The recent digitalization has had a profound impact on all aspects of our lives. In fact, it’s been called the fourth industrial revolution – and with good reason. This shift is transforming how we live, work, and interact with the world around us at an unprecedented pace and scale.

Today, marketers are being tasked to connect with digital-natives who have come to expect a seamless, personalized, and convenient experience across all channels – and the life science industry is no exception. In today's digital era, customers need a more personalized and engaging connection with the brands they do business with. To meet these rising expectations, Life Science companies need to move from merely doing digital to being digital. By applying innovation and digital technology to existing or new business models in strategic, creative, and agile ways, Life Science companies will be able to deliver improved experiences for their patients and drive business impact.

So, what does this digital transformation mean for life science marketers? Here are five key ways it is impacting the industry and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.

How Has Digitalization Transformed Life Science?

Digital transformation has had a profound impact on every aspect of life science, from drug discovery and development to commercial operations. By leveraging data analytics and machine learning, researchers are now able to obtain a deeper understanding of disease etiology and identify new targets for drug development. In addition, clinical trial management software provides a more efficient way to conduct trials by automating certain processes and collecting data digitally. The use of data analytics has also allowed commercial teams to better understand their customers and craft individualized marketing campaigns and e-detailing platforms provide a more efficient way for sales reps to connect with doctors and promote their products.

The digital transformation is an ongoing process, and marketers can play a key role in driving the modernization within their organizations by identifying opportunities for innovation and change. By collaborating with other functions, such as IT and R&D, marketers can help to develop new digital tools and applications that can improve the patient experience and deliver business value. In addition, marketers can use their understanding of customer needs and behaviors to drive the development of new customer-centric business models. A few things you can do as a marketer include:

• Research: Keep up with the latest industry news so you're always aware of new trends and technologies. This will help you make informed decisions about which new tools or platforms to adopt
• Create targeted content: Use data analytics to better understand your target customers such as their industry and job title, where they entered and left your site, how they got there, what they clicked on, and even discover the company’s internal pain points and/or project focus. Use these data points to create content that resonates with them and what they are searching for such as blog posts, eBooks, infographics, webinars, etc.
• Test new tactics: Be willing to experiment with new marketing tactics in order to find what works best for your business. This could include using AI-powered chatbots on your website or investing in programmatic advertising.

These tactics partnered with a strategic approach can help Life Science companies to improve their customer experience and/or patient care, drive business impact, and stay ahead of the competition.

Improve customer experience and patient care

In a world where patients have more choices than ever before, it is essential for Life Science companies to focus on delivering an excellent customer experience. Digital technology can help Life Science companies to create a more personalized, convenient, and engaging customer experience. By understanding the needs of patients and using data to segment and target them more effectively, Life Science companies can create a tailored experience that meets each users’ specific needs.

Digital transformation can help Life Science companies to improve patient care by providing better access to information, automating tasks, and improving communication. Digital technology can also help patients to better manage their health online by providing them with tools to track their progress and connect with their care team.

Drive business impact

Digital transformation can help Life Science companies to drive business impact by improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing revenues. Overall decision making can be faster and come with less ‘what if’s with advanced analytics, automation, and the cloud. By digitizing business processes and utilizing data more effectively, Life Science companies can improve their bottom line while also delivering better care for their patients. For example, by automating manual processes such as data entry and claims processing, companies can improve efficiency and accuracy while freeing up employees to focus on more value-added tasks. Digital tools can also be used to engage patients more effectively in their own care, resulting in better health outcomes. In addition, harnessing the power of data, life science companies can gain insights into trends and patterns that can help them make better decisions about product development, marketing, and sales.

Stay ahead of the competition

Along with the digital transformation brought the health information war. Now more than ever patients are turning to digital channels for information and care, specifically looking at hospitals and pharmaceutical companies as their source of trusted information and care so those who do not embrace digital transformation will be left behind. Digital technology can help Life Science companies to create a competitive edge by differentiating their products and services, reaching new markets, and improving operational efficiency. For more information on the health information war and how it is changing the marketing strategies for healthcare and life science companies view our eBook here

As the life science industry continues to evolve, it is important for companies to stay ahead of the curve by embracing digital transformation. The digital transformation is not without its challenges, however. Life Science companies must overcome resistance to change from employees who may be worried about losing their jobs to automation and they also need to ensure that their digital tools are compliant with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). But for companies that are willing to embrace change and invest in the right technology, the digital transformation can be a powerful driver of success.

If you would like to learn more about digital transformation and how it can benefit your life science company, please contact us. We would be happy to discuss this topic with you in further detail. Let’s talk