E-detailing Trends
Are we witnessing the death of the salesman?
Figures from a 2009 survey of physicians suggests that might be the case. Just 17 percent of doctors say they want traditional, linear contact from sales reps. Not surprisingly, the industry is responding, cutting sales rep numbers to an expected 75,000 by 2012, from 102,000 in 2007.
Instead of reps, 43 percent of physicians favour e-detailing. Another 23 percent would like to replace some sales calls with e-detailing. As more and more doctors migrate to physician-only websites, online sources of information and interactive formats, the use of e-detailing in marketing plans is expected to rise over the next two years.
“We have moved into a post-marketing age,” observes Alex Butler, strategic marketing manager at Janssen stressing that the web is changing how physicians want to communicate, interact and conduct business with pharma sales.
“Doctor’s don’t want messages as such,” he adds. “they want the opportunity to comment, to have dialogue, to share their thoughts.” In E-Detailing Trends, FirstWord examines the critical role of e-detailing in the pharma marketing lexicon. Based on interviews with five industry leaders and key experts, the dossier reviews the latest e-detailing developments. From the importance of delivering tangible intelligence and embedding e-details into physicians’ mobiles to the use of a broader e-detailing environments and the need for analytics to determine digital channel effectiveness, the report offers up-to-the-minute insight into an emerging movement. Concise, reliable and authoritatively researched, the report is a critical guide to a marketing industry in flux.
Scope
The report offers insights into:
Figures from a 2009 survey of physicians suggests that might be the case. Just 17 percent of doctors say they want traditional, linear contact from sales reps. Not surprisingly, the industry is responding, cutting sales rep numbers to an expected 75,000 by 2012, from 102,000 in 2007.
Instead of reps, 43 percent of physicians favour e-detailing. Another 23 percent would like to replace some sales calls with e-detailing. As more and more doctors migrate to physician-only websites, online sources of information and interactive formats, the use of e-detailing in marketing plans is expected to rise over the next two years.
“We have moved into a post-marketing age,” observes Alex Butler, strategic marketing manager at Janssen stressing that the web is changing how physicians want to communicate, interact and conduct business with pharma sales.
“Doctor’s don’t want messages as such,” he adds. “they want the opportunity to comment, to have dialogue, to share their thoughts.” In E-Detailing Trends, FirstWord examines the critical role of e-detailing in the pharma marketing lexicon. Based on interviews with five industry leaders and key experts, the dossier reviews the latest e-detailing developments. From the importance of delivering tangible intelligence and embedding e-details into physicians’ mobiles to the use of a broader e-detailing environments and the need for analytics to determine digital channel effectiveness, the report offers up-to-the-minute insight into an emerging movement. Concise, reliable and authoritatively researched, the report is a critical guide to a marketing industry in flux.
Scope
The report offers insights into:
- Key trends in e-detailing, including the use of mobile technologies
- The blending of traditional sales and e-detailing in marketing
- Breakdown of pharma spending on e-detailing and factors shaping its use
- Discussion of the types of e-detailing, including directed versus self-directed online sessions
- Overview of the importance of content and how to customize messages
- Use of new e-detailing environments such as physician-only online communities
- Insights into the timing—and future—of e-detailing
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
Decline of the sales rep
Rise of the e-physician
Doctors on the move
PHARMA SPENDING ON NEW MEDIA
Pharma spending on e-detailing
FACTORS SHAPING THE E-DETAILING MARKET
Interaction
Convenience
Compliance
TYPES OF E-DETAIL
Directed virtual online session
Interactive
Via video
Self-directed sessions
The detailing mix
Value conversion
CONTENT IS ALL IMPORTANT
What physicians want?
Incentives for physicians
Customising messages
Understanding the medium
The importance of a good brand
Key opinion leaders
E-DETAILING AND SALES REPS
Can the e-detail replace the rep? No
Can the e-detail replace the rep? Yes
Improving rep performance
TIMING OF E-DETAILS
Best product life stage for e-detailing
KNOW WHERE YOUR PHYSICIANS ARE
Physician online communities
Enclosed digital environments
New online solutions
Case study: Boehringer Ingelheim
MEASURING ROI
FUTURE OF E-DETAILING
More interaction
Concept of e-detail changing
M-details
Getting the message right
INTRODUCTION
Decline of the sales rep
Rise of the e-physician
Doctors on the move
PHARMA SPENDING ON NEW MEDIA
Pharma spending on e-detailing
FACTORS SHAPING THE E-DETAILING MARKET
Interaction
Convenience
Compliance
TYPES OF E-DETAIL
Directed virtual online session
Interactive
Via video
Self-directed sessions
The detailing mix
Value conversion
CONTENT IS ALL IMPORTANT
What physicians want?
Incentives for physicians
Customising messages
Understanding the medium
The importance of a good brand
Key opinion leaders
E-DETAILING AND SALES REPS
Can the e-detail replace the rep? No
Can the e-detail replace the rep? Yes
Improving rep performance
TIMING OF E-DETAILS
Best product life stage for e-detailing
KNOW WHERE YOUR PHYSICIANS ARE
Physician online communities
Enclosed digital environments
New online solutions
Case study: Boehringer Ingelheim
MEASURING ROI
FUTURE OF E-DETAILING
More interaction
Concept of e-detail changing
M-details
Getting the message right
