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If I could change one thing. . .
. . . I would encourage more pharma marketers to `think national, act local’ when it comes to future marketing- communication strategies. Why? – Because it contributes to better patient care at less cost.
For example, in England, with the creation of community-based Clinical Commissioning Groups and the phasing out of PCTs a period of chaotic change is perhaps inevitable. Many companies recognise that they will need to take a more `local micro-marketing’ approach to their communications programmes, tailoring national marketing strategies for specific geographical areas and populations.
Devolved responsibility will mean more local accountability and face-to-face contact with healthcare professional commissioners will be more important than ever in developing productive relationships.
However, in order to drive behavioural change towards better health outcomes, pharma marketers will need to know who their customer’s audience is and understand more about their `world’.
Crucially marketers have to evaluate local need and design solutions which are demonstrably aligned with QIPP and contribute to CIP targets, reflecting best practice in healthcare/industry partnerships.
While brands are national, customers are local. The local environment is a key factor influencing the way an individual will behave. Bringing people together at a local level, as well as nationally, will help shape marketing plans and effect genuine change.
But where should marketers start?
Localisation specialists can define and provide detailed insight about an audience, their behavioural patterns and the factors influencing them, and help to pinpoint local areas with the highest audience concentration. They can then recommend more effective ways of engaging with or changing the behaviours of the audience. A capability developed over 20years.
This approach offers new ways of working with community healthcare providers to put the right resource in the right place, with greater accuracy and productivity to improve health outcomes. Or, in other words, the ‘I’ helping to deliver ‘QPP’.
Alasdair Williams - December 15, 2011
