THOUGHT STARTER SERIES
The events landscape in life sciences changed dramatically during COVID-19,
a point highlighted by recent data that notes 800,000 fewer interactions
from field-based events in the U.S., a 75% reduction in pharma-sponsored events
during the months immediately following onset of the pandemic, and a significant
uplift in online events.1
While a return to in-person events has already been seen as we enter the post-pandemic phase,
that doesn’t mean digital events will be completely out of the picture. With more than
70% of HCPs now digital natives,2 customers and companies are increasingly
showing a preference for deeper digital penetration and hybrid events. With a digital-first
approach to events, life sciences marketers can ultimately operate with greater agency and
expectations in a more competitive events market.
An opportunity for a fresh approach
For many pharma companies, this shift can seem daunting,
especially when so much rides on large annual events and
local dinners to get key product information and clinical data
to HCPs. But it doesn’t have to be.
Digital events provide a unique opportunity for a refresh
of your events strategy, and they generate value beyond
in-person events by delivering educational content and
patient insights all year long. In today’s world, the winning
formula is more likely to be smaller, recurring events where
bite-sized chunks of content are delivered more frequently,
and information is shared in formats optimized for
peer-to-peer collaboration.
Potential benefits companies can expect to see from digital
events include:
- Greater reach
Borderless interactions and lower logistical burden
help drive a broader stakeholder group and better
attendance—a point enhanced when events are made
shorter or on-demand, allowing people to more easily fit
them into their schedules. -
Personalized interaction
Digital removes a one-size-fits-all approach and makes
it easier to capture and tailor content to HCP preferences
through personalized journeys. -
Improved insights
Digital engagement enables better customer activity
tracking, allowing for a deeper understanding of their
preferences and interests. -
Better ROI and efficiency
Large in-person events are costly. Digital removes a lot of
this cost, which means budgets can stretch a lot further
for potentially higher impact.
“Having a digitally focused events strategy
provides the flexibility to reach HCPs in
the format that fits their preferences, whether
live or virtual, at the time they are looking
for information. This approach gives pharma
the ability to deliver more personalized
experiences and reach previously
untapped audiences.”
– Kimberly Berger, GM, Veeva Digital Events
How to get there
As the event landscape evolves, now is the time to make the
most of digital events by optimizing the way they’re planned
and executed. Here are six steps to delivering an effective
event strategy:
- Integrate digital events into your broader omnichannel
strategy
Historically, events were siloed and were rarely integrated
into customer journeys; however, in the future they should
be closely integrated and coordinated across different
teams to offer a seamless experience across the various
channels used to interact with customers. Companies
should have a clear and coordinated strategy for driving
attendance, while providing enhanced post-event
interaction to continue the dialoguec - Target the right people
To get the most efficient return on your investment,
the participants and presenters should be carefully
selected to ensure they meet company objectives and
customer needs. This can be done in multiple ways,
such as engaging therapy-area thoughts leaders
(e.g., using Veeva Link to help identify who those digital
opinion leaders are). Having a clear value proposition for
these attendees is critical. Previous insights into event
attendance and content preferences can help articulate
the “what’s in it for me?” - Design an engaging structure
A phrase often heard over the past year is “screen fatigue,”
when the monotony of Zoom calls causes participants
to stop engaging, or even worse, stop attending in the
first place. While this can be a barrier, we’re seeing HCPs
engaging much longer through remote/virtual channels—
proof that when the content is appropriate, HCPs will
listen. Digital events should be appropriately structured
and personalized to ensure the experience is interesting
and relevant. Consider including previews and teasers
of different sessions, a variety of session formats, and
opportunities for interactivity and social sharing. - Offer something unique
Content is the foundation of any interaction, but an event
needs to add something different to bring the content
to life. HCPs can go to the internet to get information—
companies need to carefully think through what else
the HCP will get by attending. The ability to interact
with colleagues, hear from a particular key opinion
leader (KOL), or get a first glimpse at new data are often
compelling propositions. - Capture valuable insight
HCPs are not a homogenous block with the same
personalities and preferences. Realizing this,
organizations are increasingly shifting towards
personalized engagement strategies; however,
this relies on effective insight capture.
Companies can build their understanding of HCP
perception and preferences by capturing qualitative
insights, or through more advanced means, such as
content tagging, polling, or post-event surveys. Insights
should then be analyzed, disseminated, and fed back
into the broader strategy to allow personalized future
engagements. - Leverage the right technology stack
Underlining this new agile approach must be a technology
stack that is simple, integrated, flexible, and compliant.
At the most fundamental level, the system should be
easily usable and scalable to allow variable event sizing,
easy log-in, and customer use. The most effective
solutions will allow data integration from multiple internal
and external sources to provide a single customer view.
This integration will enable sales and marketing to derive
actionable insights and inform their downstream tactical
approach to customer engagement.
Embracing a digital future
While the market has shifted to digital and hybrid events, it
doesn’t have to mean lower engagement. On the contrary,
it is an opportunity to refresh your event strategy to drive
even richer engagement through regular, differentiated, and
memorable events.
The greater scalability and quality of interactions make
digital events a strategic necessity. Companies that get it
right will benefit through deeper insights, better customer
experiences, and ultimately, an improvement in event
outcomes, brand perception, and product advocacy.
Key takeaways
Digital or hybrid events are
gaining traction because they
provide an opportunity for better
reach, improved customer
satisfaction, enhanced insight
generation, and more efficient ROI.
Feedback collection and insights
generation are at the heart
of successful events, not just
pre-, during, and post-event,
but as part of a continuous process
to personalize all aspects of the
customer journey.
Underlying any successful
digital or hybrid event should
be a flexible, integrated technology
stack for providing a next-level
customer experience.
check out this interactive guide to event planning.
Fowey Harvey
Business Consultant
fowey.harvey@veeva.com
About Veeva Business Consulting
Veeva Business Consulting combines commercial and medical expertise with Veeva’s proprietary data and technology to deliver better business
focused solutions for our customers. Our team of experts offers a suite of advisory offerings, including launch readiness, digital acceleration, and
content optimization, all supported through unique HCP insights and analytics.
To learn more, visit veeva.com/business-consulting.
1 “Emerging Best Practices for Digital Events,” Veeva, 2021.
2, 3 “Intelligent HCP Engagement in Europe,” Veeva and Across Health, 2020.