Digital marketing: what is your strategy?
For health care professionals, there has been a significant shift from print, postal marketing and face to face consultation in favour of online email and digital platforms. This presents a natural progression that some big pharmaceutical players and health care brands are yet to capitalise on.
Those brands who respond quickly can gain competitive advantage and improve the effectiveness of their marketing.
Digital media: is it right to be wary?
Given the regulations imposed by governing bodies such as the ABPI, there is a considerable amount of nervousness in pharmaceutical sector about using the new digital platforms.
Compared to other sectors, the pharmaceutical industry’s marketing model is still relatively untouched by digital channels.
Interestingly, the regulatory bodies of the pharmaceutical industry don’t prevent online marketing at all. There are clear online channels and tools that work within the scope of what is possible.
Here are some examples of best practice in the UK pharmaceutical industry:
- Boehringer Ingelheim worked with website for medical professionals to raise awareness and sales for an anti thrombotic agent. This worked because niche online communities of health care professionals were targeted.
- Department of Health delivered and engaging educational communication strategy through a website for medical professionals, which drove changes in clinical practice surrounding healthcare associated infections.
Digital advertising: industry knowledge
Current industry knowledge* suggests digital activities need to be launched in combination with more traditional marketing approaches.
If the strategies are integrated, the impact is maximised.
*Reference: PM Live website: www.pmlive.com/digital_handbook/digital_strategy
Why is an integrated strategy important?
Did you know a fifth of all advertising in the UK is now online? In terms of platform, the internet now outranks the television for hosting advertising.
Today a customer will journey through a blend of traditional and digital platforms before making a purchase.
Digital can no longer be viewed as a marketing channel on its own.
To fully understand your customer, investigate what types of media they use and ensure your messages are visible in these locations.
If nursing teams are a key target audience for your organisation, the RCN website offers an ideal vehicle for delivering your messages.
By combining with other traditional platforms such as exhibitions and long term projects we can help strengthen your integrated marketing strategies.
RCN digital platforms: what are the benefits?
Then RCN website has over 100,000 unique users every month. The RCN homepage receives over 200,000 impressions every month.
Our website plays a crucial role in stimulating and engaging our membership, to help shape health care policy for the benefit of the nursing team and patients.
With 410,000 members, we know an increasing number of our members are using the RCN website as their primary educational and informative tool.
Advertising here offers an ideal way to reach the widest nursing audience, build awareness and change brand perceptions.
Download the RCN rate card (28KB) [see how to access PDF files] to see what digital platforms are available and contact us to discuss how to combine and make best use, of our other project opportunities.