BY PM360 STAFF MAY 17, 2022
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PM360 asked industry experts how to improve engagement with healthcare professionals (HCPs) based on the lessons learned during the pandemic as well as the best ways to identify key opinion leaders (KOLs). Specifically, we wanted to know:
1 . What are the biggest lessons to emerge from the pandemic about how life sciences companies can improve their approach to HCP engagement? How have HCPs needs/wants from the industry changed? What areas of engagement/education are still lacking from an HCP perspective and require life sciences companies to do better?
2. What is the best process for identifying the right KOLs for your brand to work with? What kind of data or information is most important for making this determination? How is the rise of digital opinion leaders (DOLs) and more virtual speaker programs and similar events altering your approach?
When identifying KOLs, it’s important to take an objective look at how experts in the field are actually involved in the industry rather than just taking internal suggestions. Three important factors to look at are: leadership positions, relationships with other pharmaceutical companies, and social media impact. Social media impact provides a great read on influence—even if the thought leader isn’t active in online forums, impactful KOLs are highly discussed on public channels. Looking at discussions across the major platforms and attributing them directly to the experts gives a real-time look at whose work is being talked about the most. Best of all, the metrics are completely objective, making it easier to compare experts in the same field.
When it comes to DOLs, you can dive deeper into social media metrics. Unlike traditional KOLs, this new breed of experts actively maintains accounts across digital platforms. Three main factors to consider when determining their level of impact: reach, relevance, and impact. An expert who scores highly across these three areas, relative to a specific therapeutic area, would definitely be considered an important DOL to watch (and connect with!).
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