Pharma marketers: Keep oncology HCP messaging short with a compelling brand story, says report

Oncology pharma marketers should keep messaging short and to the point when they interact with clients while telling the story of their brand, and always make sure to back up that story with data.

That’s according to healthcare consultancy ZoomRx, which, over the past two years, analyzed around 30,000 interactions between healthcare professionals (HCPs) and pharma sales representatives for 500 brands in the cancer drug market.This included a range of personal promotion interactions—in-person, video conference and telephone calls.

They found three key components on what HCPs focused on treating cancer want to see. First up on messaging length: Keep it short, ZoomRx said. “No HCP has the time to read a long, detailed promotional message,” the consultancy reports in its new white paper. “Shorter messages greatly increase both brand perception and the likelihood of prescription.”

You want a specific number? “Messages with 10-14 words proved most effective,” they found. But make sure it conveys the best of your brand. “Of course, short, compelling messages alone aren’t enough,” the white paper adds. “They need to weave together to build a clear story that conveys a compelling value proposition, one that resonates with your target HCPs.”

Don’t go overboard with the messaging here. ZoomRx found that around four messages are the sweet spot. “Although HCPs may remember your messages, our research shows that if they recall more than five brand messages, their likelihood of prescribing plummets,” the report showed.

But the data gleaned from the analysis found that sales reps had a “significantly higher likelihood” of increasing prescription rates when HCPs recalled three to five messages.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to add data to your messaging. “We have seen that a data-backed statement will have a much higher impact on a sales rep’s success than simply highlighting the benefits of your product,” the report found.

Specifically, ZoomRx said HCPs care most about two things: Is it effective, and is it safe? So, make sure to add in these answers with data from clinical trials. If you do, ZoomRx’s analysis found this is the “greatest likelihood of increased prescribing,” particularly when focusing in on efficacy from study data.