Update

As a follow-up to last week's post, I thought I'd share this recent article about pharma companies using social media: 

FDA Official Tells Blogger That Pharma Social Media OK

The Role of Online Communities

At last fall's Eye for Pharma eCommunications and Online Marketing Summit, the Director of Electronic Communications for a major pharma company talked about navigating the brave new world of online communities. Before and since hearing that presentation, I've been thinking a lot about "social marketing" and its role or place in what we do as pharma marketers.

Today, 5 of the top 10 websites are social sites: YouTube, MySpace, Wikipedia, Facebook, and Blogger. Next year that number is expected to rise to 7 out of 10. This is clearly a trend not to be ignored. Many people -- including your sales and marketing targets -- are spending valuable time on these types of sites, engaging with their peers and seeking information.

So how can we develop online communities that are meaningful for physicians -- or pharmacists, PBMs, or payers -- in a way that provides real value, while also sharing our key messages? I'm interested in your thoughts on this subject. Post a comment here or e-mail me at awestmeyer@rmarketing.com.

REZULTZ

The license plates on my car speak directly to my passion for measurable results. I love being right -- who doesn't? -- and there is simply no better way to make the right decision than by relying on data to show you the way. I'm amazed at how many of the 20 different pharma executives I've talked to in the last month have been managing their businesses with old and aging data. It's like driving a car by looking in the rearview mirror.

Data, when delivered in a timely and actionable way, can help you make the right decision. This week, I invite you to tell me your biggest promotional data challenge. Send me a quick e-mail at awestmeyer@rmarketing.com. I'm compiling information for a strategic brief on the work we're doing to create real-time promotional response data, and I'd love to learn if we can help address  your challenge.

I gotta run -- the open road is calling!