As regulations are getting stricter and marketers are losing access to healthcare professionals, the product and brand itself is not enough for doctors to make their decision in prescription. Majority of the vanilla marketing are simply ignored by doctors these days. The doctors are looking for information and services that that helps them to better manage the health and clinical outcomes of their patients. HCPs increasingly want their experience with Pharma companies to be truly personalized, authentic, and built around their individual needs.
There is no dearth of information on what customer experience is and why it is important for Pharmaceutical marketers. In this insight article, we highlight the key practical aspects of customer experience to which Pharmaceutical marketers should pay attention when putting it in practice. These practical insights are based on MedSynapse’s extensive experience of working with Doctors on its doctors networking platform on one hand and Pharma companies as clients on other hands.
Supporting HCPs through the Decision Journey
The success of any pharma marketing activity lies in the influence it has on the opinion and prescribing behaviour of the doctors. This change in doctors prescribing behaviour is not an atomic process but a gradual one. Below is a typical customer journey of HCP:
In the Decision Journey of doctors, they face different mental barriers before they can move to the next stage. The key to overcoming these barriers is ENGAGEMENT with the HCP. As different doctors from the target audience will be at different stage of their Decision Journey, the engagement must be highly personalised and customised to his current stage.
To address these issues and mental barriers so that the HCPs can be easily transitioned from one stage to the next one, here are some practical points to consider while designing your customer experience program:
1. AWARENESS STAGE
Objective: Ensure that HCPs notice our products and brands in a crowded market
| MENTAL BARRIERS | Not so interesting enough No marginal advantage over other products Is a pure marketing pitch from Pharma? Is expensive for patients |
| CONTENT GOAL | Maximizing reach Maximizing share of voice Answering ‘what it is about’ |
| CONTENT TYPES | Answering ‘what it is about’. Grab initial interest of physicians – Establish need for discussion. Owning the therapy leadership Position |
| CONTENT FORMAT | Guideline recommendations How to articles. General article on therapy area |
| KPIS | Reach Likes and Votes |
2. CONSIDERATION STAGE
Objective: Ensure that doctors understand in depth how your brands can help their patients with better clinical outcomes.
| MENTAL BARRIERS | |
| CONTENT GOAL | Maximizing Reach Deep dive into details Answering ‘when to use it’ Answering efficacy and economy Detailed information about the use and benefits of molecule |
| CONTENT TYPES | Discuss efficacy and safety of the molecule. to build-up to initial user interest Introducing the molecule as solution for current needs |
| CONTENT FORMAT | Molecule Discussion – mechanism of action Clinical Trials Summary Clinical case presentations Effective use of International and Domestic Brand Advocates (KOL) |
| KPIS | Reach Webinars and Panel discussions participations Likes and Votes |
3. DECISION STAGE
Objective: Ensure that the doctors prescribe your brand over others
| MENTAL BARRIERS | |
| CONTENT GOAL | Engagement Answering ‘Why this and not others’ Answering ‘how to use’ |
| CONTENT TYPES | Answering ‘how to use’ Answering ‘Why this and not others’ Comparative efficacy of molecule with others FAQs Bringing experience of others into practice |
| CONTENT FORMAT | KOL Videos Webinars by KOLs Clinical case presentations By KOL’s Competitive Analysis |
| KPIS | Engagement Comments and discussions Questions related to clinical decision making |
4. SERVICE AND RETENTION STAGE
Objective: Ensure that the HCPs are loyal prescribers of the product and also recommend to other doctors as well
| MENTAL BARRIERS | |
| CONTENT GOAL | Building Empathy Build consensus around clinical application, strength and weakness Building Interactions / Participations |
| CONTENT TYPES | Build consensus around clinical application, strength and weakness Advocacy from practitioners Patient Story- the whole experience Driving audience to established one on one Conversation |
| CONTENT FORMAT | Panel discussions Patient Journey and Success stories KOL Videos and Webinars Patient Education Kits Survey Product Monographs / Material |
| KPIS | Experience sharing Drug feedback Survey participation Downloads of marketing product collateral PPTs and PDFs Interactions |
MedSynapse works with its clients in Pharmaceutical Industry to manage the customer experience of doctors for product marketing with its innovative CXCenter offering. By mapping the doctor journey for a brand and effectively customizing the digital content marketing at each stage, CXCenter offers a unique and new approach to get the desired outcome.
