Most Buying Journeys Happen Pre-Engagement: What Should Sales with Marketing Focus On?

In the world of life science, a significant shift is reshaping how healthcare professionals (HCPs) make buying and prescribing decisions. Gone are the days when a sales rep could come in and close a deal on charm alone (with or without lunch).

Today, a staggering 60% of the buying journey happens before any direct engagement with your sales team.

Let that sink in for a moment.

More than half of the decision-making process occurs while your potential customers are quietly researching, comparing, and evaluating options—all without your direct input.

This paradigm shift demands a radical rethinking of both sales and marketing strategies, specifically in the life science sector where the product/decision making process is complex.

So, what's driving this change, and more importantly, how can you adapt to not just survive, but thrive in this new landscape?

The Digital Revolution In Healthcare

The internet has democratized information access, and HCPs are no exception to this trend.

With a wealth of data at their fingertips, doctors, specialists, and other healthcare professionals are conducting extensive research before even considering a meeting with a sales representative. Its what we all do when making an important decision these days isn't it?

They're:

• Reading peer-reviewed journals online
• Watching webinars and educational videos
• Accessing databases of clinical trials and patient outcomes
• Participating in professional forums and social media groups
• Consulting with colleagues through secure professional networks
• Using AI-powered tools to analyze treatment options and outcomes

This self-directed learning means that by the time a sales rep enters the picture, the HCP often has a well-formed opinion about the product or service.

They're not looking for a sales pitch; they're seeking confirmation, clarification, and insights that go beyond what they've already discovered.

The Change In HCPs Decision-Making

To truly understand the implications of this shift, let's break down the typical HCP decision-making process in the digital age:

1. Awareness Phase: HCPs become aware of a new treatment, device, or service through various digital channels. This could be through targeted ads, professional newsletters, or social media discussions. This is a massive “Hook” driver for us at Snakker deployed across multiple channels.
2. Research Phase: Once aware, they dive deep into research. This involves reading clinical studies, watching expert webinars, and possibly even reaching out to peers for their experiences.
3. Comparison Phase: Armed with information, HCPs start comparing different options. They're looking at efficacy data, side effect profiles, cost-effectiveness, and patient outcomes.
4. Consideration Phase: At this stage, HCPs are narrowing down their options. They might be leaning towards a particular product but still have some questions or concerns.
5. Engagement Phase: This is where direct contact with sales reps typically occurs. HCPs are looking for specific answers, additional data, or clarification on certain points.
6. Decision Phase: The final decision is made, often incorporating insights from the sales engagement along with all the pre-engagement research.
7. Post-Decision Phase: After implementation, HCPs continue to seek support, updates, and validation of their decision.

Understanding this process is crucial for both sales and marketing teams to effectively target their efforts and provide value at each stage.

What Should Marketing / Medical Focus On?

Given this new reality, marketing's role has never been more crucial.

Your marketing efforts need to focus on becoming the go-to resource during this critical pre-engagement phase.

Here's how:

1. Content Marketing: Create high-quality, evidence-based content that addresses the specific pain points and questions your target audience is grappling with. But don't stop there—ensure this content is easily discoverable, engaging and across multiple channels when and where HCPs are looking for it.
2. Educational Marketing: Position your brand as a thought leader by offering valuable, non-promotional educational content. Webinars, white papers, and interactive tools that help HCPs in their daily practice can build trust and preference long before a sales conversation occurs.
3. Data Analytics: Use basic (work towards advanced) analytics to understand the digital footprint of your potential customers. What are they searching for? Which pages do they spend the most time on? This insight can help you tailor your future content and outreach strategies.
4. Personalization At Scale: Utilize marketing automation tools to deliver personalized content experiences. An oncologist and a general practitioner should receive different types of information, tailored to their specific needs and interests.
5. Omnichannel Presence: Ensure your brand is present and consistent across all channels where HCPs might seek information. This includes professional social media, medical journals, conferences, and specialized HCP platforms. Sales and patient journey teams are a channel too - but think integrated.
6. Thought Leadership: Collaborate with respected figures in the medical community to lend credibility to your content and expand your reach but don’t allow these peers to stay authentic to their audiences.

What Should Sales Focus On?

With so much of the decision-making process happening pre-engagement, the role of sales must evolve from persuader to trusted advisor. Here's what sales teams should focus on:

1. Deep Industry Knowledge: Sales reps need to be subject matter experts, capable of engaging in high-level discussions about clinical data, regulatory landscapes, and emerging trends in healthcare.
2. Active Listening: The ability to uncover unmet needs and pain points that the HCP may not even be aware of becomes crucial. Sales conversations should be less about pitching and more about problem-solving.
3. Collaborative Selling: Work closely with marketing to understand what content and interactions the HCP has already engaged with. This allows for more meaningful, contextualized conversations.
4. Value-Added Services: Think beyond the product. What additional services, support, or resources can you offer that differentiate you from competitors?
5. Relationship Building: In a world where information is readily available, the human touch becomes even more critical. Sales reps need to excel at building genuine relationships.

Conclusion—The Bottom Line

The fact that 60% of the buying journey happens before direct engagement is not a threat—it's an opportunity. By aligning your sales and marketing efforts to provide value throughout the entire customer journey, you can position your life science brand as a trusted partner rather than just another vendor.

The more I look at this opportunity the more I realize that its not a marketing or sales evolution - its a commercial evolution and each part of this flywheel contributes to how fast the wheel turns.

This shift requires a fundamental rethinking of how we approach HCP engagement.

It's no longer about pushing products; it's about becoming an indispensable resource in the HCP's decision-making process. By providing valuable, timely, and relevant information at every stage of the journey, you can influence decisions long before a formal sales conversation takes place.

Remember, in a world where information is abundant, trust and relevance are the new currencies. Focus on building those, and you'll find success in this new landscape of life science sales and marketing.

The future of life science sales is here, and it's digital, data-driven, and deeply collaborative.

Those who adapt quickly and effectively will not just survive but thrive in this new paradigm.

P.S. How is your organization adapting to this shift in buying behavior? What challenges have you faced, and what successes have you achieved? Share your experiences and strategies in the comments below. Let's learn from each other and drive the industry forward together.