Orchestrating On- and Off-Line Tactics

A Web site. A blog. A tweet. A coupon. A sales aid. A tablet tool. A patient testimonial. A fact card. A KOL presentation. A YouTube video. An e-mail alert. An app. These are just a few of the tools in our industry's toolbox of online and off-line tactics. So, what do all of these tactics have in common? The fact that they need to be integrated to have any real impact in the market. Separately they may have an effect, but together they have the power to create an experience. Now that marketing reach is truly a global proposition for many brands, a coordinated push-pull communication strategy using multiple channels and touch-points is an important first step. Not aligning all aspects of your brand strategy could ultimately cause confusion unless you coordinate where and to whom it will be delivered.

Dead-End Road
Go to any popular medical Web site today, and it is easy to spot a banner ad for a new product enticing a reader to learn more. What happens when a patient clicks? Where does he land? What does she learn? Chances are, if it isn't relevant or up-to-date, no one will stick around. What does the brand gain (or lose) by the visit? If a patient with a heart condition talks to his or her doctor about different drug therapies, we all know the first stop after the doctor's office is not always the pharmacy. It's Google. If "heart disease medication" is typed into the search box only to find that none of the results mention the products the doctor described, that's a missed opportunity to communicate with a potential patient. The key to avoiding an early communication dead-end is the careful planning and pairing of interconnected tactics driven by one overarching strategic idea to ensure the interaction is meaningful.

Piecing the Puzzle Together
Consider this scenario: Your product treats a difficult-to-diagnose disease often mistaken for other ailments. The patient population is small because the disease is so rare. Until correctly diagnosed, patients endure physical and emotional distress while they are bounced among specialists over the course of many months or years. They are frustrated as they search tirelessly online and off-line for answers. Once diagnosed, they find support online from other patients who live thousands of miles and several time zones apart. And their caregivers or loved ones have a difficult time understanding the physical and emotional strain of the disease.