What Multichannel is Not:
3 Mistakes to be avoided
Pharmaceutical multichannel marketing can be quite confusing if you don’t know what it is to be avoided
When coming back from Eyeforpharma London 2014 Multichannel Marketing Summit a great confusion arises.
For some, adopting a pharmaceutical multi-channel marketing means using both Facebook and Twitter; for others, however, providing a Pharmaceutical Rep with an iPad. For others, multichannel even allow Pharmaceutical Rep to show the doctor a movie on his iPad, and at the same time allow the doctor to put written questions to opinion leaders bypassing the Rep.
Multichannel is a generic term, and as such it lends itself to many interpretations
In order to clarify the strategy of a product or a service, it is often necessary to clarify what it is or what it does not do. Since multichannel marketing (MCM) as a term may seem to be wide in accession and in pharmaceutical application — as can be seen both in the article – “Breaking Through the Noise: Pharmaceutical Multichannel Marketing in a Digital World” — I want to clarify my point of view.
# 1 pharmaceutical multichannel is not purely digital
I do not think that pure digital projects are not effective or cannot handle more than one channel. Not at all.
Digital channel is a generic term itself, which can be explained by the different ways to communicate with the HCP. Starting from email marketing, DEM, enforcement actions — with spaces such as banners, billboards, video — following product microsites, thematic channels on treatment, and distance learning, to get to congress reports, professional blogs, Native advertising, multi-author blog.
All these media belong to a single channel dedicated to the doctor, the one that is developed on the internet. For this reason, we cannot speak of multi-channel models in the correct coordinated adoption. Using multiple contacts with the doctor — both push and pull via the internet — is not the multi-channel to which I often refer to.
I can say I did true multichannel only when I had combined multiple communication channels, divergent in types and semantics on a coordinate and synergistic way.
It’s only when I could create in the same area a strong connection between the several stakeholders, such as Reps and pharmacy agents, then I provided for a multi-channel.
# 2 Pharmaceutical multichannel can’t be such without Reps
Very often, there is a strong misunderstanding even here. Opposed to what you might believe, the MCM always includes a Rep in some form of communication. In fact, often, the Rep is driven.
The Rep is one of the main channels in pharmaceutical multichannel , either in the form of Phone-detailing or in the front visit or relatives in the models.
An MCM project often includes a Rep visit, followed by an interciclic call from the remote informant and an email marketing draft.
This labor-efficient model allows having a frontal Rep and a remote Rep which carry focused messages on the same points.
The activities carried out by the two types of informant enhance one another on the same message, and the Rep will exchange views on the doctor’s behavior and sharing locally for individual doctors the tactics to be kept for the best success.
It is sometimes difficult for frontal colleagues to access doctors, which can be more easily contacted by remote colleague and there are cases of doctors who do not like the detail contact on the phone.
The combined use of the two colleagues who exchange information and create for the individual doctor the best experience possible is the key to projects for internal and external multichannel. This requires CRM platforms which can bring together information from multiple sources and creating a closed loop marketing across multiple channels.
The Rep is driven in multichannel even when working remotely, with video call and video share, working on digital channels as a place for sharing scientific material. Or, citing other successful models between frontal Reps and pharmacy agents, working on both pharmacies on microbrick in a targeted way.
These links are difficult to create, they are based on training, technology, communication models, data sharing, but especially on the corporate culture that must show how each channel adds and not subtracts effort. So better efficiency and more effort to the doctor.
# 3 Pharmaceutical multichannel is not mono-message
Among the many reasons for the complexity of the MCM model in pharmaceutical there’s that of message declination Marketing must adapt to the fact that each channel accepts the same message in a different way. Having different semantics, each communication mode requires the message, absolutely consistent between different channels, is adapted.
There should be a productive one effort, made by marketing for the production of qualitatively and qualitatively specific content for multichannel.
Each channel must be supplied with its own content. The MCM “burns” content much more quickly than each individual channel does. For a pharmaceutical multichannel project lasting one year, it may take from 6 to 12 different content, on different formats.
While remaining the only key message, MCM requires it to be declined, revised, adapted. You cannot use a spot on TV, when it has been thought for radio or vice versa, as it cannot be the same video on TV nor YouTube.
Getting prepared to manage the MCM is an effort that has to be accompanied by those who know how to do it and with expertise in science creative agency, it cannot be done by transforming the data sheet in a PDF format.
Pharmaceutical multichannel is basically simple: the right content, to the right doctor, in the right time.
I would add: with the right channel, as you can read in the article How Marketers Can Optimize Their Multichannel Media Mix .
Being wrong is equally simple: just use a capillary channel with a single source content and the same of it for everyone.
So, how do you like to address the complexities related to the use of different channels now? How do you feel your experience: as an actor or as a consumer?
