Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Fri, Feb 05, 2010 @ 02:04 PM
This is the final post of a four-part series.
What Would Steve Jobs Do?
What Would Google Do?
What Would Jake and Rocket Do?
These are champs.
What would a 'new marketing' champ do in Pharma and Healthcare?
Here are 9 imperatives I see for Pharma Marketers as we enter 2010 and a new decade:
- Adopt human-centered thinking across everything you do. Both Steve Jobs and Google share a relentless focus on knowing and pleasing their core customer - the consumer. No detail is ignored if it brings value. Importantly, these champs don't think of consumers sporadically or when it's convenient, but in every decision and action they take. The customer experience is front and center from beginning to the end.
Pharma and Healthcare marketers: are patients at the center of everything you do? Really? As Steve Jobs might ask, are you taking full responsibility for your patient/e-patient user experience? Are you thinking about every touch along the treatment pathway, that is no longer a straight linear line, but made of multiple touches, information and influences often hitting at once and with circular repetition? (You may also want to read: Is Your Brand Patient-Centered? 5 Critical Success Factors)
- Get outta town. Experience and see what your patients see. What are your patients' challenges? How could you help? How can you insure that learning is turned into action back in the office? Who should 'own' a particular learning or insight and see it through? Pharma and Healthcare Marketers: is listening and learning part of your everyday doings? What are consumers and patients saying about you? your product? your service? What are they saying on twitter? Facebook? patient communities? How are patients rating your brand on sites such as iGuard? (You may also want to read Jonathan Richman's Dose of Digital blog: The Best Pharma Products According to Patients)
- Simplify. Challenge your product and marketing design: Is it simple enough? Simplify your products and services; simplify your customers' lives; simplify your own life...Create simple experiences. Think about starting a search on Google...or picking up an iPod...Pharma and Healthcare Marketers: During every step of product development and marketing planning: stop and ask yourself: If Steve Jobs was the Product Manager on this, what would he do? Is the design and implementation of your product/program flawless?
- Embrace publicness and openness. Transform your relationship with the public in every quarter of the organization. You may extend this new relationship in many ways from blogging, interacting with bloggers and e-Patients, participating in twitter or Facebook, customer service and sharing ideas. Overtime, you may even truly involve customers in the real-time design process for products and/or services...But 'publicness' is much more than having a web site. It's about taking actions in public so people can see what you do and react to it, make suggestions, and tell their friends. Living in public is a matter of enlightened self interest. You have to be public to be found. Every time you decide not to make something public, you create the risk of a customer not finding you or not trusting you because you're keeping secrets....the more public you are, the easier you can be found, the more opportunities your have...(Read Privacy (and Publicness) by Jeff Jarvis Buzz Machine)
- Don't try to control content and distribution, and think about how you can bring your customers 'elegant organization'. First, think in distributor ways. Go to your consumer whenever and however you can. This is still the opposite of many companies who continue to think centralized and want to make consumers come to them. They spend large dollars to advertise to attract consumers. Many try to make their home pages into destinations. In sum, while many internet sites think of themselves as an end--Google thinks of itself as a means. While many see the job of their home page to take you to where they want you to go, Google sees its home page as the way to get you to where you want to go. Google distributes itself. Google enables others to use tools as they wish. Think of your site as 'answers for every question you can imagine'.
Second, it will also be helpful to think about 'elegant organization' as Jeff Jarvis outlined in What Would Google Do?--Mark Zuckerberg originally coined the phrase to stress that communities already exist... As marketers, entrepreneurs and technologists, we can benefit from these communities by providing them with elegant organization. Help them do what they are already doing better. Pharma: how can you aggregate and curate useful and valuable content for your patients/ customers? How can you replace focus on mass market with focus on mass of niches? And how can you provide helpful content consistently? - Think mobile. Engage real-time with your customers 24/7. Mobile doesn't have to be just about apps; consider the value of texting, geolocators, and/or the use of quick response (QR) codes for simplification...
