Microtargeting: We Can Do it; We Just Don’t!

By Marc Dresner, IIR USA

You’ve still got mail…. And it feels so…quaint.

All of us still depend on email every day, but as marketers, we tend to neglect it, underestimate it, and deploy it in campaigns like a blunt instrument while we wait for something better to come along.

It’s time we take a step back and put a rumor to rest:

Email is not on life support; quite to the contrary, it’s an untapped marketing goldmine.

That’s according to Dr. Roger Korman, president of DMD, who says any reports of email’s death are outrageously exaggerated.

Korman claims one needs to look no further than the digital giants—Google, Microsoft, Apple—who’ve made headlines lately by investing hundreds of millions in an email turf war.

Full disclosure: Korman’s company specializes in connecting sponsors with healthcare industry stakeholders, and email is its digital forte.

But before you dismiss his claims on the basis of bias, you ought to bear in mind that the former SVP of IMS Health’s credentials are impeccable—I’ve done my homework—and he and his colleagues are doing things with the data collected from email that many pharma marketers haven’t yet recognized are entirely possible.

“Microtargeting is virtually non-existent in the digital space, which is criminal,” says Korman.

Korman stressed that the ability to harness all of the data email generates in order to reach the right individual with the right message at the right moment in the right format on the right device is a massive, unexploited game changer waiting to happen.

“We have the data. We know their routines and preferences at the individual prescriber level,” he said. “Any company that uses even a small fraction of the information that’s available will seize competitive advantage and start to create distance between themselves and their competitors.”

In this podcast interview for Inside ePharma, Korman:

• Dispells major misconceptions
• Outlines the Big Data opportunity
• Explains the need for speed, where med-legal fits and more!

Listen to the podcast here!

Download a transcript!

Editor’s note: Roger Korman will personally conduct a special workshop on Creating Effective Email Marketing Strategies at the 12th annual ePharma Summit taking place March 4-6 in New York City.

To attend DMD’s workshop and network, Monday only, in the ePharma exhibit hall at a special discounted rate of $595, please contact Misha Shah at mshah@iirusa.com.

To attend the entire ePharma Summit from March 4–6, including DMD’s workshop, please register as DMD’s guest and receive 25% off the standard registration rate when you enter this special priority code: XP1806DMD. Please visit the online registration site, call 888-670-8200, or email register@iirusa.com.

What was your biggest break?

I failed to get a job in epidemiological research at a Philadelphia area hospital, but the person I interviewed with recommended me to her friend at IMS. I started as a manager of data analysis in Ambler, Pennsylvania and finished my career 25 years later having run IMS operations in 25 countries.

What’s the best and/or worst part of your job?

No doubt, the best part of my job is synthesizing developments in digital communications and social marketing into pragmatic steps clients can take today to increase their ROI in the email channel and in personalized digital interfaces. Serving as a trusted adviser to clients is about finding the value from an ever-expanding array of digital possibilities and then sizing it and adapting it into concrete steps that demonstrate return today. The notion of a “long-term solution in digital marketing” is a contradiction in terms.

Where did you go to college? Did it help you prepare for your career?

I attended Brooklyn College, which taught me how to analyze information and how to write about it. Everything else since then has been an expanded commentary on those themes.

Who is the person you admire most in your area of work?

I most admire Prof. Edward Tufte who is the leading authority on the visual display of quantitative information. Tufte is all about taking masses of data and reducing them down into comprehensible snapshots that enable action. We know data are the keys to performance—it’s the making sense of them that is our first challenge.

What’s the view like from your office/work area?

My office is an 8 x 8 office, 11 foot high ceiling, with no windows that looks out onto the entire world through three computer screens and two tablets. I always start my day by reading about a dozen online newsletters that transport me out into the world, and from there I work my way back to my office to work on “the most important thing,” whatever that is.

How long is a typical meeting with clients?

Today’s clients have barely enough time for one-hour meetings. I tell my staff that our job is to bring in the first 10 minutes.

What was your greatest professional challenge?

Moving from a $2 billion dollar company to head up a $2 million dollar company ten years ago. I went from the very established field of market research to the exploding and very unstructured field of digital communication. I certainly have learned some new dance steps along the way.

Where will you be in five years?

I will be right here, grasping at the strains of digital communication, so I can synthesize them into channels that our clients can use to reach their audiences. I have never felt as alive doing anything else.

What are your favorite industry-related Web sites? Non-industry?

Industry related: Mediapost; Non-industry: Wired

What books are you reading?

A biography of George Washington by Ron Chernow.

With more than 40 years in the pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing industry, Mastracchio joined DMD in early 2012 as an executive consultant. He applied his years of experience in pharmaceutical sales, critical strategic thinking, medical communications, and marketing solutions to increase the market penetration and productivity of DMD and its clients.

