What Matters Most When Engaging Face-to-Face with HCPs?

Once you have identified your HCP decision journey and motivators, you will need to apply real world experiential tactics to optimize your face-to-face experience for the best engagement.

For many years, the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA) – the premier voice for congress and convention excellence throughout the healthcare sector – has actively sought insight from physician panels in identifying how experiential marketing can speak to them more effectively and address their needs more completely. Across the board, their responses have been consistent:

Direct Communication

On the crowded show floor, HCPs have limited time to process the messages competing for their attention.  Using signage and graphics that clearly communicate who you are and what you are offering will help your brand to stand out on the show floor.[i]
 

Expert Opinion

Interacting with an informed sales staff is great, but nothing beats communication with the scientists and researchers who are bringing your drug to market. The number one reason HCP’s go to medical conventions is for education and information so delivering both in an engaging, credible manner is critical.
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Timely Notification

HCP’s pre-plan their time at congresses and medical meetings, and their timeline for scheduling is typically very compressed. Reminders and invitations on the day of show open or during travel can be beneficial to your guest. And nurturing your audience with helpful advice and tools – particularly in the form of patient education materials – can help draw HCP’s to your booth and solidify the relationship after the initial conversation takes place.[ii]

Local Involvement

While the larger healthcare shows attract attendees from around the globe, the smaller regional shows tend to attract HCP’s who live close to the venue location. Most HCP’s find value in relationships that give back to their local community – consider sponsorships or booth activities that benefit the region and this will help offset the smaller number of attendees with the potential for greater booth traffic and deeper guest connections.[iii]

Undivided Attention

HCPs want to know their business matters to you – that they are more than a lead waiting to be upgraded to qualified status. The greatest reason for dissatisfaction on the show floor is the feeling that staff didn’t listen to or address the guest’s concerns. Creating effective dialogue means training and coaching your staff to move beyond presentations to a more individualized conversation driven by what matters to that particular physician or HCP.[iv]

These are just some of the many available tactics that can create effective dialogue with HCP’s for any face-to-face experience.

Keep reading for the complete guide to face-to-face experiences that connect with your HCP audience.