Heiko Pröger

The time at which a message is delivered can significantly influence its impact. Studies show that people are more receptive to new information and changes in behavior at certain moments. These moments can be determined by various factors, such as emotional mood, significant life events or the structure of memories in general.

People orient themselves towards other people because social norms and the behavior of the majority often serve as a guide for their own actions. Doctors are no exception. In this article on the topic of "social influence", we shed light on the effect of social norms and show how they can be used positively in healthcare marketing. This article is part of a series in which we examine the potential of behavioral psychology principles in healthcare marketing.

After a long day in the clinic or surgery, doctors have little energy left to deal with complex advertising measures from the pharmaceutical industry. It is therefore not only sensible, but also our responsibility to make it as easy as possible for them to access information. This article on simplicity is the first in a series in which we explore the potential of behavioral psychology principles in healthcare marketing.

In this article, you'll learn why creativity is essential in expert marketing and how a creative approach not only increases awareness, but also creates emotional connections and promotes viral marketing effects.

There is no shortage of targets in pharmaceutical marketing: While market share is to be taken from the competition, the number of sales force visits and the click rate of the banners in the physician community must also be right. Many teams capitulate in the face of the sheer number of goals to be pursued or struggle with unclear definitions and a lack of comparability. Often, numbers are only collected for reporting purposes, but without strategic derivations. Our article sheds light on this problem and presents a goal level model that helps to clarify and organize marketing goals, to identify gaps and to relate the goals to each other.

In the area of omnichannel communication, we repeatedly come across myths that make the topic seem very complex. Sentences such as "We don't have any automation software and therefore can't do omnichannel marketing" or "I need a large team for good omnichannel communication" are heard again and again. However, such assumptions - if left unquestioned - can prevent you from trying things out and getting ahead as a result. We'll dispel some of the myths about omnichannel marketing, and you'll see that there are good reasons to approach and use omnichannel marketing.

Almost two years ago, the LinkedIn "B2B Institute" published a report that changed my thinking permanently and that experts in healthcare specialist marketing should know.

At the beginning of the year, I asked our internal MS team for tips against digital fatigue, i.e. the general tiredness to participate in online events. This was triggered by a customer's statement that his customers (doctors) are less and less keen on online events and he fears that this could become a big problem in 2021. I found the ensuing internal discussion so stimulating that I am reproducing it here in excerpts and partly paraphrased.

You are probably all familiar with personas, those profile-like descriptions of people that represent target group segments. In my experience, personas are often created but rarely used seriously in communication projects. In this article, I give a brief overview of useful areas of application for personas, tell you where in the project we like to use personas and also describe a danger that personas carry.

Can you become creative in virtual meetings? For a long time, I lacked the tools and methods to do so. Today, there are a number of virtual tools that allow online creative processes and the results are impressive. In this article I present how we develop and evaluate ideas online.

Bold communication ideas are often desired but rarely implemented. They usually die shortly after they are born, because bold ideas are both risky and unfamiliar and most people don't like risks or leaving their comfort zone.

Almost two years after his Design Thinking seminar, Heiko realises that a lot of ideas have become part of his everyday life as a marketing communicator. An overview.

The challenge with short meetings is to get into the topic quickly and to achieve the necessary depth for good results in the limited time. As an organiser, you can do a lot to ensure a successful process and good results.

Lengthy coordination loops, little team feeling - do you know this from your communication projects? Then Communication Story Sprints could be the right thing for you - a new process and workshop tool that we have been working with since this year. A field report.

The "Lions Health Awards" for the best campaigns in the health sector were again presented in Cannes. The winners in the fields of "Pharma" and "Health and Wellness" were selected from over 1,000 entries. We took the trouble to pick out the best examples from our point of view.

"Patient-centricity" is currently the hot topic in the pharmaceutical industry. This article looks at the impact of patient-centricity on the business and marketing activities of a pharmaceutical company. The article is written in English because it was written during the eyeforpharma conference in Barcelona and refers to presentations given there.

Philips runs a remarkable Twitter feed for event coverage. What makes this channel remarkable, what unusual formats are used and what you can learn from it for your social media activities is in this article.

The Apple Watch is here! In this article, after about a week of testing, I talk about my experiences, describe possible effects on healthcare marketing and describe my withdrawal symptoms after I had put the Apple Watch down again.

A fortnight ago, we presented you with the first results of our study on the "Role of Relatives in Health Issues". One question remained open in the first article: Where and how do adult Germans inform themselves about their parents' health issues? These questions were also asked in the study. Here come the answers.

DigitasLBi and AstraZeneca have done just that, launching the Digital Innovation Group (DIG) in London. This exciting approach is presented in a short video.

In the advertising industry, the Cannes Lions are the most coveted creative awards. At the beginning of June, the "Lions Health Awards" for the best campaigns in the health sector were presented for the first time in Cannes. We were on site and created our own list of best, which we present to you in this article.

In part two of my series, you will receive new link tips for healthcare marketing professionals. Among others, on a new project by Boehringer Ingelheim and on one of the oldest questions of mankind...

In this new section, I will be presenting the best links to interesting news for healthcare marketing professionals at irregular intervals from now on.

The FDA issued a new guidance on the use of interactive media at the beginning of January. This time it is about the question of which product texts companies have to submit to the FDA for review. Surprisingly, the FDA is loosening the shackles; some communication professionals should be pleased.

Last week, the Health 2.0 Europe conference took place in London. The agenda included 50 presentations of tools, apps and platforms. This article presents the best demos.

The Health 2.0 Europe conference ended in London on Tuesday. One thing is clear: the digital revolution in European healthcare is in full swing! In this article, I present what I took away from the conference.

The website of the American pharmaceutical start-up help surprises with its tidy design, a relaxed tone and humorous yet credible content. Because I had not yet come across such a combination on a pharmaceutical website, here is a brief appreciation.

A little news on our own account: Our Turn your city pink! campaign for Siemens Healthcare has been nominated for the HealthShare Award for the most creative and innovative social web communication in healthcare. If you would like to vote for us, you can find the form here http://t.co/JOHfFF2u.

From prelaunch to patent expiry - there are always sensible digital measures for your product marketing mix. Today, products are accompanied digitally throughout their entire life cycle, multi-channel communication is the standard. Let yourself be inspired by the many possibilities!

QR codes are everywhere now. Recently I even saw one on the counter of my butcher's shop. But does the general public even know what to do with them? Are QR codes being used? And if so, do they meet the users' expectations? What are the potentials of this technology and how do you use it correctly?

At the end of last year, the FDA issued its first social media guidance, which disappointed many expectations. What does this document cover, what is the FDA currently working on and how should you behave in social media in the meantime? Is it worth waiting any longer? This article summarises the current status and ventures a look into the future.

Surely you have often been faced with the situation of having to convey to agencies what you want to see in the pitch. But what information is important? How do you give agencies creative leeway, spur their creativity and at the same time get project proposals that achieve business goals?

For some years now, healthcare companies have been making greater efforts on the internet to reach the target group of lay people or patients. The reason for this is clear: there is still a lot of untapped marketing potential among patients. In order to seize these opportunities and avoid potential dangers, we have compiled six and a half commandments for successful patient websites from our experience.