Winter 2021

Healthcare companies of all shapes and sizes confront a similar problem: how to engage KOLs, gain insights, share ideas, and build organizational thought leadership in a time of virtual conferences. While one-on-ones at congresses and impromptu hallway conversations may be on pause, there are  opportunities in virtual convenings. We are happy to share our perspective on how to successfully network in a virtual environment.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, we must confront an unhappy truth about healthcare conferences: everything will be virtual for a while yet. Virtual conferences lay waste to traditional strategies of KOL one-on-ones, side-car events, dinner discussions, etc. 

This is a real loss. Organizations and their leaders are missing the chance to gain and share insights. Networks become stale. Ideas move less fluidly. 

HLG advocates for a fresh approach in the COVID era.

In 2021, healthcare companies don’t need to abandon the goals they hope to achieve through conference and congress engagement. They simply need to retool their strategy to capture the advantages of a virtual environment. Three ideas have caught our attention.

1.  Set up the Next Discussion

Healthcare conferences are defined by leaders sharing ideas. KOLs host panels and run scientific sessions. Pharma leaders give remarks to share their strategic visions.

In COVID, these keynote events have gone digital. And Zoom is a poor substitute. There’s no buzz, chatter, or follow-up conversations after an event. The dialogue ends when the Zoom link shuts down.

This problem creates opportunity. Teams from healthcare companies can take the lead by setting up the next discussion. There are a couple ways to do so:

If your organization or leadership is speaking…

• Invite a handful of select experts and organizations for a post-conference dialogue, hosted as an hour-long webinar;

• Create a communications toolkit – with white paper, blog post, infographic, and social cards – to capture the main ideas and share after the event;

 If an external KOL or leader is speaking…

• Reach out to the speaker, reflect on what you heard, and comment why her ideas were insightful or important to you and your organization.

• Invite the speaker to continue the dialogue in an hour-long panel of peers and an audience of internal and external attendees.

Each strategy builds your network, positions your organization as the convener, and creates opportunities for you and your leadership to share your ideas. 

2. Engage KOLs Through an “Insights Workbook”

A virtual environment prohibits in-person KOL 1:1s. Teleconferences may suffice as a temporary substitute, but they have limitations. For teams looking for in-depth dialogue, a more robust solution is needed. 

A solution is an approach we call the “Insights Workbook.” An Insights Workbook is a set of 10-15 slides that collate critical material for a KOL to review. Then, within the digital interface of the Insights Workbook, KOLs can respond to the content and share back with you and your team.

The Insights Workbooks serves three goals:

In our experience, KOLs have been eager to participate in this innovative engagement strategy, and client teams have been impressed with the depth and breadth of insight gained. 

3.  Build an Expert Working Group

As COVID endures, KOLs and thought leaders are looking for new ways to build networks, share ideas, and gain insights. Like their industry counterparts, they’re eager to engage.

The notion of an “expert working group” is not new – but it takes a new meaning and function in a virtual environment.

Successful expert working groups in the era of COVID make a few critical adaptations:

This style of expert working group provides an ongoing, flexible mechanism of convening that create reasons for KOLs and thoughts leaders to join. And it positions your organization as the leader by virtue of acting as the convener.  

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At a moment when networking, sharing ideas, and strategically positioning an organization has never been more important, healthcare companies of all sizes must think about new ways to network, build influence, and gain insights.

Both during and on the other side of the pandemic, the companies that master these strategies will position themselves for success.