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Updated on : 08 Sep 2025
Brand planning is more than a foundational strategy. It’s a dynamic, ongoing process that drives market success. At Indegene, we understand that effectively reaching and engaging key customer segments is crucial to a brand’s success. Below are nine essential dos and don’ts in pharmaceutical brand planning, with a focus on why strong omnichannel activation is critical for growth.
1. Identify the right target segments for pharma brand planning
Do: Consider multiple relevant dimensions such as prescription behavior, adoption ladder, competitor activity, channel affinity, and market access.
Don't: Give equal weight to all HCPs. Prioritize based on therapy area, product lifecycle, and brand objectives.
2. Build a thorough understanding of customer segments
Do: Build a deep understanding of your target customer segments. It is fundamental to know who your customers are - not just demographically but also their needs, preferences, and behaviors.
Don't: Assume a one-size-fits-all approach will work. The diverse healthcare landscape requires tailored strategies to effectively reach different segments.
3. Spot opportunities in HCP micro-moments
Do: Develop a customer decision journey and identify pain points and micro-moments to uncover opportunities for targeted solutions.
Don't: Skip this step. Without understanding the customer pain-points, solutions may not resonate with the target customers.
4. Create a fit-for-purpose messaging journey
Do: Discover the central pain points that the target segment aims to address and then craft a suitable messaging strategy.
Don’t: Fit key messages to the journey. HCP needs and preferences are constantly evolving and so is their journey. Study the journey to create suitable messaging.
5. Craft the right channel mix for omnichannel activation
Do: Design an effective channel mix based on customer preferences and/or using insights from historical or past engagements.
Don't: Spread your efforts too thinly across too many segments. Focus on specific channels with clear and well-defined objectives.
6. Measure what matters in omnichannel journeys
Do: Go beyond surface-level metrics and deploy comprehensive omnichannel analytics to evaluate true engagement impact. Track KPIs that reflect outcomes across channels (such as HCP reach, content resonance, prescribing intent, and channel contribution to brand objectives). This ensures pharma brand planning decisions are grounded in data that matters, not vanity metrics. See how a global pharma brand boosted its sales through omnichannel analytics.
Don't: Fall into the trap of analysis paralysis. In today’s data-rich environment, it’s easy to get lost in tracking every number. Focus on input KPIs that truly drive impact, rather than spreading attention across dozens of irrelevant metrics.
7. Establish a continuous optimization loop
Do: Build a cadence where performance insights are fed back into execution. This creates an ongoing cycle of testing, learning, and refining that maximizes ROI. A strong activation planning approach links input measures with output measures to ensure every tactic contributes to holistic outcomes.
Don't: Evaluate channels in isolation. One channel rarely tells the full story. Instead, view all activities within the omnichannel activation framework, ensuring investments are aligned and synergistic rather than fragmented.
8. Test, learn, and optimize continuously
Do: Recognize that pharma brand planning is not static. Treat it as an iterative cycle where strategies are regularly updated to reflect new data, market trends, and evolving HCP preferences. Continuous experimentation (A/B testing content formats, piloting new channels, refining personalization) ensures brands stay relevant and ahead of competitors.
Don't: Approach pharma brand planning as a one-time exercise. The healthcare market evolves rapidly, and strategies that are rigid or outdated quickly lose impact. Flexibility and adaptability are key to sustaining long-term growth.
9. Leverage technology for personalized brand activation strategies
Do: Harness advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation to deliver personalized engagement at scale. Tailored messaging and content (based on real-time HCP behavior, channel affinity, and therapeutic focus) lie at the heart of effective brand activation strategies for healthcare brands. Done right, technology enables meaningful, data-driven interactions that strengthen trust and drive adoption.
Don't: Overlook the power of personalization. Generic or one-size-fits-all outreach risks disengagement, diluting brand equity, and reducing return on investment. In modern pharma brand planning, personalization is a competitive necessity.
Conclusion
By following these dos and don’ts, and leveraging Indegene’s expertise in pharmaceutical brand planning and omnichannel activation — healthcare brands can reach and engage audiences more effectively. With data-driven activation planning and continuous refinement, organizations can foster stronger HCP relationships, deliver impactful brand activation strategies, and stay competitive in a rapidly changing landscape.
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