INBOUND 2013 had me wondering… Is the pharmaceutical industry ready for inbound marketing?

I said absolutely and the inbound perspective is needed now more than ever. I came back with a few takeaways to share with the pharma industry.

INBOUND Takeaway: It’s All About the Connection

Seth Godin was the opening keynote at INBOUND 2013. Personally I can’t help but be motivated and inspired when I hear Seth speak and this time was no different. His main message was that like it or not – we’re all inbound. Gone are the days of it’s all about me or my company, people don’t want to do business with the self-absorbed. It’s all about the connection. Successful companies will be those that make an effort to understand and truly connect with their customers.

We are leaving the industrial economy and entering the connection economy. Seth told us, “building connections is the asset of the future.” I can’t think of a better takeaway for the pharmaceutical industry – connect with your customers.

I see another perfect opportunity for pharma to go inbound. What do you think? How can pharma connect with the health consumer? What pharma companies are already making the connection?

Last week, as INBOUND 2013 was getting ready to start, I pondered the question…  Is the pharmaceutical industry ready for inbound marketing? My answer then was yes; my answer now is absolutely.

INBOUND 2013 was an awesome week of networking, new ideas and exploring different perspectives. It was enabling and motivating. I came back with a few takeaways to share with the pharma industry.

INBOUND Takeaway: The Audience is the Hero

Communications expert Nancy Duarte, told us the audience is the hero in the stories we tell, not the speaker. The audience holds the power, not the speaker. She went on to tell us that successful presenters and communicators will keep this dynamic in mind when sharing information. If the audience rejects your information, you communication fails.

This got me to thinking about the health consumer. They are the heroes; they hold the power, not the pharmaceutical industry. They want non-biased information they can use to make personal health decisions, they want to be educated and supported. Health consumers are driving the engagement; successful pharma companies will listen and respond with content that provides value.

I see a wonderful opportunity for pharma to go inbound. What do you think, should pharma be engaging with the health consumer?

As I travel to Boston for INBOUND 2103 I can’t help but ask myself, is my industry – the pharmaceutical industry – ready for inbound marketing? I believe, without a doubt, that it is ready. Unfortunately concerns around patient privacy have made pharma a cautious business. Personally I can’t think of an industry more in need of inbound marketing and I see the empowered patient as the catalyst.

The patients and health consumers of today are educated, savvy individuals that seek out information to better manage their own health. They want to know about preventative care, they want to understand their different treatment options, they want be an active participant in their own care – and they should be. They are after all, intimately involved in this process we call healthcare.

For more on the topic:  CROWDPulse: Searching for health information online 

I see some raised hands… What exactly is inbound marketing? Good question and one we should answer before this discussion goes any further. According to HubSpot, the undisputed authority on all things inbound, it’s the best way to turn strangers into customers. 

In a nutshell, inbound marketing uses quality content to draw people into your company or business. Share information that’s valuable to your customers and they’ll come to you. Who doesn’t want that? Also seems like a good fit for the pharma industry – patients that want information and companies that have a wealth of knowledge and resources to share.

INBOUND 2013 kicks off tomorrow and while I understand the HIPAA and FDA constraints placed on the pharma industry I’m excited to apply some new thinking to engaging and connecting with the health consumer. Stay tuned, there’s more to come on pharma and inbound marketing efforts.

Are you a pharmaceutical marketer attending INBOUND 2013? Drop me a message via the awesome INBOUND app and let’s connect.