In 2022, 98% of pharmaceutical executives said creating and implementing an omnichannel approach for their organization was essential. This data point proves that omnichannel marketing strategies are no longer a nice-to-have for pharmaceutical brands—they must reach both healthcare professional (HCP) and direct-to-consumer (DTC) audiences. 

In the same way that most pharma marketers are implementing an omnichannel marketing strategy, the benefits of these campaigns have also become somewhat baseline. Frequency capping, single platform execution, efficiency, and consistent measurement are all important qualities of omnichannel marketing campaign delivery. However, omnichannel has even more significant advantages when thinking about “orchestration,” coordinating audience, environment, content, and format related to a specific customer journey.

We covered this topic across several panels at our annual HealthNext Summit, which took place last month. In one, “Sequence Matters: The Value of Orchestration,” Parker Noren, SVP of Growth & Product Strategy at PulsePoint's parent company, Internet Brands, talked to several of our clients about how they are orchestrating the next best step in their interactions with customers and prospects so they’re treated as individuals.

What is Omnichannel Marketing in Pharma?

Omnichannel marketing in pharma uses multiple channels seamlessly and holistically to reach HCP and DTC audiences in a coordinated way with more granular targeting, tailored messaging, and better results. An omnichannel approach doesn’t necessitate making decisions about marketing channels beforehand. Instead, omnichannel marketing strategies in pharma allow brands to reach HCPs and DTC Internet users wherever they are, regardless of where they are in the customer journey. 

An omnichannel approach leverages data to personalize ads' timing on different touchpoints and specific creative or messaging to boost engagement. With continuous, real-time data, omnichannel marketing strategies can offer unified, integrated, and personalized experiences across marketing channels, with real-time optimization throughout the campaign. The advantages of an omnichannel approach include:

• More efficient marketing spending
• A single, integrated data set
• Automated media management and content delivery 
• A view of the overall customer journey impact, not just single channel engagement

Omnichannel marketing strategies supported by data-driven insights and technology can help pharmaceutical brands better engage HCP and DTC audiences, and orchestration can help these marketers level up.

Orchestration = Omnichannel Marketing Automation

“Orchestration is how easily you can automate these channels connecting, which is why I have such a deep relationship with PulsePoint,” said Erica Hawthorne, VP of Media Strategy at Klick.

Don’t Treat Every Channel The Same Way

Hawthorne said that so much of mastering orchestration is putting yourself, as a marketer, in the shoes of the target audience member to understand more about how they think and interact with a brand based on what they need. Different audiences are more heavily represented in specific marketing channels, meaning different channels require individual orchestration.

Top of Funnel: It’s People First, Brand Second

“Up at the top of the funnel, patients don’t care about your brand,” she said. “I care about me, how I feel, how I’ll feel better, and we’re wasting a lot of real estate up there talking about the brand. So it’s making sure that the journey looks how people think…I want to know the people first, then I orchestrate.”

Engaging Your Audience With The Right Message

And given the ever-evolving media landscape, HCPs and consumers want to engage at the individual level across the multiple channels they frequent. Sometimes, this can mean adding an element to the digital marketing funnel. In the case of Aimee Turner, Director of Media Strategy & Analytics at Moon Rabbit, it’s often awareness, education, consideration, and conversion. 

“How do we meet each individual within individualized messaging, that next step?” she asked. “They’re not just grouped or deciled or by diagnosis. Now they’re humans…I think it comes down to intent. You have to reach the person when they are intending to consume the information.”

Faraz Siddiqui, Vice President of eNutrition in North America at Reckitt, said that one of the most important things to remember when marketing to DTC audiences is that someone might be experiencing strong emotions surrounding a diagnosis or health event like a pregnancy. 

“When you are dealing with healthcare marketing, you are not only trying to get your message out there, you need to be cognizant of the fact that you’re dealing with an individual who is dealing with some sort of anxiety…and that’s where I think orchestration makes so much more sense,” he said.

How can PulsePoint help

PulsePoint offers a unique and unified omnichannel marketing experience by continuously leveraging real-time HCP demographic, clinical, and digital insights before and after a campaign launch. This comprehensive approach improves campaign management efficiency, optimizes budget allocation, and provides a holistic view of the HCP journey, from brand consideration to trial. By consolidating data in this way, PulsePoint allows for a thorough impact assessment from the HCP's perspective rather than just focusing on engagement within specific channels.

Four key features enable PulsePoint’s platform to deliver more omnichannel bang for your media buck: 

1. HCP insights

We use proprietary data and Authenticated NPI^TM technology to create comprehensive identity graphs and reach authenticated, verified NPIs. Over time, this enables marketing teams to gather one-to-one audience insights across a brand’s entire addressable population, regardless of channel or device.