- Takers may eat well, but givers sleep well. While most will wait for the FDA guidelines to be published for social media and web, some will move forward to listen, learn and to "give as well as to take." There are still opportunities for Pharma to learn, and support patients and their communities, especially if Pharma starts to see themselves not only as products, but as a service, a platform, a means to enabling others. The bottom line: help your patients (and customers) build value. One new example may be the launch of the new Patients Like Me Epilepsy Community in Partnership with UCB. (While UCB is a client, I have nothing to do with their epilepsy business.)
- Do one thing really really well--focus on what's most important. Each champ does one thing really, really well. Google never loses sight of what search means to their business strategy, and in their continuous focus for improvement of search, it continually spurs other applications and new products/services. Apple never loses site of flawless and simple design for maximum consumer appeal. Jake and Rocket for Life is Good always stay close to their roots of humor and humility. What does your company or brand do really well? Where can you focus resources to continually innovate?
- Raise Your Bar. Good isn't good enough. If you don't think it would pass Steve Job's bar, then don't let it pass yours...Or you can think like Google: being great is a starting point, not an endpoint. But as Steve Jobs says, Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Welcome to the new decade of new-marketing--any other imperatives that you'd like to add or delete from this list? Please do share!
Muhammad-Ali Image: 1976 World heavyweight boxing champion. Photo Source: Frank Tewkesbury/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Wed, Dec 30, 2009 @ 06:40 AM
As we move into 2010, I've been thinking a lot about what I've 
learned this year, much of it triggered by the tremendous number of thought leader blogs, eBooks and white papers that I've read this year. While there is no way to capture all the great work happening 24/7, here's a smattering of a few (well maybe more than a ‘few') that you may want to read or re-read as we get ready to step into 2010...
Topics cover a range- from social media and technology, to ePatients and marketing, including implications for Pharma and Healthcare, in the US and Europe. Please feel free to share other posts that you found valuable. Happy reading...
Best Blogs
Social Media, Platforms and Technology
Ten ‘Thinks' You Should Know about Social Media by Shwen Gwee at Med 2.0 blog
Pharma Should Forget About Social Media Monitoring by Jonathan Richman at Dose of Digital
Pharma Don't Be Shy About Social Media by Wendy Blackburn at ePharma Rx, Intouch Solutions
10 Social Media Watch-outs for Pharma and Healthcare Marketers by Ellen Hoenig, Notes from the Back of the Book
7 Inputs to a Social Media Strategy by Adam Cohen, A Thousands Cuts blog
5 Social Media Myths by Digital Tonto blog
The 3 F's and 3 R's of Social Media Marketing by Chris Boyer, Hospital Online Marketing
Lee Aase, Mayo Clinic: The Future of Health Brands and Social Media and Greg Matthews, Humana: The Future of Health Brands and Social Media by Eric Brody at Healthy Conversations
A Clinical Infusion of Google Wave and Healthcare's Google- Facebook -Twitter Platform by Phil Baumann
Is Google the New FDA? By John Mack at Pharma Marketing blog
Google Real Time Search and Crisis Communications and Google and Pharmacovigilance by Mark Senak at eyeonfda blog
Google Sidewiki and Implications for Pharma Brands by Adam Cohen, A Thousand Cuts blog, Rosetta
Why Pharma Needs to Pay Attention to Wikipedia, Guest post Eileen O'Brien at Notes from the Back of the Book
Readability of the Top 50 Prescribed Drugs in Wikipedia by Kevin Kruse, The Patient Will See You Now
Pharma and Twitter: Who's Got Hand by Mark Senak at eyeonfda blog
Follow the Engagement-visualizing #FollowPharma by Silja Chouquet at Whydotpharma blog
The Increasing Use of Social Media to Recruit Patients for Clinical Trials by Sally Church at Pharma Marketing Strategy blog
Video Games: Key to the Future of Pharma and Healthcare? By Ellen Hoenig, Notes From the Back Of the Book
Why the Pharma Industry Should Care About Augmented Reality Guest Post by Sven Larsen of Pixels and Pills at Fard Johnmar's Walking the Path blog
Pfizer and Social Media-- an Update by Steve Woodruff at Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Social Media ROI for Hospitals and Health Marketers by Kevin Kruse and Kru Research blog
