10 Ways for Marketers to Reach Healthcare Professionals During an Outbreak

With the rapidly growing number of COVID-19 cases around the US and the world, a lot of medical conferences are being cancelled and marketing campaigns disrupted. The coronavirus is having a broad effect on industry recruitment, product launches, and other activities that require human contact to be effective.

So how do pharma brands, medical device makers, and healthcare organizations plan to connect with healthcare professionals (HCPs) without the typical human contact that accompanies marketing campaigns?

Thankfully, there are other ways to reach HCPs during this difficult situation. If you planned to market at an upcoming conference, request an attendee list and make alternate plans to reach those HCPs. Elsevier provides multiple channels to connect, so we thought this might be a good time to review our library of advertising options.

Healthcare Ad Print Options

You can select placement among 500 industry leading medical journals, 300 of which are affiliated with the top medical societies worldwide. Choose from among 80+ specialties targeting thousands of healthcare professionals.

Journal run of book ad – Showcase your brand in various locations throughout our esteemed print journals that help align your product with our expert-generated content

Cover wrap – Grab attention and increase HCP interest by surrounding our respected journal with your messaging

Outsert – Attach promotional materials such as brochures, conference collateral, and CDs/DVDs to our specialty-based journals

Reprints – Reproductions of cutting-edge articles on high-quality paper appeal to audiences across every specialty, letting you stand out from the crowd.

Supplements – All Elsevier Supplements are peer-reviewed and match the scope of the journal, ensuring high quality content aimed at a specific target audience.

Healthcare Ad Digital Options

HCPs spend time researching online as well. In fact, 68% of physicians read both the print and digital versions of current medical journals*. Don’t miss out on digital opportunities to connect with the world’s top healthcare professionals.

Journal website banner ad – Get premium placement on one or more of journal-branded websites or on ScienceDirect that feature high quality editorial content

Table of contents email – Reach engaged physicians and healthcare professionals by advertising in this email preview of the articles and topics readers can expect in the next journal issue

PracticeUpdate banner ad – Align your brand with the most important medical information curated by experts who understand what matters most in their field

eReprints – Leverage electronic copies of PDF articles that you can distribute by email, post on a website or use in e-detailing to educate HCPs with treatment options and help change prescribing habits.

Topic Collections –  specialty topic collections on our journal website present a unique advertising opportunity for brands to connect with HCPs in an unbiased and engaging online environment.

Right now the prevailing wisdom among some experts is that this horrific event will subside in the coming months. Conferences will be rescheduled and normal marketing activities will be resumed. But you don’t have to wait to reach HCPs during this time.

In terms of messaging, you can acknowledge the situation – “We understand your work life has been disrupted” – then pair with a hopeful message – “We can’t wait to see you when the conference takes place.” A friendly reminder that you’ll be there to help inform and educate can help keep your brand top-of-mind.

Persistence is key during this time. HCPs, particularly first responders, may be overrun with immediate work demands. So “face time” is not going to be easy. Plan to reach out via social media and email to maintain your connections as well.

If you need any assistance with your marketing efforts as conferences are being cancelled, please reach out to our advertising experts.

* Source: Kantar Media - Sources & Interactions September 2016, Medical/Surgical Edition, Total Surgical Edition, Total Sample

Article Written by: Alex Brown