Personas in the pharmaceutical industry

Initial situation: Complex from product to target group

The sales and marketing strategy in the pharmaceutical sector in particular is characterized by a complex customer approach and customer journey. Unlike other industries, whose products are aimed at either B2B or B2C customers, both are often the case simultaneously in the pharmaceutical sector. Data-based buyer personas help here by addressing the needs of customers in a more targeted manner. The product segments, which are aimed at B2B, B2C or both groups, also make customer-centric marketing more difficult. Simplified, the product range can be divided into three areas in this context.

1. Medical supplies and medicines that are exclusively for clinical use and/or prescribed by physicians
2. Medical supplies and medications that do not require a prescription but are purchased primarily on the recommendation of physicians or pharmacists.
3. Medical supplies and medicines that do not require a prescription or intensive consultation. These include, for example, dietary supplements, cosmetics and cold remedies that are freely available to customers on the pharmacy's shelves or displays.

Three target groups can be derived from these product categories, which are addressed in the marketing and sales process either individually or together:

1. Physicians and healthcare professionals: These are experts who are primarily convinced by facts and figures about the effectiveness of the products. Their goal is to help patients as efficiently and quickly as possible. At the same time, doctors are also concerned about their own reputation. In the stressful daily routine of clinics and practices, medical supplies should be easy to use and medications should have as few side effects as possible. This is a factor that is crucial both for the well-being of patients and for the reputation of physicians.
2. Pharmacists and pharmaceutical technical assistants (PTA): Like doctors, they are also experts when it comes to medications and their areas of application. In addition to the well-being of their customers and their reputation, cost pressure and competition also play an important role. Stationary pharmacies in particular are competing with the growing range of online providers. Marketing and sales strategies that are geared to the stationary trade and support sales are well received.
3. While doctors, medical professionals, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical technical assistants (PTAs) belong to the B2B (business to business) target group, patients and pharmacy customers belong to the B2C (business to consumer) sector. In the B2C sector in particular, there are significant differences in terms of values, demands, consumer and media behavior.

The challenge: pharmaceutical companies often address both the B2B and B2C sectors. When it comes to the decision or purchase of medicines, both doctors and pharmacists (B2B) and the patients themselves (B2C) are involved. Depending on the product category, the focus is sometimes on one target group, sometimes on the other. For example, when purchasing an insulin pump, the needs of the patient are the main focus. However, the diabetologist in charge decides on the specific model or makes recommendations between which patients can choose. Although the patient is an essential part of the customer journey, he or she is only indirectly involved in the purchase decision. However, there is a high probability that the physician will prescribe the insulin pump of a manufacturer that fits the patient's habits. For this reason, both target groups are equally important for sales and marketing. An example: Max is just about to graduate from high school. Max never leaves home without his smartphone: He uses it as a means of communication, for entertainment, and to measure his blood sugar via Bluetooth. He has been using an insulin pump since elementary school. Now he needs to replace the old model with a new one. His diabetologist therefore suggests two insulin pumps that can also be controlled via smartphone and linked to his blood glucose app. The diabetologist read about both manufacturers in a trade journal and then requested studies, which are promising. While Max receives an information brochure for end customers from the first manufacturer, he has frequently seen promotional videos and mini-tutorials on TikTok about the second pump. This is one reason why he decides in favor of the second model after doing his own research.

The situation is different for products such as natural cosmetics, which are available without a prescription in pharmacies and are freely accessible to customers. Here, pharmacists decide whether to sell the product. However, it is primarily end customers who participate in sales. Their purchases decide whether the pharmacist keeps the cosmetics in his or her range. This means that sales and marketing for end customers come first. In practice: If the marketing department of a pharmaceutical manufacturer offers good advertising materials such as posters, displays and product brochures with added value for end customers, the likelihood that pharmacists will include the product in their range increases. Presence in TV and online advertising can also have an influence. In some cases, product training courses are also well received, with pharmaceutical representatives from the company passing on their knowledge of the drug. The aim here is to convince PTAs of the benefits of the drug at a professional level. This increases the likelihood that they will actively recommend it to customers.

data-driven personas in the pharmaceutical industry: risks and opportunities

Both scenarios show: Pharmaceutical companies always address more than one target group. In order to convincingly address both B2B and B2C customers, companies need to know both - and in as much detail as possible. In the case of Max, for example, the insulin pump manufacturer knew that he uses TikTok and likes to watch short tutorials. At the same time, the diabetologist became aware of the product through a professional article. But how do you get to know as many target groups as possible in as much detail as possible? The best way is with a data-based persona. To do this, companies collect internal customer and market research data and use it to create a customer profile:

• Demographic data: Age, gender, place of residence and housing situation, household size, net household income.
• Education and occupation: education , industry, specialization (e.g. for specialists), working environment, working conditions
• Hobbies and interests: Indoor and outdoor activities, general recreation
• Goals and values: both in the private and professional context
• Looking to the personal future: family and career
• Innovation type: provides information on how the target group views technical
  and medical innovations.
• Media consumption: entertainment and trade media (print and online), social networks, preferred media formats (e.g. blog post, whitepaper, podcast)
• Attitude towards nutrition and health
• Mobility behaviour and attitudes towards mobility issues
• Travel behaviour

The problem: Collecting, analyzing and evaluating data costs a lot of time and money. The logical consequence for many companies is therefore to reduce the amount of data to the information that is easily available. A mistake! If too little data is available for the persona, a stereotype is created that only partially corresponds to the real customers. If there is also a lack of data on information such as media consumption or the values of the persona, those responsible have to make decisions based on gut feeling when it comes to advertising campaigns and PR measures, for example.

It is therefore better to use data-driven personas from service providers such as the Persona Institute. The Persona Institute incorporates both customer and numerous market research data into the analysis. With the help of AI, data experts create customer profiles that are 100 percent industry-relevant and scientifically based. In this way, pharmaceutical companies receive customer profiles for both the B2B and B2C sectors within a very short time. This means that companies know the exact preferences and requirements of their target groups and are always one step ahead of the competition.

Seven benefits of a data-driven persona for pharma companies

1. Data-based and scientifically sound customer:inside profiles for the
   B2B and B2C sector - industry and subject-specific
2. data-driven personas of the Persona Institute are based on representative data from more than 12 countries and are therefore also suitable for international business.
3. On request, the integration of customer and company data is possible.
4. Concrete recommendations for action for marketing and sales in the Persona Playbook
5. data-driven personas Facilitate a customer-centric approach both online and in direct consulting, for example by the field sales force
6. For online services and health offerings, the data-driven persona enables an optimal user experience and provides up to 72% faster lead conversion time
7. With the Persona Institute, companies have the possibility to update personas within a very short time. This way you always stay up to date