Email Campaign Design & Deployment

Have you ever received an email where you had to search high and low on how to take action? Unless it was something you were really interested in, chances are your search ended in a frustrated “forget it!” quickly followed by hitting delete.

A frustrated user is also less likely to engage the next time your healthcare marketing email lands in his inbox, a reaction brought about by the process of conditioning (in this case, negative conditioning).

Consumer data privacy is more than a “hot topic” these days; it’s become a major concern for many. The Cambridge Analytica breach involving millions of Facebook users was just one of the data disasters that exposed widening holes in personal data protection. As a result, regulations such as GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 have been implemented in an attempt to attack the gaps.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is also entering into the discussion, with a recent statement proposing a federal privacy framework which would preempt state law on matters concerning data privacy. This federal structure, they claim, is necessary in order to provide “certainty and consistency to consumers and businesses alike.”

The drive for increased personalization in marketing, regardless of industry, means those on the receiving end of marketing messages have become more fastidious of where they devote their attention. Email messaging that lacks relevance will likely fall to the bottom of a healthcare provider’s digital mail pile, while communications that provide timely, meaningful information rise to the top.

So, anytime you can learn more about your healthcare provider audience—and thus tailor messaging accordingly—you should never pass up that opportunity. Email testing is one of the most helpful ways to accomplish this.

It’s a rare occasion to find solutions that are cost-conscious, highly effective, and fast-acting. One attribute is typically sacrificed for another. In healthcare marketing, email is that very thing—encompassing all of these positive traits.

One of the reasons email works so well is because it is physicians’ preferred messaging channel. Seventy-three percent of physicians report email as their top choice for communication. If you expect to succeed in reaching and engaging physicians, email should be a cornerstone in your marketing mix.

When pharma marketers think about email campaigns, metrics like opens and click-throughs immediately come to mind. It’s nearly impossible to develop successful campaigns without these fundamental measurements.

Yet newer metrics are equally valuable. That’s because the next generation of digital measurement provides individualized data about healthcare professionals (HCPs) who visit medical websites. With audience identity data and digital journey data, pharma brands can connect the dots between email and website marketing in order to produce highly effective, integrated digital campaigns.

When emails land in your inbox, you'll likely have one of three immediate responses: positive, negative, or neutral. I’m not talking about invoices or bill payment reminders—no one finds joy in relinquishing money—but rather marketing-style messages, newsletters, etc.

Chances are, a negative reaction ends in a quick delete. You might save the neutral ones to open at some point (or not). But, the ones you deem as a positive will definitely get an open—usually sooner than later.

The fervor surrounding the European Union’s implementation of its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation is feeding an increased expectation to respect the privacy rights of the individual. Other initiatives—right here in the United States—are taking hold. On June 28, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) of 2018, blazing the trail for heightened personal data control and protection in the U.S.

Whether you’re on a job interview or a first date, “first impressions” play a significant part in determining what happens next. You’d never show up to either of these meetings disheveled—with mismatched shoes, a wrinkled suit, and bedhead—and expect it to go any further. The same applies to sloppy email subject lines and preheaders. Blow it once and you may not get a second chance.

It’s been said that being frugal doesn't just mean saving money. It means spending your money wisely. While an initial minimal spend can pay off, more often than not, an immediate investment in a quality product saves you money down the road—not to mention time and effort.

This philosophy has great bearing on a financial investment in data as well. Unfortunately, unscrupulous email list vendors have no problem selling you a poor quality list, whether they charge you top dollar or mere pennies. You’re left with empty promises, no matter how much you spend.

It’s easy for emails to get lost in any crowded inbox. But when you’re sending your messages to busy healthcare professionals, the challenges are magnified.

With an email open rate of 12 percent in the healthcare industry, most marketers recognize getting physicians’ attention is no easy task. It requires carefully crafted emails that send clear messages—often in just a line or two.