Businesses that specialize in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and medical devices often count on a public relations firm to help them refine their messages and to deliver them in a clear manner to audiences that may include patients, physicians, advocacy groups, investors, payors and key thought leaders. When medical companies are looking for the right PR agency, several factors should be considered.
First, healthcare companies must decide whether their requirements match the expertise and offerings of the healthcare PR firm. While there are many agencies to choose from, there are no two agencies that have the same capabilities or that provide exactly the same services. As a result, companies must identify what goals they need to achieve and find a firm that can deliver clear results.
Another point for healthcare companies to consider is that the PR firm should be able to support any claims they make about their capabilities with a track record of work with medical companies. Medical PR is not the same thing as general public relations. It is a highly specialized discipline in which most agencies have little to no experience. Companies that are looking for a partner to present information about their therapies, products or research should look for a PR agency that has directly relevant experience and knowledge.
For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a clear code of conduct for marketing and advertising to which medical device, drug and biopharma companies must adhere. The PR agency that represents you needs to have a clear understanding of evolving guidelines and how they may impact your business. The agency must also have an intimate understanding of the regulatory processes that your key products are navigating.
Ideally, companies should try to find an agency that has already developed and executed successful PR campaigns in areas that are similar to the one you want to create. If, for example your company is looking to use PR as a vehicle for clinical trial recruitment, then you should seek an agency that has previously managed successful recruitment campaigns. Similarly, if you were announcing that your company has achieved a regulatory milestone or published critical data, you would want to ensure that your PR firm has experience in these situations. Each agency you interview should be willing to provide case studies of previous work.
The people who are actually working on your account are also vital. While there is usually some benefit from working with an agency that has a broad, collective expertise in healthcare public relations, ultimately it is the people who are working with you on your account that will have the most direct bearing on your success or failure.
Before engaging a firm, ask to meet the people who will actually be doing the work for you. Ask for their medical PR credentials and for examples of some of their past successes that may be relevant to your own situation.
As changes in technology bring forth greater opportunity to provide better products and services, so has it brought changes to the way public relations is conducted. In addition to traditional forms of media coverage such as television, radio, and print, todays public relations firm must embrace and be fluent with other forms of Internet-based delivery to be successful. One approach is through work with social media to reach patients, advocates, doctors and others. In a shifting media environment, its crucial that the PR agency you select have experience using online techniques to connect with your target audience.
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Lloyd Benson is an Executive Vice President with Schwartz Communications. He currently oversees the agencys award-winning healthcare PR practice.
