tionality” have been widely assimilated into
both professional and cocktail conversations.
In 2017, the most effective marketing technologies in the brand manager’s toolbox, regardless of hardware or software platform,
will more fully integrate the insights of behavioral economics into their very design to optimize behavioral change communications and
programs. In essence, we are talking about
making technological interventions smarter
by engaging key audiences more effectively
and speaking more directly to the heuristics
which guide their decision-making.
Take tablet-based detailing. Greater interactivity in tablet-based details built around
the treatment of “virtual patients,” for example, can reveal important openings in real
time for better conversations with physicians. The secret is building an understanding of physician problem solving patterns
into the design of these patients. The result
is more effective sales calls and more effective sales representatives. In other tools such
as professional and layperson websites and
apps, optimization of what behavioral economists call “choice architectures” can greatly
improve the performance of these tools in
stimulating targeted behavioral change.
The bottom line is that novelty in platform
technologies will take second place to the incorporation of behavioral change intelligence
into existing technologies. So the question
is less about which tools are waxing or waning, and more about how current tools better
mesh with stakeholder heuristics. At the same
time, an increased focus on validation and accountability for the results of behavioral eco-nomics-inspired interventions will also move
to center stage in 2017. Accepted wisdom and
anecdotes will yield to more rigorous experimentation and, as a consequence, a larger role
for innovative market research and analytics
tools in the brand manager’s toolbox.
H ens l ey E v ans , p r in c ip a l, Z S ; Stand-alone
trackers (think Fitbits) are getting smaller,
more fashionable and have evolved into true
health monitors that track breathing, heart
rate, brain waves/stress, sleep, etc. Importantly, while collecting and tracking data is
helpful, interpreting the data is critical for
consumers to gain the most value from wearables. It will be interesting to see how various
players do or don’t enable the integration of
data across wearable platforms, and how new
“gee whiz” devices such as Oculus Rex will integrate with health apps and wearables.
Also, we expect outcomes-based approaches that leverage real-world data and analytics
to identify specific interventions that will drive
impact and create tailored, cost-effective solutions for individual patients. Additionally, personal interactions are often incredibly effective
in driving change. Identifying the right time for
the most appropriate intervention is critical.
Lastly, there is a lot of discussion around virtual reality (again). While there’s a lot of promise
and even more ideas, most marketers will pilot
smaller projects first to see what makes sense
for their strategic needs and priorities.
Jus tin F reid ,seniorVP,searchenginem arketing andem erging m edia, CMI/Com pas:
;ac;ine learning;artificial intelligence – By
utilizing machine learning, we can finally put
all of that ;big data’ to use. Looking through a
marketing lens, by leveraging machine learn-
ing and constantly supplying it with updated
consumer behavioral data, our marketing
programs can self-optimize, customizing the
user experience to what resonates with the
end user the most. This type of learning goes
beyond current forms of behavioral targeting
or delivery of content. Think of CRM. Imagine
being able to change the content, channel, and
device on which your message is delivered
based on real time data. Ultimately, creating
a program that is unique to the individual and
most likely to get your target to take action.
Internet of Things - The connection between ourselves, our devices, and our environment continues to grow at an exponential
pace. With new health devices and applications being developed and the advancement
of technology, the health sector is set for rapid
advancement through Io T. Imagine connecting EHRs, your smart watch, and your My-FitnessPal app. HCPs will be able to monitor
your exercise, medication adherence, and
health virtually. Patients will easily access
their health data from the comfort of their
living room, receiving medication or exercise
reminders from their Amazon Echo.
D eb ra H arris ,senior director, m arketing
strategy andsolutions,H ealthcasts: This past
year has seen lots of innovation in “
technology” – from further enhancements in wearables to strides in using virtual reality and
even in AI. When thinking about “marketing
technologies” though, we should consider first
and foremost how these technologies are used
to improve patient care and outcomes. Tools
are just tools. What’s needed are strategies
that leverage insights on how physicians can
improve their practice. Those that help to educate and inform better physician/patient conversations and speed the flow of information
will never “wear thin” – regardless of the technologies used to drive those outcomes, whether they are traditional or invented yesterday.
The key is deriving actionable next steps from
the use of these technologies – on an ongoing
basis, to improve the practice of medicine.
P ete M ehr, p r i n c i p a l , Z S ; Many companies
leverage an array of promotion channels and
receive customer data from those channels.
The question now shifts to; What do we do
with that data; Customer suggestion tools
use data science techniques to obtain customer preference insights and use those
insights to serve up the next best action – a
combination of channel, message and timing
– to the customer within the context of the
overall customer journey.
Rites h P atel , e;ec;ti;e ;;, c;ie; ;igital offi-
cer, O gilvy C om m onH ealth W orldwide; Our
prediction for 2017 is the dawn of the con-
nected commercial organization, with data
from clinical, sales and marketing coming
together to enable the ability to market from
an informed perspective. The combination of
the rise of the do-not-call list – as well as the
climbing cost of the sales rep combined with
the ability to segment and target customers
using data and in a consolidated CRM – will
see the surge of non-personal promotion, es-
pecially in the digital realm. Marketers will
embrace data-driven marketing, targeted
marketing, and marketing based on actual
behavior data and knowledge of the custom-
er. We will also see the increase of innovative
channels for this targeted approach, such as
the EHR;EMR. Marketing automation that
consolidates data into a CRM and then en-
ables behavior-based segmentation for sales
and marketing will be the new toolset for the
pharma industry. We will also see the growth
of social again, as more and more companies
embrace social as a way to reach patients and
caregivers. Mobile and mobile apps will wane
as pharma finally realizes that most HCPs
and patients will not use an app from the in-
dustry unless it provides true value in the day-
to-day life of that customer.
