Migrating Pharma to Web 2.0

I had occasion this week to write the specification for two website redesigns. And that has set me thinking about the new state of affairs within the wide range of marketing communications that includes a website as a communication tool.
When I was taught my trade we had a series of headings in our marketing budget and plan that included the word “Collateral” which used to mean anything-printed-that-promotes-our-brand.
Well, collateral now includes digital stuff as well as print and it is where I’d list a website in this group of communication tools. Now for the hard bit. Is a “monologue” website appropriate for the 21st century? Answer that for pharma and then for other brands and industry sectors. Are they different or do the same rules apply?
What do I mean by monologue? Well when Web 2.0 first came along I used to explain the difference between web 1.0 and web 2.0 as being monologue versus dialogue. Web 2.0 tools enable consumers to talk back and have conversations with pharma brands. We’ve already written about the web 1.0 challenges that pharma has got to embrace and overcome. And so the question is should we do web 1.0 first before moving onto web 2.0?
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When I was working as a brand marketing manager I would regularly get calls from colleagues and ad sales folk trying to sell me ‘last minute’ space in their trade publications. I had a very firm rule to answer all of them “is it in the plan?”
If our plan didn’t include a budget to buy last minute space that was a ‘great deal’ then we didn’t buy it. No matter how wonderful the offer was. Period.
And I feel there’s a parallel here with website specifications. What does your marketing plan and communications plan look like? Does it include dialogue with consumers / physicians and trade partners in the public arena of the internet?
If I were still a brand marketing manager, I’d be saying ‘no’ to requests to go on Twitter, Facebook, or your favourite Ning group. Play safe - if it isn’t in the plan we won’t be doing it.
And yet customers have always wanted to talk back – to tell us what they think about our products and services. Often with a helpful undertone but frequently in the most annoying manner and at inappropriate times and places.
This is precisely the sentiment that web 2.0 enables. Talking back.

Have a look at this just-launched website that went live this week. OK it’s for a Cambodian pharma company. It includes lots of lovely information in different categories and sections. But nowhere is the customer or prospective customer encouraged to voice an opinion that can be viewed by others who visit the site. “Please email or call if you want to get in touch”. We have no way of capturing your enquiry except through email (which may be linked to our CRM system) or taking a phone message. The news page is built in blogging software with an RSS feed but comments are not enabled. Shame. What might they learn from allowing customers to talk back? I guess they’ll never know.

Now there are tools that enable users and customers to rate a company and one is Plebble. Download the toolbar and whenever you visit a site that has a Plebble rating (from plus 5 to minus 5) it changes colour to indicate net positive or negative experiences by users of that site and the company’s customers. Very neat. Helped me move my custom away from a mail order contact lens supplier who had terrible customer service reports recently.

Now look at BlogPulse and search for your brand or company name. It’ll tell you all the places where people are writing about you on blogs. Check out the search feature in Twitter and do the same.

Learn anything? All positive experiences and engaged audiences? Or a disgruntled and annoyed folk?
Forums are another place where opinions are voiced about you and your brands. I met a business who work for brands participating on forums and writing answers to customers enquiries. This shows up in Google natural search and contributes to strong SEO results. They get well paid for their service because brand marketing managers don’t have time to do this themselves for all the brands and all the forums across the whole web that their brand gets mentions.

So back to the start, when specifying your website are you going to let customers have dialogue with your brand on a site where you run the show or not? If your site isn’t enabled for web 2.0 yet – why not add ‘signposts’ from it to places where discussions take place so that you can get involved.