Digitalising marketing to physicians: what pharma needs to know
Posted: 23 March 2020 | Hannah Balfour (European Pharmaceutical Review) | No comments yet
European Pharmaceutical Review explores how the pharmaceutical industry could develop its digital marketing and sales strategies to better align with physician expectations and needs.


Recent research into howĀ EuropeanĀ physicians and pharma sales teams are interacting in the digital space has revealed that pharma could better utilise web-basedĀ platforms.Ā
European Pharmaceutical ReviewāsĀ Hannah Balfour discussed with LaurenceĀ Olding, the Research Director at global research companyĀ Bryter, how pharmaĀ can improveĀ itsĀ use ofĀ digital strategies,Ā such as communication applications,Ā toĀ marketĀ productsĀ to healthcare providersĀ (HCPs).Ā
BryterāsĀ survey and resulting studyĀ investigated howĀ physicians and pharma sales teamsĀ interactĀ using digital techniques.Ā OldingĀ revealed: āThe aim wasĀ to understand how enterprises could use digitalĀ methodsĀ to supplement and build on traditional methods of engagementĀ with their healthcare professional customers.āĀ
The reportĀ highlightedĀ that, while digital methods areĀ utilised, companies areĀ currentlyĀ failing to tailor their approach to the needs of each client.Ā The report concluded that as much as 48 percent ofĀ the 1,500Ā physiciansĀ surveyedĀ in the US and EuropeĀ receive communication through aĀ singleĀ channel; ie, they only interact withĀ sales representatives (reps). Furthermore,Ā as little as eight percent in the US and six percent in Europe experience a combined face-to-face and digital approach.Ā
Why are pharma and HCPs using digital channels?Ā
From theĀ perspective ofĀ physicians,Ā there are several benefitsĀ toĀ usingĀ digital techniques:Ā
- Accessibility of information
- Less time required for interactions
- They fit around their schedule
- They are an existing part of their everyday role.
OldingĀ also revealed that digital strategies fit in well with what physicians want when interacting with pharma companies: āIn the survey,Ā physicians told us that what was particularly important to them was that the information is easily digestible, that they can get an immediate response and that interactions fitted in with their schedule.ā
The report states that, from the point of view of pharmaceutical companies, the use of digital methods negates the challenge of attaining face-to-face meetings with HCPs and reduces costs associated with reps.Ā ItĀ suggested that as many as one in four sales interactions now occur through digital communication.Ā
What channels should pharma consider usingĀ more?Ā
OldingĀ explained:Ā āTo use digital communication effectively, pharma companies have got to have a good understanding and knowledge of their audiences.Ā That comes both through gaining a better understanding of their attitudes, behaviours, motivations, specialisms and prescribing habits,Ā as well asĀ furtherĀ understanding how they navigate different information channels, which can be done very effectively through primary market research.Ā
āItĀ isĀ alsoĀ importantĀ forĀ pharma to rememberĀ thatĀ digitalisationĀ isĀ probablyĀ going to be something that will continue to be quite gradual.Ā SomeĀ physicians have been wary to engage with digital approachesĀ to communicating and finding out information, so a hybrid approachĀ isĀ currently the best option.āĀ


“…44 percent of HCPs used WhatsApp to communicate with colleagues regularly, only 14 percent were using the same channel to interact with pharma”
Further uses for digital methods are online marketing and training resources, including webinars, training videos, websites and emails. These enable more interaction between professionals and resources in a way that paper resources and conversations may not. These approaches can also be personalised dependent on a HCPās areas of interest or specialism and allow physicians to access information more easily.Primarily, the report indicated that pharmaceutical companies need to use digital strategies to augment traditional reps. For instance, using digital strategies to enable face-to-face real-time communication with physicians in between in-person meetings, which lowers costs for pharma as reps are not required to travel as frequently and enables greater connectivity, including on-demand and immediate response to a physicianās questions.Ā
Are thereĀ concernsĀ forĀ digitalisation?Ā
Despite the benefits, the conclusions of the report could lead to more complications for pharmaceuticalĀ companies,Ā particularlyĀ asĀ differentĀ channels and approaches were preferred by different countries andĀ individualĀ physicians.Ā
An example of this is that theĀ transition to digital communications wasĀ seeminglyĀ accepted more readily in France and the UKĀ than in Belgium,Ā whichĀ reportedly relied more heavily on face-to-face interactions, according to the report data.Ā
The report suggests that pharma could capitalise on the rising use of mobile phones, as 81 percent of respondents said theyĀ use their smartphones for professional purposes, with many checking them more than 10 times per day.Ā
…while digital strategies are capable of meeting the needs and expectations of HCPs, more should be done by pharmaceutical companies to enhance their digital marketing strategies”
ItĀ alsoĀ highlighted that pharma companies may be missing out on sales and other opportunities due to their usage of different communication applications. While 44 percent of HCPs used WhatsApp to communicate with colleagues regularly, only 14 percent were using the same channel to interact with pharma. Similarly, LinkedIn was used by 21 percent to contact colleagues, but onlyĀ sixĀ percent spoke with pharmaceutical companies via this application.
OldingĀ said: āWhile pharma must be careful to ensure interactions with physicians are valuable,Ā physicians areĀ alreadyĀ communicating amongst themselves. So, thereĀ is potentially an angle here for pharma companies to get engaged and use technology to both broaden the existing discussions theyĀ are having with physicians but also to potentially open up new ones.ā
However, the use of these channels also differed depending on the country; for instance,Ā nearly 40 percent of Spanish physicians frequently used WhatsApp to communicate with pharmaceutical companies, but onlyĀ twoĀ percent of Belgian HCPs used this channel when interacting with pharma.Ā
BothĀ OldingĀ and the report suggestĀ thatĀ adjusting to a more personalised approachĀ through digitalisationĀ wouldĀ not onlyĀ add value toĀ pharma-physicianĀ relationships butĀ itĀ is also becoming more expected.Ā
ConclusionĀ
Overall,Ā OldingĀ and theĀ BryterĀ report show that while digital strategiesĀ are capable of meetingĀ the needs and expectations of HCPs, more should be done by pharmaceuticalĀ companies to enhance their digital marketing strategies. Among the required changes is adopting a personalised, multi-channel approach for clients and for pharma to use the applicationsĀ thatĀ physicians are already accessing to strengthen relationships.