4 tips for writing ad copy that speaks to physicians

When developing physician-directed campaigns, consider these four tips on writing engaging advertisements.:

1. Explain how your product brings value to patients

As the healthcare industry transitions away from a fee-for-service model to a value-based payment system, physicians will have more incentives to document the value they bring to patients. To help physicians achieve this goal, pharma advertisers can use their content to demonstrate how their products generate value for patients.

The more data pharma can provide, the easier it will be for physicians to make a purchasing decision. An ad that does not provide this information is essentially asking physicians to do the research on their own. However, busy schedules often prohibit physicians from doing so. Pharma marketers can and should make it easier for doctors to learn about a new product without adding to their workload.

2. Offer ways to make the physician's job easier

Additionally, detailed collateral such as brochures, white papers, case studies and clinical trial data can help doctors decide if they want to invest in a new pharma solution. In other words, if the advertisement is the sizzle, then detailed collateral is the steak.

Collateral that provides facts and evidence to support value claims will encourage readers to move further down the sales funnel. Note that these materials must provide valuable information to physicians, or they will likely move on to the next product.

A doctor's responsibility is to his or her patients. Pharma ads should demonstrate how a product brings value to that relationship.

3. Make your content quick and easy to digest

When developing an advertisement to appear in a peer-reviewed journal, or other content that introduces a new product, advertisers should aim to be attention-getting, concise and quick to the point.

This theme ties back to the idea of driving value for physician readers and patients alike. Pharma advertisers should make it their first priority to be clear and direct about their products' benefits, while noting any potential risks. This first delivery of information should encourage readers to learn more.

4. Provide a clear call to action

According to the American Medical Association, the average doctor works 40 to 50 hours per week, with a quarter of physicians clocking 60 to 80 hours weekly. In other words, doctors don't have much time in their schedules to research every new product they hear about.

Once an advertisement has grabbed the reader's attention, it should follow with a call to action that clearly states exactly what the reader's next step should be. This takes out the guesswork and simply directs the reader to the next step.

For more information on appealing to a physician readership, visit our resource center today.