10 Practical & Effective Ways to Micro-Target and Blend Analytics, Marketing & Sales in Your Biopharma CRM

The biopharma industry faces a unique challenge in blending analytics, marketing, and sales into a cohesive strategy, particularly when targeting healthcare providers. While large biopharma organizations may have the resources to integrate machine learning models for next-best-action recommendations or suggested, most companies lack the scale to implement such sophisticated systems. As a result, the pendulum often swings to the other extreme—relying on simplistic decile volume-based targeting.

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However, there is a middle ground that can offer precise targeting without the computational overhead: micro-targeting based on specific variables. These variables can be incorporated into analytics within a CRM system and later serve as features for scalable AI models. Gridlex’s AI, ML and Data Engineering solutions can help make the transition.

 

In Gridlex's Biopharma-focused CRM, analytics views and lists offer high levels of customization and configurability, directly integrated within the CRM platform. These elements are synthesized into actionable talking points and specialized call-recording activity templates, which sales reps can leverage during outreach efforts. This cohesive system enables immediate value delivery, sidestepping the pitfalls of cumbersome technology implementations that yield uncertain returns. Gridlex published a detailed guide on how to evaluate a Biopharma CRM here, which can be used to avoid pitfalls and make the right choices. 

 

Here, we enumerate various practical and effective micro-targeting strategies that span across multiple segmentation variables for both physician focused and Hospital focused Biopharma companies.
 

1. Market Share Based

Physician-focused: Target physicians who primarily prescribe competitor drugs but see a high volume of patients. Enhance their familiarity with your drug's efficacy and safety profiles to capture more market share.

 

Hospital-focused: Identify hospitals where competitor drugs are prevalent but where a large number of relevant procedures are conducted. Position your product as a superior alternative, underlining its clinical and economic advantages.

 

2. Alignment with Organization

Physician-focused: Independent physicians may have more flexibility in choosing therapies compared to those aligned with larger healthcare systems. Use this opportunity to introduce them to the distinct advantages of your products.

 

Hospital-focused: Hospitals within extensive healthcare systems often face bureaucratic complexities in procurement. Adopt a top-down strategy, concentrating on key decision-makers who can influence choices at multiple facilities.

 

3. Payer Dynamics

Physician-focused: Understand the payor, copay and other dynamics for your physicians and create segmentation variables and talking points accordingly. 

 

Hospital-focused: Target hospitals that are part of Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) you already collaborate with. Stress how your products meet the GPO's procurement criteria.

 

4. Patient Population

Physician-focused: For practices in affluent regions, emphasize the premium aspects of your product, like superior efficacy or fewer side effects and tailor your positioning based on physicians serving less affluent areas.

 

Hospital-focused: In hospitals serving underprivileged communities, highlight your product's cost-effectiveness and its potential to improve outcomes given various social determinants of health (SDOH) challenges.

 

5. Micro-Geographies

Physician-focused: Physicians within the same medical complex or neighborhood frequently share knowledge. Success with one can often lead to easier access to others.

 

Hospital-focused: Hospitals within a particular region or state often share best practices. Converting one hospital successfully can make it easier to approach others.

 

6. Therapeutic Area Specialization

Physician-focused: Segment your physician targets based on their specialty since specialization drives the patients needs and resulting efficacy and safety needs. 

 

Hospital-focused: Target specialized departments like pediatric units where your drug or device would meet specific needs.

 

7. Marketing Engagement

Physician-focused: Physicians who engage well with marketing content such as webinars, events and symposiums may will have a different interest level than those who have not heard of you.

 

Hospital-focused: Hospitals highly responsive to marketing initiatives could be open to products that can easily integrate into their existing systems.

 

8. Research and Academic Inclination

Physician-focused: Physicians involved in research are often on the lookout for cutting-edge products. Highlight your product's innovation and research-backed effectiveness.

 

Hospital-focused: Hospitals affiliated with research or academic institutions are often more willing to try new therapies or products still under investigation.

 

9. KOLs & Referral Network Strength

Physician-focused: Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) & Physicians central to large referral networks can offer broader product exposure. Cultivating relationships with them can lead to network expansion.

 

Hospital-focused: A hospital that is central to an expansive healthcare network can be a crucial influencer. Securing their endorsement can have a domino effect on other hospitals in the network.

 

10. Early Adoption Potential

Physician-focused: Physicians who have historically adopted new drugs quickly are prime targets for your latest offerings. They are more likely to be interested in new therapeutic options.

 

Hospital-focused: Institutions that have shown early adoption tendencies can be ideal for launching your most innovative products. They often strive to stay at the forefront of medical advancements.

 

By applying these micro-targeting variables, biopharma companies can create customized marketing and sales strategies for both physician and hospital-focused sales outreach campaigns within the CRM. These variables also lay the groundwork for a future transition to more advanced, AI-driven analytics models.