Digital marketing is opening up new opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry. While healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and the health services sector tend to take a conservative approach to new technologies, those organizations which have taken on the risk of pioneering new approaches are reaping the benefits. Digital health spending is growing rapidly. Better connection to buyers, direct communication with end users, and strategically beneficial partnerships are just a few of the advantages being explored and exploited.
Patients are becoming more involved in their healthcare and treatment solutions. Consulting “Dr. Google” as a first response to symptoms has become the norm. Consulting friends, families, and peers can take precedence over professional opinions. The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries need to adjust and adapt to this new norm by engaging with customers more directly, openly, and intelligently.
Historically, customers tend to distrust drug manufacturers and treat marketing messages broadcast by pharmaceutical companies as suspect to a greater or lesser degree. In the past, the recommendation (and prescription) by a healthcare provider would be taken almost without question, making primary care physicians the critical audience to connect with. Now, patients search out feedback about experiences, reactions, and alternatives to prescriptions or recommended courses of care and may take the initiative to approach care providers with requested therapies or prescriptions. They also exhibit measurably lower brand loyalty and higher price sensitivity.
Digital marketing, and particularly marketing on social media platforms, offers meaningful tools to meet patient needs and improve market share at the same time. But those companies that do use social media tend to use it as a way to broadcast conservatively crafted messages about their products, rather than a way to engage customers, while others avoid the platforms altogether for fear of losing control of the narrative and being deluged by customer complaints and allegations of adverse effects.
The most successful players are the ones who don’t simply use new channels to broadcast old messages, but as ways to get closer to their customers. Greater transparency and responsiveness to concerns builds trust and demonstrates a desire to provide an effective product. Alibaba Health Information Technology VP Li Ma comments on the number of pharma companies looking for ways to connect with customers. A successful digital presence can give a brand a human face and build a better reputation. A “wide-and-deep” content strategy offers the information prospective patients crave. They’re going to go searching anyways; why not host the answers they’re seeking? Strong channels of communication can help identify demand for specific treatments and drugs, and effective companies will be the ones that position themselves as the go-to for integrated solutions, rather than isolated products.
While pharmaceutical companies are seeing success in supporting patients directly, additional audiences can also be served with effective digital marketing strategies. Primary care providers are projected to add extra support and coaching components to their services, even as they continue assessing needs and prescribing treatments.
Openness, sharing, and transparency are becoming more critical than ever. Look for collaboration opportunities with other companies to blend prescriptions and treatments, share resources, and integrate with databases, patient charts, and full cycle technologies to create more value for medical professionals and end users alike. If you don’t already have a strong programming department, partner with an existing company to improve digital offerings.
While pharmaceutical companies can use digital marketing strategies to be more competitive, connect with prescribers, buyers, and end users, and open up new opportunities, individual healthcare and pharmaceutical professionals can use it to build their careers or grow new ventures. Erol Onel has provided successful leadership in pharmaceutical startups and multinationals, in addition to teaching and award-winning writing projects, and is currently a VP at Heron Therapeutics. His strong online presence displays a track record of effective collaboration and professional accomplishment, and turns his professional knowledge into a public service resource, making him a go-to authority on expert topics. This integration of healthcare and customer or end-user facing service is a key approach to success in healthcare careers and organizations.
The aging American population and burgeoning health-consciousness trends point towards continued pharmaceutical sector growth. Pharma companies that experiment and find effective digital technology and marketing solutions are already racing to the front of the line for that growth, while those taking a more cautious, conservative stance are finding their lack of risk-taking costs them. Emerging players and tech-based start-ups are finding a wealth of opportunity to disrupt the old guard, and major players are feeling the ground shift. The winners will be those who challenge historical practices, build transparency and open communication, and transform rivals into partners to better serve customers.