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.
The first thing healthcare companies should look at is the match between their own requirements and the range of services offered by the healthcare PR firm. There are many agencies out here but no two provide or specialize in exactly the same thing or things. It is essential that companies clearly identify what deliverable they are seeking and find a firm that focuses on providing that result to their clients.
Second, and equally as critical, is to identify firms that have a tight focus on healthcare companies and a historical track record to support any marketing claims they make. Make no mistake, medical PR is a highly specialized discipline and while some larger, general business PR agencies may have dabbled in serving healthcare businesses, companies are much better served by engaging an agency that has walked the walk before.
The PR company that represents your interests must have a thorough understanding of the particular regulatory guidelines that relate to your business. For firms that operate in the areas of biopharma, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a clear set of guidelines for marketing and advertising to which these companies must adhere. These guidelines are constantly evolving and a good PR firm will be up to date with these changes.
In addition, you should be sure to review case studies of successful campaigns that parallel the objectives your company is seeking to accomplish. Your area of expertise should be an area in which they also excel. For example, if your company is employing public relations as a tool in clinical trial recruitment, you should locate an agency that has prior experience in managing successful recruitment campaigns.
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.
It makes sense to speak with the people who will be working on your account team. Ask to see their medical PR credentials. You should also ask for examples of past campaigns that were similar to yours and successfully completed.
A final area that healthcare companies need to explore is the PR agencys expertise with social media and other newer forms of communication to reach patients, physicians and advocacy groups. Many traditional media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, TV and radio, have been substantially impacted by declining advertising revenues and some are unable to devote much editorial space to industry news. PR firms can still reach target audiences using social media or other online techniques in addition to working with traditional media. The PR agency you choose should be on top of these trends and be experienced in planning and executing on the type program that your healthcare company requires.