2. Fast, intelligent measurement 

We offer instant visibility into omnichannel campaign results. At the macro level, brands can simultaneously evaluate person-level impact at the media and clinical insights levels. Then, they can use these insights at the micro level to drive channel-level influence down to the tactic level. This helps marketers further refine campaign and overall marketing strategies and is integrated into our programmatic platform for immediate activation.

3. HCP identity, insights, and activation

PulsePoint’s health marketing platform is the first to create real-time connectivity between identity, insights, and activation. This means pharma marketers know the authenticated identity of the HCP they reach, have insight into their needs and actions before the campaign launch and behaviors after the campaign ends, and can instantly reach that HCP wherever they go next in one platform. 

4. Automatic optimizations

Our Real-Time Intelligence Loop powers your omnichannel healthcare marketing campaigns, offering immediate results that can be used to make more informed decisions and better influence HCP activity. When a campaign goes live, our intelligence loop enables brands and healthcare marketers to optimize budgets where they are delivering the most impact, refine targeting to reach HCPs likely to take action and determine which HCPs should get which creative.

For more information on our omnichannel offering, download A Practical Guide to Omnichannel HCP Engagement here. 

Watch the panel “Sequence Matters: The Value of Orchestration” below. 

‍

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is omnichannel marketing, and why is it essential for pharmaceutical companies?

Omnichannel marketing is a strategy that integrates various communication channels to create a seamless and unified customer experience. For pharmaceutical companies, this approach is essential because it enables them to effectively reach both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and direct-to-consumer (DTC) audiences across multiple platforms, ensuring consistent messaging and a more personalized experience.

2. How does orchestration enhance omnichannel marketing?

Orchestration in omnichannel marketing goes beyond just connecting multiple channels. It involves coordinating audience, environment, content, and format related to a specific user journey. This approach allows marketers to tailor interactions based on individual needs and behaviors, leading to more effective campaigns and improved outcomes.

3. Why is it important not to treat every channel the same way in omnichannel marketing?

Different channels attract different audiences, and each audience interacts with content in unique ways. Treating every channel the same can lead to missed opportunities for engagement. Effective orchestration requires understanding the nuances of each channel and customizing content and interactions to match the preferences and behaviors of the audience on that platform.

4. What role does audience understanding play in successful omnichannel orchestration?

Audience understanding is crucial for successful omnichannel orchestration. By putting themselves in the shoes of the target audience, marketers can better anticipate how different segments think, feel, and interact with brands. This insight allows for more personalized and effective communication that resonates with the audience’s specific needs and motivations.

5. How does PulsePoint’s platform help in delivering a unified omnichannel marketing experience?

PulsePoint’s platform leverages continuous, real-time HCP demographic, clinical, and digital insights to provide a holistic view of the HCP journey. This approach enables the delivery of a unified omnichannel marketing experience by enhancing campaign management efficiency, optimizing budget allocation, and consolidating data for comprehensive impact assessments from the HCP perspective.

6. What are some of the key features of PulsePoint’s platform that enhance omnichannel marketing campaigns?

Four key features of PulsePoint’s platform include HCP insights, fast and intelligent measurement, real-time connectivity between HCP identity, insights, and activation, and automatic optimizations powered by the Real-Time Intelligence Loop. These features enable more informed decision-making, better budget allocation, and more effective targeting and engagement.

7. How does PulsePoint’s Real-Time Intelligence Loop contribute to campaign success?

PulsePoint’s Real-Time Intelligence Loop provides immediate feedback on campaign performance, allowing marketers to optimize their strategies in real-time. This includes refining targeting, reallocating budgets to areas with the most impact, and adjusting creative content to better influence HCP activity, ultimately driving better campaign outcomes.

8. Why is it important to prioritize people over brands at the top of the funnel?

At the top of the funnel, consumers are more focused on their own needs and concerns than on brand identity. Prioritizing people over brands means creating content that resonates with the audience’s personal experiences and emotions. This approach helps build trust and relevance, making it more likely that the audience will engage with the brand further down the funnel.

9. How can individualized messaging improve engagement in omnichannel marketing?

Individualized messaging meets each person where they are in their journey, addressing their specific needs and intents. By delivering personalized content that speaks directly to the individual’s current situation, marketers can foster deeper connections and drive more meaningful interactions, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

10. What considerations should be taken into account when marketing to DTC audiences experiencing strong emotions?

When marketing to DTC audiences dealing with strong emotions, such as those surrounding a diagnosis or health event, it’s important to be sensitive and empathetic. Orchestration allows marketers to craft messages that acknowledge and address these emotions, creating a more supportive and understanding interaction that resonates on a deeper level with the audience.