Known for his innovative business strategies and market-shaping development programs, Mastracchio has been responsible for the financial growth of numerous industry organizations. He has enabled companies to transform from project-based businesses into strategic-based businesses. Having held multiple executive positions at leading companies, such as Roche Laboratories, Health Learning Systems (HLS), Churchill Communications, Cardinal Health, HealthSTAR Communications, Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, Syandus, URXmobile, and STA Healthcare Solutions, Mastracchio has brought even more more healthcare connections and C-suite access to DMD.

“In the few months that Joe consulted for DMD, he has proved to be an integral asset to our growth strategy,” said DMD President Roger Korman, Ph.D. “As executive vice president, he will use his long-standing experience and innovative approaches to discover new ways to improve our clients’ marketing results.”

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com

Workshop participants will learn first-hand the critical design factors that generate performance in email—the most widely used digital, promotional channel. This workshop will explain the common pitfalls of healthcare professional email marketing that hinder performance. DMD gurus will review the “12 Commandments” of high-performance campaign design and the “Three Second Rule,” which is DMD’s make-or-break factor in success.

Challenged to work in groups to create their own email campaigns, the workshop participants will consult with the industry’s digital expert, Pat Hottinger of DMD, who has overseen more than 10,000 email campaigns and meet leading innovators in mobile web applications and design.

“Our highly-received workshop series shares DMD’s inside knowledge, based on the analytics and experience we’ve gained from deploying more than 200 million emails,” said DMD President Roger Korman, Ph.D. “We aim to educate our participants, so that they can use their new knowledge to improve their companies’ email results, immediately following the workshop.”

To conclude the workshop, an expert panel of judges will provide feedback. Prizes will be rewarded to the team with the best campaign.

To register for the ePharma Summit, click here, and enter XP1806DMD in the priority code field to receive 25% off the standard registration rate.

For more information about DMD, please visit www.dmdconnects.com.

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique, direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com

By sending multiple choice or open-ended questions via text message, Truth On Call enables the healthcare industry to immediately ascertain answers from thousands of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, optometrists, pharmacists, dentists, and hospital chief financial officers.

With a database of more than 1.6 million HCP email addresses, DMD offers data-driven consulting, gathered from the more than 200 million emails it has deployed. The partnership between DMD and Truth On Call will allow both companies to offer their clients the total package of reaching HCPs digitally via email and text message.

“We are broadening our clients’ digital reach every day,” said DMD President Roger Korman, Ph.D. “We have been and continue to be the frontrunner for email deployment in our industry, but with Truth On Call, we are now a one-stop shop for HCP digital communication. Truth On Call has outstanding technology and business strategies, and we are proud to work with them.”

“Truth On Call is very excited to partner with DMD,” added Truth On Call Founder and CEO Rosina Samadani, Ph.D. “DMD has the same emphasis on HCP verification that we do. Merging our technology with DMD’s database gives our clients unprecedented access to the largest group of verified HCPs for market research in the industry.”

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals.

About Truth On Call

Truth On Call is an innovative short message service (SMS) communication platform that enables efficient communications with authenticated healthcare professionals at unprecedented speed. Truth On Call interacts with physicians through their native phone platform, obviating the need for a smartphone, application download, or Internet connection. Thus, the communication fits into the physician’s natural workflow and yields very high response rates. As a market research solution, Truth On Call provides the industry access to feedback from physicians and other healthcare professionals in minutes with the highest verification levels in the industry.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com

Workshop participants will learn about email best practices and test their knowledge when teaming up with other attendees to create an email campaign for the Wounded Warrior Project—an organization that honors and empowers those wounded in the military. DMD will present a special guest from the Wounded Warrior Project to explain the organization’s mission and share a powerful story.

“It is an honor to work with an organization like the Wounded Warrior Project, while sharing the email knowledge we have gathered over years of heavy research and experience,” said DMD President Roger Korman, Ph.D., a healthcare data management expert with more than three decades of experience in the field. “Our participants will feel a sense of accomplishment by making a contribution to a vital cause, while learning at the same time.”

This workshop will explain the common pitfalls of healthcare professional email marketing that hinder performance. DMD gurus will review the “12 Commandments” of high-performance campaign design and the “Three Second Rule,” which is DMD’s make-or-break factor in success.

Toward the end of the workshop, an expert panel of judges will provide feedback. Prizes will be rewarded to the team with the best campaign.

DMD President Roger Korman, Ph.D., will also be holding a session on “Redefining Creative in the Mobile-Digital Environment,” during the Digital Pharma East conference on October 17 from 4:30 to 5:10 p.m. Attendees will learn how the migration to the mobile-digital environment impacts return on investment and the marketing process, in terms of creative and regulatory review.

Throughout the duration of the conference, DMD will run a booth for attendees to learn more about the DMD advantage, which offers the industry’s best source, coverage, size, and service.

