Leslie C. North, a speaker at the marcus evans PharmaMarketing Summit 2014, discusses how pharma companies could better engage with their target groups. Interview with: Leslie C. North, Former Vice President, Marketing, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals

1. Engaging the Four Target Groups in Pharma Today:
Why a Coordinated Approach is a Must
efficacy, but also pharmacoeconomic
data that supports putting the drug on
formulary, especially if it costs more.
Interview with: Leslie C. North,
Former Vice President, Marketing,
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals
“Pharmaceutical product marketers
have always had to get the target,
message and frequency right; that has
not changed. However, with healthcare
reform, they now have four different
groups of targets, each one requiring a
different strategy. To be competitive, a
coordinated approach is a must,” says
Leslie C. North, Former Vice President,
Marketing, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals.
North is a speaker at the marcus
evans PharmaMarketing Summit
2014, taking place in Palm Beach,
Florida, May 12-14.
How is pharma marketing changing? What advice do you have for
brand strategy building that would
help improve customer retention
and brand equity?
We have four different targets, where
healthcare providers, consumers, payers
and now hospital groups are all keys to
success. Each target requires a separate
and substantial strategy and approach.
It is critical that the different approaches are coordinated between the
sales, marketing and market access
teams, and they must be involved at the
inception even before clinical trials are
done. To be competitive when it comes
to the four targets, there must be
studies that demonstrate safety and
Patients continue to be critical, as they
can have a significant impact on a payer
or hospital group if patient demand is
sufficient. Providers are important
because if they are unaware of the
brand profile or do not see value in it,
they will not prescribe it even if patients
ask for it. Payers and hospital groups
are also critical and they must now
respond to new regulations and
guidelines that can have a significant
impact on the bottom line, patient
satisfaction and outcomes. Use of nonformulary brands can result in penalties
to providers and patients, yet patient
satisfaction and outcomes are paramount.
What strategies should this
coordinated approach include?
The approach must have strategies
designed to maximize patient involvement and facilitate a passion for the
brand. It has to include strategies to
ensure healthcare providers are familiar
with and see value in the brand and be
willing to prescribe it. Lastly, there must
be a focus on the new guidelines and
regulations to insure payers and
hospital groups see how the brand can
add value to patient satisfaction,
outcomes and or the bottom line.
What about the message itself?
If there is no science to back up a value
message to payers, hospital groups and
providers do not bother communicating
it. With consumers, you have to be
where they are with a message that
builds the relationship and passion they
have for the brand.
In your experience,
engage patients?
what
helps
Patients must know you exist. Then
they need to see value in your brand.
What value represents has become
complicated with healthcare reform, but
it all boils down to understanding the
customer. Do the market research and
have conversations with the customer to
understand their needs, to put together
an insightful strategy around how to get
them engaged. Every patient is an
individual, however, you can boil them
down to certain psychosocial or
demographic groups, then look at them
from various perspectives. If there is a
way to approach them, so they feel the
message is personal, that adds a lot of
value.
The approach
must have
strategies
designed to
maximize
patient
involvement
and facilitate
a passion for
the brand
Any final comments?
Be comprehensive, from the inception.
Make sure your strategies for patients,
providers, payers and hospital groups
are coordinated, and that the messaging
for each of them is based on science
and something of value to them.

2. About the PharmaMarketing Summit 2014
The
Marketing
Network
–
marcus evans Summits group
delivers peer-to-peer information
on strategic matters, professional
trends
and
breakthrough
innovations.
This unique forum will take place at the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, Palm Beach,
Florida, May 12-14, 2014. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or
trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought
leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event.
The Summit includes presentations on digital marketing, building a brand strategy,
generating new revenue streams and boosting physician engagement.
www.pharmamarketingsummit.com
Please note that the Summit is a
closed
number
business
of
event
participants
and
the
strictly
limited.
Contact
Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division
Tel:
Email:
+ 357 22 849 313
press@marcusevanscy.com
For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com
All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly
inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss
strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to
individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, case studies, roundtables and one-on-one business meetings.
For more information, please visit: www.marcusevans.com
Upcoming Events
CMO Summit (Asia Pacific) - www.cmoanzsummit.com
CMO Japan Summit - www.cmojapansummit.com
To view the web version of this interview, please click here: www.pharmamarketingsummit.com/LeslieCNorth