How it works

DEEP DETAILING PHASE

Putting the message into questions                                                        
In addition to reaching, making aware and reminding,
DoctorsDialog engages doctors in a detailing dialog.
First by asking questions on all elements of the
promotional message.  Then by asking doctors'
intentions regarding their use of the product. 

We write the program.  We put the approved
promotional message into a sequence of regulatory-
compliant questions, along with the copy that
engages doctors in the dialog.  Then with client
approval, we initiate the Dialog.

Asking questions, generating positive responses
Wave 1:  A personalized, first class, envelope,
carrying a personal letter and a personalized reply
instrument with the approved questions, is sent to all
target doctors.  The letter promises to send doctors
a Summary of the Responses.  A significant number
of doctors respond to the questions (see Response
results and Reach, below.)   
 
Wave 2: When responses taper off, a second mailing
package, similar to the first, is sent to doctors who
did not respond to the first wave.  More doctors
respond to the questions.

What happens:  As doctors answer the questions,
they take-in and evaluate each message element. 
This increases message comprehension and message
recall.  In response to the “closing” question, Doctors
indicate their intentions to try, or to recommend,
the product.  As they do so, they reinforce their
commitment to try the product.

The aggregate responses to all questions are
invariably highly positive.

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MASS INFLUENCE PHASE

Disseminating cumulative response, continuing
the Dialog
Wave 3 (wave 4 optional):  A personalized, first
class envelope, carrying a personal letter and a
Summary of Responses, report the aggregate
response to all doctors.  Letters are segmented
by those who have responded and those who
have not yet responded.

A personalized response instrument, shorter than
that in waves 1 and 2, asks additional questions,
on experience and intentions. 

What happens: The majority of doctors see the
Summary of Responses (message exposure studies). 
Most doctors want to know what their colleagues
think and do regarding a product.  Because their
colleagues' responses to the detailing questions
are highly positive, more doctors are influenced
to try the product.  More respond.

Response results and reach
Doctors responding at least once to all waves:
7%-36%  
Message and cumulative response seen by:
49%-78%  

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INCREASED SALES
Sales increases following each phase
Product sales increase following each phase of the
Dialog.  The highest, most lasting sales increases
follow the mass influence phase.  (ROI analyses
by our pharma company partners).

Reporting response results
Following each phase, response reports are provided
to management.  Reports show individual responses
(responder profiles); responders’ comments and
questions (market pulse) and cumulative responses
(market information).

To learn how cumulative response information can
be used for presentations, market pulse analysis,
marketing research, sales aids and journal response
ads, see Leveraging Information. 

Turnkey
We write and produce the entire program for our
clients. Saving them considerable time.  We apply
the skills we’ve gained from having produced
literally hundreds of interactive mailing programs
for well over 100 healthcare executives and teams.
(See Products dialoged.)

For DoctorsDialog in action, see Case Studies

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The exceptional flexibility of self-detailing allows for a
wide range of solutions for both newer and established
products. If you have a question about how we could
handle your challenge, please ask.

How clients have used DoctorsDialogs

In place of, or to supplement, the sales force
-Expand reach, and detail in place of reps, when there is no
  rep coverage or when there is insufficient rep coverage
-Convey a detailed message too lengthy for reps to deliver
-Learn targets’ perceptions for more effective rep follow-ups
-Reach and engage no-sees
-Qualify, profile, open doors to no-sees for rep follow-ups

For newer products
-Accelerate product use by early adopters, early majority:
    - by relaying opinions, usage and intentions from earlier
      users to later users
    - by relaying specialists’ opinions to primary care physicians
-Make clear multiple conditions/circumstances for a
  product’s use
-Educate target perceptions, inform targets of services,
  that support product
-Move a product to earlier use in the course of therapy
-Carve a clear niche against a major player
-Take market pulse through responses, comments, questions
-Reframe an initial launch message
-Qualify and prepare targets for the launch message

For established products
-Adjust positioning
-Hasten switch to new delivery, dosing, packaging,
  line extension
-Strengthen perceptions and use before a
  competitive launch
-Distinguish individual’s thinking from “group-think”
-Clarify a poorly-perceived product advantage
-Show a pharmacoeconomic advantage over
  perceived “cheaper” drug
-Show a product price advantage
-Re-establish usage after a recall

For orphan products
-Expand known users’ knowledge of how to identify
  and treat the disease, product attributes, and of
  support resources
-Prospect for physicians and patients by creating
  awareness of the disease, signs and symptoms
  and its patient types, and offering additional
  information and support

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How you'll experience a DoctorsDialog

You'll personally invite doctors to answer 15 or 25
questions on the value of your message points.  In
turn you'll promise to share the aggregate
responses with them. 

Because you’ll ask questions in the right way (our
skill), many will respond.  Doctors will learn your
entire message.  Their aggregate responses will be
highly positive.  And many will try your product. 

Because you'll be rewarded with lots of positive
responses, you'll want to “spread the good word”.
So you'll send the aggregate responses to all
target doctors.

Because most doctors will want to see what their
colleagues say, they'll be strongly influenced to try
your product.  More doctors will respond.  More will
try your product.  And you'll find your ROI analysis,
if you conduct one, will verify it.

You'll expect these results, because you'll know
about the marketing research that says doctors will
be more influenced by what colleagues say than by
what an opinion leader says.  And you'll know
about the controlled ROI analyses of Doctors
Dialogs that reinforce the research. 

Bottom line, you will find you've thoroughly
detailed and positively influenced a large
number of target doctors.  You'll significantly
increase product sales over the course of the
Dialog.  And you will earn higher ROI than the
average sales force earns. 

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