To register for Digital Pharma East, please click here, and enter C125DMD in the priority code field to receive 15% off the standard price of the conference.

For more information about DMD, please visit www.dmdconnects.com.

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals.  As a subsidiary of Aptilon Corporation, DMD contributes its targeting and communication capabilities to Aptilon’s integrated multichannel delivery and interaction management solution.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com

PharmaVOICE featured an article about each of the 100 industry players in its July/August edition. Korman’s article stated, “Passion, personality, and a great business ethic sum up Roger Korman, Ph.D.” PharmaVOICE noted that one of his greatest accomplishments was building a consortium of healthcare organizations for DMD that ultimately created millions of connections across the healthcare field.

“Roger’s intelligence, enthusiasm to learn, and business sense make him one of the greatest teachers and mentors I have ever worked for,” said DMD Chief Operating Officer Mark Gleason. “Roger has propelled DMD’s performance to new heights.”

To learn more about Korman and the rest of DMD’s key team members, please visit http://www.dmdconnects.com/dmd-advantage/?team.

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals.  As a subsidiary of Aptilon Corporation, DMD contributes its targeting and communication capabilities to Aptilon’s integrated multichannel delivery and interaction management solution.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com

With more than 40 years in the pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing industry, Mastracchio will offer his expertise in pharmaceutical sales, critical strategic thinking, medical communications, and marketing solutions to increase the market penetration and productivity of DMD and its clients.

Known for his innovative business strategies and market-shaping development programs, Mastracchio has been responsible for the financial growth of numerous industry organizations. He has enabled companies to transform from project-based businesses into strategic-based businesses. Having held multiple executive positions at leading companies, such as Roche Laboratories, Health Learning Systems (HLS), Churchill Communications, Cardinal Health, HealthSTAR Communications, Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, Syandus, URXmobile, and STA Healthcare Solutions, Mastracchio will now bring more healthcare connections and C-suite access to DMD.

“Joe’s impressive industry presence is unmatched and will immensely help us expand our ever-growing network,” said DMD President Roger Korman, Ph.D., a healthcare data management expert with more than three decades of experience in the field. “He has already brought increased strategic focus and several new ideas to DMD.  We look forward to deploying his new and improved practices to grow our customer base and drive more client share and value.”

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive, target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals.  As a subsidiary of Aptilon Corporation, DMD contributes its targeting and communication capabilities to Aptilon’s integrated multichannel delivery and interaction management solution.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com

Facebook Vice President John Patten and OPUS Health Vice President and General Manager Paul Kandle joined Korman on the panel discussing marketing advancements as well.

A major issue discussed on the panel was whether healthcare professionals (HCPs) will open emails sent directly from a company or brand.

“If the right HCPs receive emails with intriguing subject lines that speak to them, the open rates dramatically increase,” said Korman. “If you add relevant email content and an enticing design, the click-through rates will dramatically increase as well. Relevance counts more than sender identity.”

However, Korman explained that sender identity still plays a role in email effectiveness. Because of this, DMD facilitates client partnerships with major medical publications to leverage sender identity.

Recognized as a leading, digital marketing spokesperson, Korman participates in several conferences each year, giving multiple speeches and presentations on the use of email marketing. For updates and alerts on upcoming presentations, follow DMD on Twitter @DMD_Digital: https://twitter.com/#!/DMD_Digital.

For more information about DMD, please visit its website at dmdconnects.com.

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive, target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals. As a subsidiary of Aptilon Corporation, DMD contributes its targeting and communication capabilities to Aptilon’s integrated multichannel delivery and interaction management solution.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com

DMD prides itself in maintaining an effective database that works. To guarantee successful delivery, the database is updated daily and has multiple addresses for each physician, including personal and business email addresses. The database covers 700,000 physicians, matching 85 percent of target lists across all specialties and deciles. Additionally, demographic, prescribing, International Classification of Diseases (ICD), and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) data are available for researching and defining target groups.

“As more physicians rely on email to educate themselves, our database continues to grow through our partnerships with educational resources,” said DMD President Roger Korman, Ph.D., a healthcare data management expert with more than three decades of experience in the field. “Simultaneously, we continue to expand our consultative expertise to ensure that clients achieve the very best results this channel can offer.”

For more information about DMD’s services, please visit dmdconnects.com.

About DMD

DMD is a national leader in connecting healthcare markets through comprehensive, target-audience deployment services. DMD provides unique, direct communication solutions to clients in the medical publishing, pharmaceutical marketing, medical advertising, health delivery system, and allied health sectors. With innovative technology and numerous consultative services, DMD enables its clients to create millions of connections with their targeted healthcare professionals.  As a subsidiary of Aptilon Corporation, DMD contributes its targeting and communication capabilities to Aptilon’s integrated multichannel delivery and interaction management solution.

Media Contact:
Lauren Berger
DMD
973-945-5047
lberger@dmdconnects.com