BLOG

Restrictions, warning texts, regulatory and international approval processes are everyday hassles for healthcare service providers and pharmaceutical companies. Changes in communication with doctors and pharmacists have created a situation where traditional medical marketing is… dead.

Pharmaceutical company headquarters demand results, making local decision-makers count their successes monthly (not just in the fall). Entrepreneurs are increasingly interested in new contacts, newsletter open rates, website landings, read articles, bookings, and sales rather than the number of passersby seeing a glowing advertisement.

Interestingly, media providers have not kept up with this demand – a social media post paid for by a pharmacy chain with just two likes is definitely not what can be presented to headquarters. A recent content marketing article featuring multiple market players, where each participant could praise themselves in a section (for a high fee), also caught attention.

This situation has led to an interesting development where the client is smarter and more demanding than the offered solutions. We have realized that there is no one-size-fits-all pattern for marketing in the medical field. Instead of one-time hits (an ad here, an article there), results are achieved through tailor-made digital solutions that navigate through restrictions and help achieve results step by step.

Examples of successful initiatives:

• Lead-generation: Collecting contact information of people interested in specific health topics.
• Automated Newsletter Systems: Creating a system that allows the free flow of emails, making your brand independent of Meta (Facebook, Instagram) policy changes.
• Experience-based Marketing: Focusing on the customer rather than the product.
• Websites and Digital Content: Centering around the problem, not the brand (read an example here).
• Involving Trustworthy Spokespersons: Competent spokespersons, often overlooked in the influencer mania, are crucial in health-related matters. Besides doctors and pharmacists, specialty organizations like Peaasi.ee should also be considered.
• Content Marketing: Filling the gap in journalistic content with relevant and problem-focused information.
• Webinars: Connecting listeners with experts and doctors they can’t physically reach due to financial or time constraints.

Why is digital crucial in healthcare today?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more books, music, and home electronics are purchased online than from physical stores. Statistics* show that health products and services are the second fastest-growing group, with digital sales and bookings accounting for 16.5% of all purchases, surpassing even groceries (with digital only making up a mere 5.5%). Moreover, while e-sales growth is expected to slow in many categories in the coming years, health is one area where analysts foresee continued e-growth.

*U.S. E-commerce forecast, eMarketer, June 2022