As the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry increasingly focuses on digital channels to reach both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients, does this mean we are missing the human element in our communications?
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS?
We often think that digital technologies make it easier for people to source the information they need or to connect with others. However, a recent report from the Digital Coalition who surveyed 600 people in England showed more than one third (36%) of respondents never or rarely used the NHS App because they didn’t want to engage with technology or didn’t see the benefit of using the App and would prefer to speak to a person instead.
It’s not always appropriate to use digital communications to deliver all types of healthcare information as they can lack the nuance and warmth of face-to-face interactions. It’s easy to misinterpret text-based communication without hearing a human voice or seeingfacial expressions and body language, leading to misunderstandings. Impersonal chatbots and other automated responses may be improving over time but are still lacking the empathy and understanding of speaking to a human being and we miss out on the opportunity to build relationships.
For pharmaceutical marketers, there are clear advantages to humanising digital communication, as it leads to increased trust, engagement and understanding, meeting the needs of both HCPs and patients. So, how can we bring the human touch to all our communications with these audiences, whatever the scenario?
HCP needs. As HCPs progressively move away from face-to-face meetings with pharmaceutical reps, the industry has been considering how best to engage them via digital resources. Here, personalised, tailored communication has been identified as a top factor in HCP satisfaction with their interactions with pharma. But can we improve that? Personalisation offers a clear opportunity to introduce the human element into HCP comms by providing answers to their specific questions when they need to know them, rather than providing generic content in channels that the industry is happy to use without fear of regulatory push back.
Patient needs. Patients now take a digital-first approach to sourcing information about their condition and its management. But as a recent Patient Information Forum survey shows, more than half of UK adults struggle to access trusted health information online. There is an opportunity here for pharma to collaborate with patient advocacy groups in providing human-centric patient information and resources, supporting programmes that build trust with this audience.
TOP TIPS FOR HUMANISING CONTENT
Mirroring. The level of alignment to human needs may vary greatly depending on the scenario, e.g. very practical or very complex and sophisticated. However, whether we’re looking to humanise content for HCPs or patients, first and foremost we need to get to know and then understand our audience, including their current expertise, knowledge and pain points. By listening we can also mirror the way they talk about things in our communications and therefore be more likely to create relatable content.
Relatability. Patient-centric and customer-centric content needs empathy and understanding. We need to demonstrate that we recognise their problems or challenges through the content we choose to share, such as by talking about lived-experiences similar to their own. This type of storytelling shows that we’re human but can also make our messages more relatable and engaging.
Jargon free. Jargon and complex language can be confusing and lead to misunderstandings. To make our communications feel like they come from a human being we should aim for clarity and simplicity as well as a friendly, warm tone, looking to come across as professional and helpful. Using a range of formats can also help, such as video and imagery.
Co-creation. For patient communications in particular, the intended audience should be consulted and involved in co-creating any content. By putting patients at the centre, whether we’re looking to develop information sources or design support programmes, we will create an end product with humanity.
Humanised communication in the digital space will go a long way in increasing pharma and the healthcare industry’s connectedness to HCPs and patients. Authentic, engaging, clear and empathetic comms build trust and confidence in the industry, encourage greater interaction and reduce the risk of misinterpretation. Being more human has so many benefits.
With a proven track record as a pharma PR agency, we at SAY Communications can work with you to build your brand’s PR and marketing strategies and campaigns. Get in touch with our team at hello@saycomms.co.uk to learn more.
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Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.
