Why There Is a Constant Disconnect Between Biopharma Marketing and Sales

In the biopharma industry, aligning marketing strategies with sales execution is crucial yet challenging. This disconnect often stems from CRM system limitations, training gaps, data management issues, and rapidly changing market dynamics. Understanding these challenges is key to developing cohesive strategies. This article explores these critical areas, examining how Gridlex's Biopharma CRM addresses each concern, offering innovative solutions to harmonize marketing efforts with sales activities, and ensuring effective and coherent commercial operations in the biopharma sector.

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1. What Marketing Sets as Priority is not followed by Sales

Imagine a biopharma company, Acme, launches a new cardiovascular drug with superior efficacy data. Marketing identifies cardiologists in large metropolitan areas as the primary target due to the higher prevalence of cardiovascular issues. Despite the clear directive and provided lists, sales reps continue focusing on their existing contacts, primarily general practitioners in smaller towns, due to the CRM's inability to highlight and prioritize new targets effectively.

 

Root Cause: Technology Limitations in CRM

At the heart of this issue lies the challenge of defining target and priority lists in the CRM. Marketing teams meticulously craft strategies and identify key targets based on sophisticated analytics. However, this valuable insight often gets lost in translation due to the technological limitations of traditional CRM systems. These systems, while robust in data storage, fall short in translating complex analytical outputs into simplified, actionable directives for sales representatives. The result? Sales teams are often left navigating without a compass, unaware of or unable to act upon the strategic priorities set by marketing.

 

How Gridlex's Biopharma CRM Addresses This Gap
 

 

2. Idealized Marketing Messaging Not Carried Forward by Sales at the Moment of Interaction

At Biopharm Inc., a compelling narrative is crafted around a new diabetes medication, emphasizing its unique ability to improve long-term patient outcomes with fewer side effects. However, when the sales team engages with healthcare professionals, they fail to communicate these specific benefits. Instead, they revert to generic discussions about drug pricing and dosage, not the patient-centric advantages that marketing meticulously strategized, leading to a missed opportunity to truly differentiate the medication in a crowded market.

 

Root Cause: Training Gap in Translating Marketing Messaging

The core issue here lies in the gap between the detailed marketing strategies and the on-ground execution by sales representatives. While marketing teams develop comprehensive messaging focused on the distinct advantages of products, sales reps often struggle to convey these messages effectively. This challenge is partly due to the inadequacy of training and support materials that bridge the gap between high-level marketing concepts and their practical application in sales scenarios.

 

How Gridlex’s CRM Integrates Sales Prompts and Training
 

 

3. Data Pollution and Master Data Management Issues

Consider PharmaCorp, which believes that Dr. Greene, a high-prescribing oncologist, is based at City Hospital based on their CRM data. In reality, Dr. Greene has moved to a larger cancer research center six months ago. The outdated and unmerged data in the CRM leads sales reps to continue their outreach to City Hospital, while the new, potentially more lucrative opportunities at the research center remain untapped. This scenario highlights the critical impact of data pollution and poor master data management on efficient and targeted sales strategies.

 

Root Cause: Data Pollution and MDM Challenges

Data pollution includes inaccuracies, redundancies, and errors in the CRM system, which can significantly disrupt the flow of information and decision-making processes. For example, if a physician is incorrectly aligned in the CRM or if accounts are not properly merged, it can lead to incorrect targeting, miscommunication, and ultimately, inefficiencies in sales and marketing efforts.

 

How Gridlex's Unified Platform Addresses Data Pollution and MDM Issues
 

 

4. Quickly Changing Market Dynamics

Imagine MediPharm's sales strategy for its asthma medication is disrupted when a competitor releases a groundbreaking treatment. The CRM, however, fails to quickly reflect these market changes. As a result, sales representatives, unaware of the new competitive landscape, continue with the outdated approach. This lack of agility in adapting to market shifts leads to ineffective conversations with physicians, declining interest, and ultimately a loss in market share.

 

Challenge: Difficulty in Adapting to Market Changes

Traditional CRM systems often lack the necessary agility to promptly reflect market changes, resulting in sales representatives working with outdated or irrelevant information. This disconnect can lead to missed opportunities, misaligned strategies, and a failure to capitalize on market trends. The key challenge is ensuring that sales strategies remain flexible and responsive to the rapidly changing market landscape.

 

Solution: Flexibility and Quick Adaptation with Gridlex's CRM
 

5. Marketing Campaigns Not Integrated with Sales Front Ends

Following a successful email campaign about a new rheumatoid arthritis drug by RheumaPharm, analytics indicate a surge in interest from a group of rheumatologists. Ideally, this should prompt immediate, targeted follow-ups by the sales team. However, due to the CRM's lack of integration with marketing data, these engaged physicians are not flagged for the sales team, leading to missed opportunities for follow-up and a disjointed experience for potential prescribers interested in the new treatment.

 

Challenge: Lack of Integration Between Marketing and Sales

The main issue at play is the CRM’s inability to effectively integrate data from marketing campaigns into the sales interface. This gap results in sales reps not being fully aware of, or able to leverage, key insights such as which doctors have shown high interest in email campaigns or attended specific events. Such disconnection can lead to inefficient sales approaches and missed opportunities for deeper engagement.

 

Solution: Enhanced Integration with Gridlex's CRM