The Secret to Successful Brand Planning

Lou Shapiro

It’s the time of year when we all begin work on brand plans for the upcoming year. I’ve been talking with clients about the challenges and opportunities they face with their products. Two questions continue to come up in these conversations. The first is “how can I get more impact with fewer budget dollars?” The second question is “what should we do on-line?”


There is an obvious answer on how to get more impact with less budget dollars. Engage service providers that have expertise and systems to support your marketing and clinical programs effectively and efficiently. As a service provider focused on providing call center services we are experts in building relationships with healthcare providers and patients. We can efficiently provide information and materials and answer questions. So, my advice is to engage service providers that add value and can streamline your initiatives.

Regarding on-line initiatives, I ran across an interesting study conducted recently by FiercePharma and Sermo (the on-line physician-only social networking site). Sermo launched a study to their members to understand physician thoughts on pharmaceutical dinner programs, their preferred topics at these events, and preferences for alternate programs (ie, peer-reviewed journal articles, on-line presentations, on-line e-details, teleconferences, and meetings with company Medical Science Liaisons).

A few words of caution with the survey, it gathered results from 100 Sermo members, which is a relatively small sample of their 120,000 members. Also, keep in mind that if the respondents are using Sermo they are most likely more engaged in using social media and on-line resources. However, what struck me about the results was that nearly 63% of respondents are looking for information through non-traditional channels such as peer-reviewed journal articles (21%), on-line presentations (ie, 20%), on-line e-details (ie, 14%), and teleconferences (ie, 8%). Physicians are certainly looking to new channels to meet their information needs, and they seem to prefer channels where information is available 24 hours/day and 365 days/year. My recommendation is to implement 24/7 information programs including call centers and on-line information through company, product and disease-state websites.

As you are planning programs for healthcare providers, the FiercePharma and Sermo study also have results on information physicians are interested in on disease awareness, drug information, and practice management topics. I thought the topics were interesting and have outlined them below.

Disease awareness topics including…
• Autism
• Bipolar disorder
• Common dermatologic conditions
• Dementia
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pain management

Drug information on…
• Comparative data
• Latest clinical trials
• New anti-platelet and anticoagulant treatments
• Technical updates vs. the drug’s availability and utility

Practice management issues including…
• Business issues and how to improve the practice of medicine
• Financial planning
• Opting out of Medicare and third party-payers
• Practice management
• Reimbursement issues

Here is a link to the study results if you are interested in reviewing them in detail.

Addressing physician’s interests in your marketing and clinical affairs programs will provide value to physicians. Ultimately building value for the company and product in the minds of physicians, and creating opportunities to interact around meaningful topics. At the end of the day that is what successful brand planning is all about.

Would you consider developing programs on the practice management topics identified in this post? If so, did you encounter challenges from your legal counsel? I’m interested in learning more about the challenges your brand is facing. What are some of the new and unique programs you’re considering? If you have a question on brand planning, please share them.

Visit the PhoneScreen Website at www.phonescreen.com.

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Pharma’s Shifting Sales Model: How Tele-detailing Can Add Value

Lou Shapiro

We all know first-hand the changes the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries are undergoing. The factors impacting these changes span the gamut from fewer blockbuster products, shifts to specialized therapies, increased drug development costs, and increased reimbursement pressures and uncertainties. Certainly we are all feeling the push to do more with less.


Add to these challenges that physicians are busier than ever, and are adopting “no see” policies for sales representatives. And, the inevitable conclusion is that sales models that pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have used for years must change.

Sales models are adapting to include new “channels”, such as tele-detailing, e-detailing, and web advertising to physicians. The primary channel to date has been live in-office interaction with a sales representative. What are needed are complementary secondary channels that are available 24/7 and on-demand. One such option is 24/7 on-demand tele-detailing to healthcare providers. The benefit of tele-detailing is that it is available at the healthcare providers’ convenience to answer product questions, provide information, and process and ship requests for samples. Additionally, tele-detailing representatives can immediately transfer callers with scientific and clinical questions to healthcare-trained representatives.

The industry is investing more in tele-detailing. In a report published in November 2010, Cegedim looked at promotional spending trends in new media. Their research found that pharmaceutical companies spent $327M in new media between October 2009 and September 2010. Of the $327M, 49%, or $160M, was spent on tele-detailing. This was more than on the other new media options including internet detailing, e-meetings, and web advertising to physicians.

In my experience, physicians’ value interactions that are consultative, and they don’t want to be “sold to”. Sales representatives need to shift their mindset from the role as a “salesman” to an “advisor”. Attributes of an advisor include…

• Continually acquiring scientific and pharmacoeconomic knowledge. In particular be able to communicate the value of your product

• Understand regulatory and compliance issues physician’s offices are facing

• Most importantly, be focused on the physician’s needs rather than the features and benefits of your product

• Nurture relationships with physicians. Take the time to understand individual physicians’ unique needs and provide appropriate solutions. Also, pay attention to timely follow up and deliver materials that have been requested

Over the years I have worked with many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to develop and implement customized tele-detailing programs that support the important work sales representatives do each day. At Phone Screen we provide live operator support to answer questions at a physician’s convenience, and we can also place “outbound” calls to physicians’ offices to provide a tele-detail on a product or to process sample requests.

Are your sales efforts less effective today? Are there particular challenges you face in developing consultative relationships with healthcare providers? Perhaps you have best practices to share in these areas. Please join the conversation and share your questions, challenges and best practices.

Visit the PhoneScreen Website at www.phonescreen.com. 


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