Come Across Newsletter - Issue 7

In this issue: Brave New World 3 : Marketing in a Multistakeholder World - Recent Across Health activities - Google Adwords Ad Link - Chart in focus - Boosting quality of digital offerings - Book review : The New Normal
 

Underpromise. Overdeliver!

It is proving to be another important year for customer-centric innovation in Life Sciences, with a strong focus on digital and, increasingly, mobile. The tipping point has clearly been reached…However, we should be careful not to raise expectations too high. In the end, digital is not a “silver bullet” – in fact, more often than not, it will not be able to solve business problems where other approaches failed again and again. Yes, it can lower the cost to serve…increase reach and frequency…generate unique customer insights and build customer preference…leverage the power of networks…etc etc. But left in isolation and without resources and robust processes, it will not be able to move the needle the way management may expect it to.

It is therefore a bit alarming that I am starting to see signs that the digital hype is creating a “bubble” in pharma not unlike the bubble that was created during the first internet hype about 10 years ago.  Most pharma marketers admit not to know very well what their customers are doing online, what the competition is doing and which strategies and tools to apply to address the opportunity (or issue). If that is combined that with digital agencies which are trying to sell their “products” and “websites” regardless of the client needs and expertise -- and who often do not know how pharma markets its products “offline”, disillusionment can follow quickly. So, it is very much a matter of managing expectations – and not to overpromise and then underdeliver.

Am I now pleading against my own business? Actually/of course not – on the contrary even…I do think that the time of “putting your toe into the digital water” is gone, and we should take the plunge in the deep end of the pool. But the diver should be able to swim, and be skilled enough in the art of diving before he takes the jump. In this way nobody will get hurt or even drown, and the swimming pool will not be closed because it is too dangerous…

Of course, the metaphor is not really fitting now the summer has definitely come to an end…I would therefore like to leave you with this “timeless” quote: “New media never replace existing ones. Instead there is a convergence leading to old media being used in a new way (Riepl's law -- 1913!)”

Bye for now,

Fonny Schenck

Managing Director
Across Health

PS If you want to see some expert ‘divers’ @ work, do come to our half-day (afternoon) Brave New World seminars chock-full with best-practice cases -- Brussels (BE), 30 September and Breukelen (NL) on 8 October. We already have over 70 delegates… More info