Surprised to read that title? Think I’ve finally gone off the deep end (it’s been a long time coming after all)? I’ve been spending so much time discussing how social media depends on personal interactions, why would I advocate for ignoring the consumer during a social media engagement? Common wisdom suggests that you should listen, respond and interact with the consumer to provide a personal brand experience and to cultivate brand loyalists. Surely, ignoring the consumer isn’t the way to go about building brand loyalty—is it?
Glad you asked.
Tell me: who is the consumer? Is it me, you or the guy in the cube next to you? Go ahead; I’ll wait while you ponder the answer to that question. The reason you are struggling for a response is because “the consumer” doesn’t exist. The consumer is a statistical body that points out buying trends, tendencies and behaviors among a group of people. The consumer is an entity that is extremely important to the advertising industry because it highlights how to reach the most people possible with a single message. Consumers are what motivate companies like Budweiser to buy ad spots on channels like ESPN during football games. Because the consumer is a statistical entity, it is utterly useless when it comes to social media.
My advice to pharmaceutical companies seeking to engage in social media: forget about the consumer; focus on the customer (in this case, the patient). Social media at its core is relationship marketing. Relationship marketing is predicated on forming 1:1 relationships with customers and engaging in meaningful conversations. The 1:1 aspect of social media makes dealing with the statistical body that is the consumer nearly impossible.
Marketing programs that are focused on the consumer are inherently set up to hit as many eyeballs as possible. It falls squarely into the realm of traditional marketing techniques. A social media engagement that focuses on the supposed needs of the consumer is doomed to fail because it sets the expectation that a blanket message is appropriate. That won’t fly in any social media circle and it certainly won’t fly when you are dealing with people’s health. Focusing on the consumer is the type of thinking that breeds lazy approaches to PR and social media (think spamming reporters, leaving the same comment in 55 different locations, mass blasting a group of bloggers with the same pitch).
In the case of healthcare, patients are on social networks for a unique experience. It appeals to such a large number of people because each individual gets a different experience. Shaping your engagement based on “the consumer” stomps out that aspect. Pharmaceutical companies need to focus on the customer/patient. This brings social media down to the individual level and provides a greater understanding of what is unique about each individual.
Health is highly personal, social media should be too.
Twitter Comment
My advice for pharma social media: “Ignore the consumer.” Surprised? Keep reading: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @PRforPharma: The case for ignoring the consumer in your pharma social media strategy: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
The case for ignoring the consumer in your pharma social media strategy: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
My advice for pharma social media: "Ignore the consumer." Surprised? Keep reading: http://bit.ly/8IvQID
The case for ignoring the consumer in your pharma social media strategy: http://bit.ly/8IvQID
The case for ignoring the consumer in your pharma social media strategy: http://bit.ly/8IvQID
RT @PRforPharma: The case for ignoring the consumer in your pharma social media strategy: http://bit.ly/8IvQID
RT @PRforPharma: The case for ignoring the consumer in your pharma social media strategy: http://bit.ly/8IvQID
I think it depends on your definition of “consumer”. The “consumers” for pharma are actually the one’s who take the medicine – i.e. the patients.
You are referring to “consumers” as the general public.
Our problem is we don’t know who our customers are or what they need. It used to be easy, it was doctors and pharmacists, that’s about it really. But now, all kinds of other “customers” are in the mix – and we don’t know how to handle it.
Twitter Comment
Customers, not consumers: but is this really the target of BigPharma in Social Media Marketing? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
My Advice for Pharma Social Media Programs: Ignore the Consumer [link to post] via @AddToAny
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Customers, not consumers: but is this really the target of BigPharma in Social Media Marketing? http://tiny.cc/cVucu
My Advice for Pharma Social Media Programs: Ignore the Consumer http://bit.ly/7cFuvW via @AddToAny
Pete, you raise an interesting point. But one point of clarification first: I think you are highlighting the point I am trying to make in defining consumers. In general, consumers are a statistical entity. As you said, in the case of pharma, the real consumer is the patient. I agree 100%. The patient is where the focus should be and not on the statistical body of people.
But your point on the different customers that are in the mix is interesting. You are right, it used to be how to get a doctor to write a prescription and ensure it is filled was the name of the game. That game has changed. There are a number of new customers in the mix that complicate the messaging and communications process. I would venture to say that only highlights the need for social media engagement strategies. With such a segmented audience, a mass marketing type of approach is bound to fail. A social media engagement strategy that tailors its efforts to each audience is far more likely to provide value.
Very interesting POV. but you dont elaborate on the practical side – what would be a good wxample of messaging the customer and not a consumer – do you think this also apply to OTC?
Social software is not just about end users. There are significant regulatory and business reasons for pharmas not to want to get into the open social media space with patients.
My advice to pharma is change their business model with their primary customers – their doctors and the rest of the clinical care team. There is fertile opportunity to use social software in the doctor- medical sales rep/medical area interaction without reaching all the way down the food chain to end user patients.
Danny
My Advice for Pharma Social Media Programs: Ignore the Consumer http://bit.ly/7cFuvW via @AddToAny
cdebie
@PRforPharma:My Advice for Pharma Social Media Programs: Ignore the Consumer http://bit.ly/7cFuvW
Interesting commentary on my post from last week on why pharma should ignore the consumer in social media engagements: http://bit.ly/8IvQID