Improve engagement in HCP promotional education programs through
needs assessment
Understand key value drivers and differentiators of HCP
promotional education in an increasingly restricted environment
The pharmaceutical marketing environment is undergoing painful
changes in its approach to promotions. Declining access to
customers limits your ability to rely on the sales force to
establish share of voice. Marketing teams need to optimize other
opportunities to interact with and influence health care
providers.
The delivery of promotional education programs such as dinner
series, roundtables, webcasts and symposia is one of these critical
opportunities. If executed correctly, these programs allow
companies to find a more neutral ground on which to share with, and
learn from, their customers.
The HCP Promotional Education Needs Assessment is a holistic
approach that incorporates qualitative market research and
competitive benchmarking to generate a 360-degree picture of the
educational landscape: the content, channels and formats that HCPs
value. Ultimately, the results of this assessment will increase the
value of each dollar spent on promotional education programs.
Wondering how to motivate HCPs to engage in your promotional
education program?
How the HCP Promotional Education Needs Assessment Works
The Needs Assessment combines 3 components:1. Insights from a
companys
primary research2. Benchmarks and innovations
uncovered through competitive intelligence research
3. Internal stakeholder interviews
First, ZS gathers internal perspectives to evaluate a companys
current approach to promotional education, determine where there
are gaps and learn from bright spots that may exist.
Next, ZS designs and conducts qualitative research to explore
education value drivers, perceived differentiation opportunities,
needs, current gaps, ideas for new programs or services, and
environmental trends that may influence future education
consumption or preferences.
In parallel, ZS uses our experienced researchers to benchmark
competitor activities - documenting and comparing programs offered
by major competitors.
The outcome is a thorough understanding of the content, channels
and formats that HCPs value and how those should be prioritized.
The brand team receives a report card detailing how well they are
engaging their customers through education, along with specific
recommendations for improvement. This enables the brand team to
become more customer-driven in their promotional education resource
investments.
Needs Assessments often give rise to an ongoing education
assessment mechanism to ensure that companies remain responsive to
the evolving needs of customers.
How ZS Helped A Company Raise Its Game in Promotional
Education
Having determined they needed to rethink their approach to
promotional education programs, a company sought to understand why
current programs were ineffective and the value future programs
could bring.
ZS conducted a HCP Promotional Education Needs Assessment to
help the company evaluate how existing programs were perceived,
define customer wants and needs, and develop a plan with innovative
approaches that could differentiate them from competitors.
The assessment revealed that customers perceived a lack of
credibility in some program content, driven by lack of speaker
involvement in the content development. As a result, the client
acted to engage its speakers for future programs. This information
was shared with marketing teams across the organization to inform
their tactical planning and resource allocation.
What an HCP Promotional Education Needs Assessment Delivers:
Provides insight into the needs, wants, and value drivers of key
customers
Guides your brand team to think more about what customers
want
Improves return on resources by upgrading predictability of HCP
receptivity to and attendance at programs
Arms brand teams with fundamentals to proactively address
changes in the promotional landscape
Motivates the design of more innovative and competitively
differentiated programs
For more information about ZS Associates please contact our
experts at: [email protected] www.zsassociates.com
2011 ZS Associates, Inc.
Understandwhat education
HCPs desireand value
Designprograms andinteractionsthat addressHCP needs
Strengthenthe foundationfor delivery ofpromotional
efforts
Generatepositive impacton HCP access &
relationships
Increase thevalue delivered
with eacheducational
program
