5 Unconventional HCP Marketing Tactics You May Not Have Considered

Established pharma brands have been successful following traditional marketing strategies that target healthcare professionals for decades. But new and smaller drug makers must innovate to break through among pharma’s elite. This requires new ways of connecting with healthcare providers on their terms.

There are several tactics you can employ to set your brand apart and gain a foothold within an overworked, highly sought-after audience. Here are five worth considering.

Target Support Staff

While most pharma marketers focus on prescribers, they may be missing key influencers within the organization. Staff members – especially within small settings – can have an impact on HCP behavior. One way to position your brand for higher adoption is to target support staff with campaigns that blend with your HCP marketing.

Provide Physical Copies of Digital Content

Brand managers understand the value of digital content, which typically has a large presence in HCP marketing, but there will be times where physical copies of your content or messaging may be suitable. For instance, during travel there will likely be times when it will be easier to read a print version than pull it up on a digital device.

Although healthcare professionals can certainly download and print certain content at their convenience, providing a printed copy saves them a step and adds a touch of customer service to their experiences with your brand.

Connect Via Unconventional Digital Channels

Physicians and other HCPs are spending more time online than ever before. While virtual conferencing and email campaigns get a lot of focus from pharma brands, marketing channels such as social media, search, and online forums are also becoming go-to channels for accessing information about patient trends and pharmaceutical options.

Consider adding unconventional channels to a multichannel mix that reaches HCPs in a variety of ways. Voice search, for example, has been a rising trend for five years. By expanding your engagement strategy to include alternative channels, you broaden your brand’s imprint and have more chances to interact with your audience.

Focus on Non-traditional Inbound Tactics

Traditional HCP marketing tactics such as KOL webinars, email campaigns, and advertising continue to be effective ways to connect with your audience. But you can also add brand credibility to reinforce your inbound marketing efforts by focusing on other – more non-traditional – tactics such as community building, thought leadership, and video content. By improving brand credibility through these tactics, you can position your brand as the go-to source for future Rx needs.

Leverage Third Parties to Deliver Brand Messaging

There is often a significant effort put into a brand’s owned channels (website, social media, email, etc.). While this is necessary, it’s also important to align your brand with third-party media outlets that are respected within the medical community.

Third parties can provide a trust factor that may not be generated by your owned properties. Find out which publishers (such as Elsevier), forums, and portals your audience is interested in then message that audience through their advertising and sponsorship opportunities. Marketing via third parties resonates better and adds familiarity and clinical credibility to an HCP’s buying decisions.

If you’re looking to build credibility through a respected HCP resource, consider partnering with Elsevier who has been trusted by HCPs since 1880. Discover your options today.

Article Written by: Alex Brown