Splitting ROI by Just So You Know blog (Meredith Gould and Daphne Leigh Swancutt)
Europe You need to Tackle Social Media Now by Silja Chouquet at Whydotpharma blog
The Pachyderm in the Parlour: resisting the legitimation of DTC social media activates in Europe by Andrew Spong STweM blog and consultancy
Pharma, Marketing and Paradigm Shift
What's Hot In Oncology: A Review of 2009 and Predictions for 2010 by Sally Church at Pharma Marketing Strategy blog
Pharma Still Uneasy About Getting Social, Pharma Blog Review by Chris Truelove
The Pitfalls of Doing Nothing by Steve Woodruff at Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Ten things Pharma Companies Will Never Try (But Should) by Jonathan Richman at Dose of Digital
Will Patients Find Value in Discussions with Pharma? By John Mack
Question For Healthcare Marketers: Do You See Patients as Consumers? By Eric Brody at Healthy Conversations
Save Boobs Blasts Attention Glut (guest post Fard Johnmar) Just So You Know blog (Meredith Gould and Daphne Leigh Swancutt)
Refining Patienthood Project Launches: Aims, Goals and Many Questions Ahead by Jen McCabe, Jen's Posterous Health Management Rx
Why Programming Microchoice and Microcontrol into the Healthcare system will lead to the Equivalent of the Microprocessing Revolution by Jen McCabe Jen's Posterous Health Management Rx
Splitting Trouble and Talking Trash by Just So You Know blog (Meredith Gould and Daphne Leigh Swancutt)
Pharma and Social Media: What Roles Should Personas Play? by Ellen Hoenig at Notes from the Back of the Book blog
CMO 3.0: Why Marketing is the New Finance, Odom Lewis, Healthcare Marketing and Medical Executive Search
ePatients, Patients and Consumers
Video "Tale of 2 ePatients": Pecha Kucha Limerick Dr Val Jones via The Patients Will See You Now, Kevin Kruse and Kru Research
Mayo Clinic Music Fun and A Bite of Life at Sharing Mayo Clinic
Disease Guilt by Steve Woodruff at Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here, Have Something Messed Up Happen? By Jen McCabe, Jen's Posterous
What Part of Give Us Our Damn Data Do You Not Understand by Dave deBronkart at e-patients.net
ePatient 2009: Voice of the Patient by Kerri Morrone Sparling, at sixuntilme.com
A Patient's Perspective: Day Two of FDA Public Hearing (#FDASM) by DC Patient
Advice to a Cancer Patient Facing News He Didn't Want and Don't Let the Median Scare You To Death by Dave deBronkart, The New Life of ePatient Dave blog, Dave deBronkart
The Pew/Health Internet FAQ by Susannah Fox at e-patients.net (Leads Health Research and Internet Strategy for Pew Internet and American Life Project)
The Social Life of Health Information by Susannah Fox, Pew Internet and American Life Project
What Pharma Can learn from Communities' Opinions by Andrew Spong STweM
The Role of Physician Trust and Communication in Filling New Prescriptions by Kevin Kruse, Kru Research
Best eBooks and White Papers (free)
Best Learning Actions for Pharma and Healthcare Marketers in 2010? Reflections by 12 Sage Bloggers and Thought leaders, Editor Ellen Hoenig AdvanceMarketWoRx
Overcoming Our Social Challenges: Getting Started with Social Media in Biotech by Shwen Gwee
A Bright Future for Digital, a Dimmer One for Pharma by Len Starnes, Bayer Schering Pharma
Pharma and Healthcare Social Media Principles by Jonathan Richman Dose of Digital blog, Bridge Worldwide
Social Media: What's In It for Pharma? A Digitas Health Social Media POV by Sarah Larcker
Getting Started with Social Networking by Steve Woodruff of Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Pharma Twitterama: Exploring the Use of Twitter in Pharma and Healthcare by Shwen Gwee at Med 2.0 blog
WEGO Health Webinar: Twitter Power Tools for Health Activists by Shwen Gwee at Med 2.0 blog
140 Healthcare Uses for Twitter by Phil Baumann
Social Media and Pharma: Is their value? By Richard Meyer
Monitoring Adverse Events in Social Media for Pharma's Biggest Brands: Hopeless Task or Simple Project? Mini-white paper, Jonathan Richman Dose of Digital
An Edelman Report: Insights and Recommendations in the Wake of the FDA Social Media Hearings, The Health Engagement blog
Considering Neuroscience to Improve Consumer Communications- FDA Advisory Committee Meeting by Ellen Hoenig, AdvanceMarketWorx Notes from the Back of the Book blog
ePatient White Paper by ePatient Scholars team, ePatient.net (2007- but still including this classic!)
