendor/agency partner (with experience in digital, pharma and the Canadian market) to learn together in this evolving digital space.
Looking into your crystal ball, what does the next 24 months hold for digital in Canadian pharma?
The digital field is evolving and we are reaching a tipping point. Digital can be a cost effective way to engage customers who are increasingly online and impact behaviour change. Physicians are becoming more tech-savvy and are integrating technology into their daily practices. The digital focus should be directed equally to healthcare professionals and patients/consumers. The need to capture patients/consumers on popular sites (e.g, YouTube and Facebook) and platforms (e.g., mobile) using engaging relevant content (e.g., gaming applications) is paramount.
About the author
Kim Bercovitz, Ph.D. kim@theresearchdoctor.com is president of The Research Doctor Inc. (http://www.theresearchdoctor.com/), a boutique company specializing in patient-centred market research, social media monitoring and moderation.
