Pharma Marketing Blog

Where Next for Pharma?

At last weeks Eyeforpharma European Marketing Strategy meeting the key message was that the current sales and marketing model is dead, so where next for pharma?   The challenge that we now have is that prescribers are no longer influenced by the traditional cascade model and whilst payers have held the prescribing purse for a long time, they are not the only group influencing prescribers.  Prescribers have access to much more information from on-line sources and social and professional networks.   They are also influenced by clinical leads who are looking for improved patient outcomes, patients feedback.  In many cases a pharm company may need to talk to 10 different people to support a prescribing decision.

Of course the industry has known this for a while, so what I am saying is nothing new, yet so many pharma companies are still sitting back and continuing to use the traditional sales and marketing model that has served them well in the past. However, the NHS has changed – really it has. While pharma has been basking on its luxury yacht, the NHS oil tanker has been slowly manoeuvring off-course and is now going in a different direction.  The traditional one-size- fits all approach to the NHS no longer works.  Sales and marketing strategies need to be patient centric, flexible and adaptable to meet local needs and outcomes.   Companies need to fully understand the healthcare needs of each PCT and be able to show how their product and services can effectively meet these needs. PCB managers will want to talk to you if you can show how your product can improve health outcomes, achieve their targets and prevent a patient from being hospitalised.

Time for change……………

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