Website Updates That Will Help Your Sales Reps Communicate Better with HCPs
Chris Mulvaney is the CEO of CMDS. I make things... I’m the creative entrepreneur with passion for (re)making brands and inventing solutions to problems no one knows exist.
Pharma sales reps face nearly insurmountable odds in today’s environment. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors barely had enough time to spend with reps as it was, but now they’re facing an even bigger barrier. In fact, as of two years ago, only 44% of HCPs were classified as “accessible” to sales reps — and this statistic has only continued to decrease. Before the COVID crisis, reps that managed to get face time with doctors were only given an average of two minutes.
Reps still need to pitch new products and innovations, but how?
Virtual Engagement is Here to Stay
Virtual engagement with HCPs is here to stay and will continue to require new ways to establish meaningful connections. Pharma websites truly serve as the primary tool to offer HCPs the information they want, when they actually have time to digest it. For brand managers, a pharma website that can serve as both a backup for sales reps, as well as a standalone informational resource for inaccessible HCPs, can help make marketing efforts significantly more effective.
When visiting a pharmaceutical website, HCPs care most about staying abreast with current research, ongoing clinical trials, upcoming innovations, drugs in the pipeline, and the ability to translate this technical information for their patients. However, all too often, HCPs are forced to share medical journal articles or extremely technical information with patients, overwhelming them, instead of supporting them.
HCPs are on the search for a reliable pharma website that not only provides the technical information they need, but also provides the tools they need to educate their patients.
Pharmaceutical brand managers can support doctors by updating the website to include a patient resource center for HCPs to pull relevant content from to share. Additionally, linking a “patient version” within the technical HCP-focused content helps streamline and strengthen the pharma-HCP-patient link.
Digital HCP Communication Tools
A clear and simple, yet informational, message is key to communicating with HCPs.
But now, the struggle lies in relevancy. To identify the needs of your target HCPs, take the time to express empathy, rethink messaging, offer solutions and build stronger partnerships. These ideas can help you deliver the information they want, in the way they want it.
Talk to an experienced pharma website developer at CMDS for ideas specific to your company.
Debrief sales reps about what questions HCPs are asking at their in person visits.
Create a toolbox for reps to reference so they don’t have to spend valuable facetime covering common questions. Reps can provide HCPs with links to the tools in advance or as a follow up to their meetings in order to maximize time spent with the prescriber.
Design a clear, easy to navigate site layout.
The simpler, the better.
Not only will sales reps appreciate the ability to show HCPs the info they want quicker, but the faster site visitors find the information they want, the less likely of bouncing to another source.
Create a dedicated section for each information type. Offer shortcuts to all clinical and technical research, but also offer highlights and bullets identifying key takeaways. Consider distilling impactful information into patient-ready content that HCPs can immediately share
Be timely and current.
Feature a news section for HCPs to keep up to date.
Offer new release, near-term and long-term pipeline updates. Don’t just focus on research and clinical trials, but also real world stories that can help doctors and patients prepare for the future.
Offer multiple versions of the same content.
Medical journal articles and clinical research should be featured alongside digestible versions for HCPs to share with their patients. Pair technical content alongside an educational video targeted towards patients.
Add short videos to the website.
Research shows that doctors remember up to 90% of information from videos. Adding short videos can make a huge impact. Videos can make the message more personal, feature a recognized specialist, or provide an easier way for patients to understand diagnoses and impacts.
Develop an HCP community.
Consider creating a forum or portal for specialized HCPs to connect with other professionals in their field. Add resources, training, coursework, tools and other useful content HCPs will want to engage with regularly.
All HCPs are Not Alike
Is your pharma website customized for its audience?
The next step in pharmaceutical marketing is to develop a pharma website that caters to individual HCPs. Pharma sites should tailor the visitor’s experience based on who they are and what they are looking for at that time…even after the pandemic ends.
Next, obtain quality, detailed lists. Whether you get the lists naturally through sales reps, conferences or newsletter subscriptions, or purchase them from reliable data sources, lists can be easily combined with email campaigns to deliver the right content, at the right time to targeted HCPs.
Additionally, create a simple popup to classify site visitors based on whether they are a doctor, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, pharmacist or patient. This can help pharmaceutical companies funnel visitors to the right content.
Are you sales reps struggling to make an impact with HCPs?
Make your website part of the team by boosting its effectiveness among HCPs and giving your sales reps the tools they need to succeed. Contact CMDS today at 732-706-5555 or click here to get started!
