Helping marketers shape up for the job
pharmafile | April 2, 2007 | Feature | Business Services, Sales and Marketing |Â Â PRIME, marketing, pm society, recruitment, trainingÂ
Marketing is defined in the New English Dictionary as all the processes involved in moving goods from the producer to the consumer. So, in an age where the consumer has so many products to choose from, it is essential that marketers are focused and armed with the necessary skills to ensure their message gets through to the right audience and presses the right buttons.
The pharmaceutical industry has to work within a highly sophisticated market and it is, therefore, particularly important that pharmaceutical marketers are able to fine-tune their basic marketing tools to make them relevant to the industry. Also, good quality training is especially important for pharma marketers as they hold key roles in what is increasingly becoming a brand-led business. As many employees move internally from sales into marketing, it is essential that they are educated and trained appropriately in all aspects of pharmaceutical marketing in order to carry out their roles effectively.
Andrew Davis, Prime steering committee member and ex-managing director of Takeda adds: "It takes two years from appointment for a new marketing person to be able to really do the job, so anything that can reduce this time would be of great value."
Filling the gap
In 2004, The Pharmaceutical Marketing Society, with its 30 years of experience and commitment to the education and skills development of its members, conducted research among members and non-members that identified a need for specific pharmaceutical marketing training to develop relevant marketing skills.
At that time, it appeared that while there were many individual marketing training courses available for pharma marketers, there was no single, comprehensive, practical marketing programme aimed specifically at them. Many of the courses available provided useful insight into different aspects of pharma marketing, but did not seem to provide everything that was needed. Rather than competing with these existing training schemes, the PM Society decided to address the needs identified, draw on its experience and that of industry and marketing experts, and deliver a bespoke training programme that would satisfy the industry's particular requirements.
Consultation and development
Independent, not-for-profit organisation the Pharmaceutical Marketing Society has been running successful and well-attended marketing modules for many years. Its mission is to develop the knowledge and skills and enhance the success of individuals and organisations involved in pharma marketing and to promote the continuous improvement in standards of pharma marketing practice.
With this in mind, the role of developer of a comprehensive training initiative was an excellent fit, and as a highly respected organisation, the society was well qualified to undertake the training of pharma marketers and the service industry personnel with whom they work.
Indeed, it was evident from the PM Society's research and subsequent steering group discussions that pharma marketing training was not only essential for aspiring marketers from the manufacturing companies, but also just as relevant to personnel from the service specialist sector. These personnel are key to a successful marketing campaign and need to understand the intricacies and peculiarities of the industry just as well as the marketers from pharma companies. The content of any course developed for the industry, therefore, needs to reflect the relationship requirements of service and manufacturing companies and build on the importance of the understanding between the two groups in ensuring marketing effectiveness.
During the programme development phase, consultation with an expert steering committee, made up of some of the industry's leading members and academics, was essential. All their comments and feedback were taken on board and the society and steering committee worked with marketing experts The MSI Consultancy to develop the right content for the programme. The content was then developed in line with the society's mission statement to bring together people engaged in pharma marketing, enable the exchange of ideas, the development of knowledge and skills and to enhance the success of both individuals and organisations.
Who can benefit?
PriMe 1 – The essentials of pharmaceutical marketing – is aimed at newly appointed or aspiring marketers, or those who interface with marketers in the service sector, and provides a comprehensive introduction to the basic principles of pharmaceutical marketing over the course of three days. Delegates are taught about the importance of brand values, operational planning, implementing an effective marketing mix and measuring its effectiveness, and are also given an introduction to market research and how to work with agencies.
PriMe also offers seven optional modules, which are more specific and run for either one full day or half-day. Topics covered include: key issues in competitor assessment; NHS organisation and structure and its implications; and making effective use of market research. Modules are designed to appeal to those who interact with operational marketing, such as medical, finance, project managers and agency staff, as well as developing marketers.
Participants can either complete the core module plus a minimum of three optional modules (within two days) to receive full certification, or alternatively, they can select a number of optional modules to build their understanding in specific needs and acquire a module-specific certificate.
The training is delivered by a team of consultants from The MSI Consultancy specialising in healthcare marketing who have all had first-hand senior marketing and sales experience and have a reputation for delivering insightful and workable solutions to commercial healthcare problems around the world, together with a number of external experts including academics and leading industry figures.
Positive feedback
PriMe has received very positive feedback from its graduates, who generally find that PriMe 1 – The Essentials of Pharmaceutical Marketing – is relevant to their everyday work and easy to apply in the office because of its simple step-by-step approach and the practical examples given. They also find the mix of industry and agency beneficial as this provides them with the opportunity to look at the challenges of marketing from both sides.
The bosses, the delegates and the PM Society all agreed the PriMe courses were beneficial: Mark Crowder of Schering Healthcare found the course to be "nicely challenging".
"The atmosphere was very relaxed and open, which allowed people to express their opinions fully and everyone was very participative."
Gloria Gibbons, chairman of Ogilvy Healthworld and member of the PriMe steering committee, sent one of her client directors on the course to assess its relevance for her staff. Feedback was excellent and she believes that this course fills a gap in the market and could benefit established agency personnel as well as new recruits.
Philip Chin, managing director of Langland and member of the PriMe steering committee, was equally pleased when his staff returned from the course highly motivated and able to put into practice what they had learned.
Sandy Thomson, chairman, PM Society said on behalf of the PM Society committee: "We are delighted by the uptake for PriMe from both the pharmaceutical industry and service sector. We have had engagement from more than 48 companies and 177 delegates to date. It is the only marketing programme available that is really tailored specifically for the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on real-life case studies and practical implications of the key pharmaceutical marketing principles."
The next core module is running from 10-12 May 2007. To book a place and for details about the PriMe programme, upcoming dates for the core and optional modules, costs and venue details go to www.prime.pmsociety.org.uk
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