Digitalization and pharma

Digital and mobile communication is increasingly permeating our lives and is therefore part of the important arsenal in the communication quiver of many brands. But not so far in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector. Here, an average of just 3% of the marketing budget is spent on digital channels.

Clearly, the iPad has changed the world of pharmaceutical sales in a very short time. In a world where change has been very slow, the iPad has quickly become the mainstream-support-tool. So it was high time to move forward in other areas as well, especially in the strategic direction of communication. Away from traditional one-way marketing to dialog-oriented, interactive marketing.

This change has already taken place to a much greater extent in consumer marketing, where the focus is on involving customers on the web with social media and experience marketing. Of course, there are also ads, TV and other brand-building measures.

We in the pharma/healthcare sector have to come to terms with our own version of this change. iPads and the like offer the chance of a closely linked world in which your marketing, you and your customers play together in a completely new way. This is more than CR,- we all know CRM,- this is Turbo-CRM.

But statistics about the pages viewed are not enough - although it is a component. And neither is data analytics if it doesn't lead to active change in our communications.

Imagine that your iPad measurements indicate that your customers are interested in very specific in-depth information that you didn't expect in this way. So you should build in the ability to ask questions and record them. The collected question catalog then reaches the server via the evening synchronization of the iPad and gives you active, daily feedback on what your customers are really interested in, what they think, what moves them. You can react and improve immediately and thus also build a good relationship with the sales force.

That's just the simplest scenario, customers can get much more valuable and useful information if such feedback mechanisms and dialogue opportunities are built into all touchpoints, in the website, emailing and presentations.

Touchpoint analytics help and give the ability to link, align and select the most effective marketing mix. That's when it's easier to measure return on investment and goal achievement.
It's a great opportunity for pharma marketing. It is the right time to do it. Such an approach not only provides feedback, it increases efficiency, it engages customers and thus creates a more intense relationship between customer and brand. It increases the likelihood that your brand will be prescribed or purchased.