It’s a month since Eyeforpharma and two weeks since I uploaded a survey for participant feedback- and the results are in. I can’t claim that 100% of attendees answered the survey because I would be lying, but a large enough number to warrant some thought and discussion did. Thank you so much to those sharers!
I’ll run through the percentages with a little commentary. If you’re not interested in being teased with a ‘slow reveal’ though just click down to the bottom of the posting for a table of the results.
100% did you enjoy Eyeforpharma (#efp) 2010!
That’s excellent news so well done to Jon Gwillim for organising such as resoundingly successful event, and to everyone else for contributing to discussion. No debate on that one then.
53% did learn about new marketing channels previously not considered
This was not an area for prevarication as the remaining 47% felt that there was nothing new on show. I’m not sure whether the lack of European case studies on show was to blame but I felt that there was a change, but maybe not in the content.
86% would consider new ways to engage with healthcare professionals and patients
That is a whopping 86% of you from where I am sitting! Okay, you’ve only committed to ‘considering’ new ways but that’s considerably better than dismissing innovative digital media (smart move 
). The question did lump healthcare professionals with patients, but both have their complications. Where respective country code impedes outright patient communications (rightly so), perceptions of doctors entrenched in traditional communication channels is equally challenging to the mind of the marketer.
33% had fears of using social media channels as a means for engagement eased
27% are undecided and 40% felt that it did not help instil confidence. This is where we get to the nub of the problem. Without great European case studies there will be less confidence in executing campaigns which are not typical one way communication strategies. If there isn’t a medical legal precedent in Europe let alone the operating country relevant to the marketer it makes the process of setting up a project a much harder one.
Great case studies are coming though, though small at the moment, confidence is growing in how to use social platforms within regulations and effectively. There is a mass of research and data coming through that demonstrate relevance and the value to the pharma industry.
73% of you will be attending further digital marketing events as a result of this one!!
I don’t know whether that is truly 73% who will be attending as a result of this one, or whether that most were intending to go anyway. Still, if we take the result literally I suggest to me that Eyeforpharma sparked a surge of interest in digital marketing for pharmaceutical marketing professionals which is great news. It certainly corroborates the research that suggests that increasing amounts of spending will be committed to it over the coming year to 18 months.
So, how will the industry embrace the social web? How will patients and HCPs perceive their involvement? As an intrusion or as a welcome participant? Like any social media project implemented by a business it will depend on the people in question, the objectives of the marketing campaign, the strategy and the how the tactics are executed. It will require understanding and commitment from marketing and comm’s departments who will see much of the new activity –such as moderation- as extra work that they don’t have resource for. It’s an interesting area for discussion and I’ll be returning to it in my next post.
Graph displaying responses to 5 Questions posed to marketers at Eyeforpharma
The table of results including full ‘questions’; follow up to Eyeforpharma
