Yes we still need the salesforce post-pandemic
Digital is not a replacement for the pharma salesforce; its role is to enhance the effectiveness of the salesforce by providing complementary communications and supportive services. Integrated Channel Communications, or Omni-channel Marketing, includes both digital and human channels – with human interactions still believed to be the most impactful channel in healthcare. What is interesting is the evolution of the role of the Sales Representative, MSL and other customer-facing team members into a hybrid of digital and virtual channel tactics. The salesforce can also act as a multiplier to your other channel efforts, by driving traffic to those channels or utilising those channels in their own interactions to enhance the value they are adding.
With the continuing pandemic challenges, the use of other channels by the sales or marketing teams makes resource allocation, a critical exercise to ensure you make good use of valuable and high-cost resources, even more complex.
Traditional Salesforce Sizing
What do you need to consider when conducting a salesforce sizing exercise?
New Challenges
There are probably other factors that come to mind as you read the list above. Salesforce sizing was already a challenging exercise and now requires a wholistic multichannel resourcing exercise.
If you intend to leverage digital channels along with the salesforce, adding another layer to your segmentation, for example, ‘communication preferences’ will help target your communication strategies. Attitudinal and behavioural categories can help you refine the right content to be shared with individuals. These will require some market research and validation.
Types of service models you may be considering:
Customers, patients and stakeholders will have multiple touchpoints. When developing a multi-channel campaign, you may face these challenges:
A multi-channel approach is inherently more complicated than selling through a single channel. Channels often have to be carefully aligned with each other for maximum benefit, and more channels usually add more complexity. Take the time to consider the salesforce involvement in each scenario and where they can be leveraged to increase the effectiveness e.g. salesforce visit before a webinar to increase attendance and post a webinar to follow up. The Sales Representatives should always be given the visibility of activities across other channels, so they can make contact in person or via digital meeting tools with better information, drive traffic to other channels and of course make the best next decision to drive adoption and loyalty.
Allocating budget and resources to multiple channels without a clear strategy is wasted money. Optimizing your resources in alignment with your strategy in accordance with customer needs and preferences will help to ensure that you achieve your desired results.
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Article Contributor: Melanie Brown, Managing Partner
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The Actando Consulting Team