Jes s e P eas e, head of digital, Triple Threat
Com m unications; Home automation is becoming more and more commonplace, with
giants like Google and Amazon leading the
way. As these systems take hold, the breadth
and depth of integrated home services will
continue to expand rapidly. What does this
mean for marketing; It means the potential to
have 24; 7 access to parts of people’s lives that
weren’t possible before. For healthcare marketers, this could mean better integration with
a patients daily routine; refills and adherence
reminders that trigger automatically, predictive compliance measures, and even transportation assistance for important doctor appointments. This will take time to mature; new
marketing methods will need to be developed
in this space, and marketing teams will need to
figure out how best to engage customers without overstepping the boundaries. So, it may
not take hold in 2017, but it’s coming. Soon.
Interestingly, it seems the more complex
technology gets, the easier it is to use. Once a
home automation system is set up (which is
already fairly easy) there is no simpler way to
engage technology than simply talking (okay,
maybe just thinking, but that’s a few years
away still). Imagine the value of that simplicity to the older healthcare population that is
often challenged by technology. Need to find
a pharmacy or order a refill; Just ask. Want
to look up what drugs are available for your
condition; Say the word.
iPads have been on the decline in the consumer market for some time, and now seem
to be officially fading away for marketing, especially for sales rep materials. Once the device that all pharma reps needed/wanted, the
iPad has seen a continual decline in focus and
spend among marketers. While they are great
for presentations, they are still not optimal for
all the other tasks the field needs to perform.
Phones became phablets, and laptops are
thinner and lighter, putting a squeeze on the
tablet market. As newer devices emerge that
allow greater utility without sacrificing size
and weight, sales teams will say goodbye to
their iPads (if they haven’t already).
P aul S haw ah,V P of com m ercial strategy, Veeva System s: In 2017, the entire life
sciences industry will continue to shift away
from single-domain, on-premise software
systems to unified, cloud-based solutions to
address these inefficiencies, enable end-to-end processes, and streamline commercial
operations globally. Specifically, we’ll see
commercial teams move to a single platform
to manage content and digital engagement to
deliver a more coordinated, valuable customer experience across many touch points.
Additionally, we’ll see companies start leveraging higher-quality customer reference
data that is kept up to date in near-real-time.
Old data leads to frustrated sales reps, missed
opportunities, and an increased compliance
risk. Sales teams today still often work with
outdated information, such as physician spe-
cialties or information preferences; because
data change requests take weeks or months
to complete. The standard should be at most
three days – even less if that is what your
business requires.
S amrat S henb aga, p r in c ip a l, Z S ; With the
increasing popularity of social platforms and
around 40 percent of the world online, the
pharma industry’s customers are also growing their online presence. This expanding
dialogue offers pharma companies an opportunity to learn in real time about customer
behavior, preferences, reactions and influencers. These social insights amplify when
this data merges with other structured data.
Social platforms can also be used to engage
with customers, and these discussions can
affect product perceptions and usage. Manufacturers must join the conversation.
D av id W ind haus en, executive VP, Intouch Solutions: For years, pharma marketers have dreamed about becoming more customer-centric. In the last several years, there
has been a steady adoption of technologies
that can finally realize this elusive vision. In
2017, we will continue to see pharma marketers move toward enterprise-wide cloud technologies, with the ability to integrate customer engagement across a multitude of touch
points and channels. With them, we can begin to truly continuously optimize, and see
ever-greater return on our marketing dollars.
But there are still several factors we need to
overcome to capitalize on this era of modern
marketing.
Often, enterprise platforms create a mindset that focuses on standardization efficiencies. This, in turn, can lead to a belief that
marketing collateral is best created in a siloed, decoupled model. This introduces two
challenges in embracing the new benefits of
modern marketing.
First, by isolating development, marketers find it difficult to create truly dynamic
cross-channel ecosystems to deliver the personalization consumers expect. Second, when
development is separated from strategy, innovation can lag, lacking customer insight.
The good news is that with these new enterprise technologies, it’s possible to be both
efficient and strategic. The modern marketing
agency is capable of delivering a standardized
approach that drives efficiency while also
maintaining the integration of development
and strategy required to drive innovation.
How does it happen; This new frontier will
be unlocked by the effective use of data.
Marketing in 2017 will increasingly leverage data to drive engagement. Starting with
predictive analysis of target audiences, data
informs marketers about the behaviors that
influence their audiences. This deeper understand enables us to create and measure the
delivery of personalized dynamic content. As
customers engage with brands, advanced analytics and machine learning adapt messaging
to each individual, even before they’re aware
of what they need next. Finally, our data-driven approach provides us with deep insight
into customer engagement and true ROI.
The “trend” of consumers expecting brands
to be connected, relevant and personalized
is no passing fad. As consumers continue to
experience this from brands outside of healthcare, they will expect the same level of engagement from health brands. It’s up to us to lead
the charge, and today, we have the technology
and data are available to make it possible.
Agenda 2017
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