How to Tailor Your Medical Communications for Maximum Impact with Claire Liu
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Episode Summary
In this episode of the Transforming Medical Communications podcast, host Wesley Portegies is joined by Claire Liu to dive into the complexities of Medical Communications, discuss the nuances of handling communications across different stages of product life cycles, and share her strategies for maintaining a consistent voice in global medical communications.
Guest at a Glance
Claire is an experienced Medical Communications professional, currently serving as a Director of Global Medical Communications at Takeda, where she specializes in rare genetics and hematology. Claire has a PharmD from Rutgers University and has experience on both the agency and industry side of Scientific Publications and Medical Communications.
- Claire Liu on LinkedIn
Host at a Glance
Wesley Portegies is the CEO and Founder of Medical Communications Experts, an agency specializing in effective Medical Communication strategies for pharmaceutical companies. Wesley, an experienced entrepreneur, started his first company at 19 and has built multiple successful companies. With over 20 years in the Medical Industry, both on the agency and industry side, he is driven by a passion for Medical Communications.
- Connect with Wesley Portegies on LinkedIn
Topics we Discuss
- The key to effective Medical Communications during pre-launch, launch, and post-launch
- How to tailor your communications for diverse audiences
- The role of communication planning in aligning global and local messaging
- How to capture HCPs’ attention with bite-sized content
Hot Takes and Key Highlights
- 0:00 – 05:04 Clarity, Instincts, and the Power of Less
Clear communication, trusting your gut, and embracing the “less is more” mindset are the keys to success in Medical Communications. Be explicit and avoid assumptions to ensure everyone’s on the same page. In a world of short attention spans, keep it concise and impactful. A single well-crafted page or visual will resonate far more than a dense, detailed, heavy document.
- 05:04 – 08:15 Mastering Pre-Launch and Post-Launch Communication
The key to effective Medical Communication during pre-launch, launch, and post-launch lies in understanding your audience, timing, and goals. Pre-launch efforts focus on preparing internal teams with the tools and training they need to educate stakeholders and anticipate key questions. As the launch approaches, materials should address common concerns, with messaging tailored for busy physicians who require concise, high-impact information. Post-launch, the focus shifts to refining communications based on real-world feedback, ensuring clarity and accessibility for physicians.
- 08:15 – 13:56 Tailoring Communication for Every Knowledge Level
Segmenting audiences based on their familiarity with your product or disease area is crucial to help you tailor content more effectively. Using insights from cross-functional teams, market research, and even direct feedback from physicians can guide your content strategy and help prioritize what information to emphasize. Keep an eye on trends, questions, and gaps that arise over time to ensure your communication is always relevant and impactful.
- 13:56 – 17:45 Aligning Global and Local Communication
Creating a consistent global message while allowing for local adaptation by affiliates goes down to focusing on integrated communication planning. This means collaborating closely across teams and regions to align on key messages, share insights, and ensure that everyone is working toward the same goals.
- 17:45 – 24:30 Maximizing Impact with Short Form Content
Keeping content short and engaging is essential due to the limited time physicians have. One effective approach is using simple, concise materials like one-pagers or short videos that focus on the key message upfront. While digital and interactive formats like augmented reality can be more time-intensive, they can also boost engagement by immersing users in the content, making it more memorable.
- 24:30 – 32:36 Metrics That Matter in Medical Communications
Measuring the effectiveness of Medical Communications can be tricky. However, it’s essential to track both qualitative and quantitative metrics. While it’s easy to see when things are not working, understanding what works and why requires continual adjustments. Focus on tracking engagement, like the number of viewers, how long they stay on a page, or their interaction with content. Use tools embedded in polls and surveys throughout your programs to capture real-time feedback. Also, keep experimenting and stay open to new strategies to get a clearer picture of what’s truly driving impact.