Best Wikis
#FDASM by Fabio Gratton of Ignite Health
Pharma and Healthcare Social Media Wiki by Jonathan Richman at Dose of Digital
Hospital Social Networking List by Ed Bennett
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Wed, Dec 23, 2009 @ 03:12 PM
Inspired by Alvin Toffler's quote: "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn," we asked 12 leading bloggers and healthcare thought leaders to share their reflections: what would they recommend as top learning strategies for Pharma and Healthcare marketers in 2010?
Overall, there were six themes that contributors brought to life:
1) e-Patients are at the center and critical to learning and design;
2) Authenticity isn't a ‘nice to do', it's a ‘must' (and you won't be the one who decides whether you've succeeded);
3) Don't' get distracted by ‘bells and whistles'-remember the basics and keep your brand core strong;
4) New marketing challenges require new ROI thinking...the ROI of connection, authenticity and compassion;
5) The marketing cycle of life is going through unprecedented change requiring all marketers and communications people to unlearn much-the movement from paid marketing to earned marketing requires a different mindset and skills; and
6) Effective marketing and engagement will require new kinds of leadership skills.
Or as Steve Woodruff would say, "it's a holiday grab-bag of nuggets from the wise travelers--some myrrh, some gold, some SEO, some patient communities--stick your hand in and grab some goodies!"
My heartfelt appreciation to the 12 contributors-yet another example of the power of the community.
- Phil Baumann, Phil Baumann online blog, CareVocate Interactive Media Solutions
- Wendy Blackburn, ePharma Rx blog, Intouch Solutions
- Adam Cohen, A Thousand Cuts blog, Rosetta Interactive
- Dave deBronkart, The New Life of e-Patient Dave blog, Society for Participatory Medicine
- Angela Dunn, Odom Lewis blog, Executive Search Specialists in Healthcare Marketing/Medical Education
- Susannah Fox, Health Research for Pew Internet & American Life Project
- Fard Johnmar, Path of the Blue Eye Project, Envision Consultancy
- John Mack, Pharma Marketing blog, Editor-in-chief of Pharma Marketing News
- Jonathan Richman, Dose of Digital blog, Bridge Worldwide
- Marsha Shenk, Thriving Enterprise blog, The Bestwork People
- Andrew Spong, STweM blog and Consultancy, UK
- Steve Woodruff, Impactiviti blog and Consultancy
If you enjoy this eBook, feel free to blog it, tweet it or email it. (But please don't change it)...We also hope that you meet some new 'friends' to learn with in 2010. Lastly, we welcome feedback below or on slide share.
Download PDF; also available on slideshare (see below) and scribd
May you and yours enjoy a rich and rejuvenating holiday season. We look forward to more learning and collaboration in 2010!
credits: eBook production: Courtney Justice, The Cournell Group