Chapter ... 3 PROMOTION + LEARNING OBJECTIVES + After completing this chapter, reader should be able to: «Describe different objectives and techiniques of product promotions. © Describe advertisement and media for communications. + Describe online promotional techniques for OTC products. + Explain salesmanship and effective marketing communication. 3.4 INTRODUCTION Promotion is any initiative undertaken by an organization to promote an increase in sales, usage, or trial of a product or service; initiatives not covered by marketing communication or promotion. Promoting products not only helps the company to increase sales but it also helps to increase the life cycle of a product. Furthermore, the product can survive and grow continuously beyond the saturation of the product in the market. The main aim of any business is to earn maximum profit and this is possible only through maximum sales. Maximum sales can be achieved by using various techniques of sales promotion. Sales promotion includes; those marketing activities, other than personal selling, advertising and publicity that stimulate consumers purchasing and dealer's effectiveness such as; window display, shows and expositions, demonstrations and the like. Promotion is concerned with the creation, application and dissemination of materials and techniques that supplement advertising and personal selling. Promotion makes use of direct mail, catalogues, trade shows, sales contents, premiums, samples, window display and other aids. Its purpose is to sell a certain brands and to make consumers more eager to buy that brand, Personal selling and advertising do include prospects to make their decisions. Promotion provides an extra stimulus’. According to various authors sales promotion can be defined as: * According to AH.R. Delens, "Promotion means any steps that are taken for the purpose of obtaining increased sales’. * According to John. L. Luickkand and William Lee Ziegler, "Promotion as a tool of market promotion gives rise to increase in production usage as well as expansion of market for a product or introduction of a new product’. 3.1)Pharma Marketing Management 33 proof of purchase: cash memo or wrapper of the product. Promotion Free in the mail premium: A free gift is given to the customer on sending a 5. Prize contests: The contest may be held for the customers, salesman and dealers. They are required to write a slogan or complete a sentence about the utility of the product. Attractive prizes are given for the best entries. Fairs and Exhibitions: Fairs and exhibitions are organized to display and popularize products of the firm. For example, in various medical and pharmaceutical conferences, seminars, Science Congress, the pharmaceutical firm, and their allied industries participate in the exhibitions organized by their organising committee. On such occasions, the firm also distributes free literature to int products. roduce itself and its 3.2 ADVERTISING Advertising is a medium of information which tells people, “Her e is what we have got, so Here is what it will do for you.” An art, used to familiarize public with the product by informing of its description, uses its superiority over other brands, sources of its availability and price, etc. Advertising is not merely propaganda but is a paid form of communication. Advertisers have to pay for the space or time used to communicate the message to his customers. Objectives of Advertising: a RW 2 To create a demand for a new product by explaining its utility. To increase its sales by attracting new customers. To maintain the existing demand by fighting competition To assist the salesmen in their selling efforts. To warn the public against imitation of the products of the firm. To enhance goodwill of the firm. Advantages of Advertising: ei yawn It helps in the introduction of new products in the market. It promotes the sale of goods and services by persuading the people to buy them. Ithelps in creating a demand for regular production. It enables a firm to face competition in the market for its survival It enables a firm to improve its reputation by highlighting its public. It provides information and also educates the consumers to buy at lower prices. It leads to improv them for better things. It generates employment for artists and other people in the line, It provides revenue to newspapers, 1. achievements to the better quality goods . fement in the standard of living of common masses by motivating magazines, doordarshan and radio. Jich in turn reduces the ove! 10:1 leads to increase in production, Wt goods. ing price of the Hence, it helps in bringing down “lah of : to expand his market. . Itenables the manufacture e n - cs It er in maintaining uniformity and stability of pri bale, E Disadvantages of Advertising: ae fra bee 1. It multiplies the needs of the people by inducing them to buy things whic / not really need or cannot afford to buy. It increases the cost of production. ; es not necessarily increase the demand and sale of the product. It demand from one seller to another. P ; tt involves a huge wasteful expenditure because the majority of either escape the attention of the people or are ignored by them. 5. Many atime, the facts are misrepresented in the advertisement. = Media for Advertising: The means used to transmit the message from the advertiser to the public is k the advertising media. The following are some of media through which advertising L. Print media: Newspapers and magazines. v 2. Literature advertisement: For example, letters, circulars, catalogues and 3. External advertisement: Posters on walls and electric display. 4. Miscellaneous advertisement: TV, radio, window display, cinema sli cassettes, etc. ‘Advertisement and Pharmaceutical Industry: (Media for Communication): Regarding advertising of pharmaceutical products, WHO has resolved: } “The advertisement of pharmaceutical Products should be truthful. There should any wrong Statement regarding its contents and their percentage. It should prov details regarding the actions and uses, proprietary name as well as the generi dosage form, mode of administration, side effects and treatment of toxic Precautions and contraindications, The above statement should be truthful, si i Ss should be truthful, The purpose of advertising in the ethical any other product but there are many restrict A customer (patient) cannot use a pharmaceutical market is the same as tl ions on it, ot require @ prescription for tl purchase. Hence, can be adver jethod: 1ods of advertisement, rtised by any of the direct mPharma Marketing Management 35 The following methods are used for advertising pharmaceutical products: Direct mailing Newspapers, professional magazines and journals. TV, radio and other audio-visual media. Personal contact or detailing Outdoor advertisement. Miscellaneous methods. Direct mailing: In this method a mailing list of Registered Medical Practitioners, chemists and druggist is prepared. Letters, leaflets, folders and catalogues are sent to them regularly through mail to inform them of the details of the products manufactured by the firm. Mail advertising has a personal appeal because it is addressed to a particular person. It also maintains secrecy in advertising. The main drawback is that it has a limited coverage. 2. Newspapers, Professional Magazines and Journals: Newspapers advertisement is one of the oldest methods of attracting people towards your product or goods. Currently, different scientific Journals and even professional magazine are also used for the same purpose. 3. Television, Radio and other Audio-Visual Media: Television is the latest and fast growing medium of advertising. It is a very effective medium because it appeals to both the eye and the ear. The product can be demonstrated and explained on the television. However, it is an expensive method of advertising. Radio advertising is becoming more popular these days and advertisements are generally transmitted through commercial services of Akashvani. Radio advertisements carry an effective appeal as they reach out to all sections of society. People can hear them even when they are busy with other activities. The big pharmaceutical companies generally sponsor entertaining programmes on TV and radio to promote their products. 4. Personal Contact or Detailing: It is a process of sales promotion and advertisement by personal contacts, The pharmaceutical manufacturers engage sales represent: tatives and medical representatives for making personal contacts with sellers or prescribers and influence them for their products. This method of advertisement is very costly. However, it is preferred by the pharmaceutical manufacturing companies for the following reasons: + it provides an opportunity to inform the physicians and retailers about new products of the firm. «It also helps to refresh the memory of physicians regarding the old products of the firm. + Ithelps to clear any doubts a physician may have regarding a particular product of the company. PouUs.enrPharma Marketing Management 37 Promotior romotion Essential Features of Good Advertisement: The text or body of an advertisement is known as an advertising copy. It contains headline, message, advertiser's name and address, and photographs, etc. The advertising copy should be carefully drafted to include the following essential features: 1, It should be made attractive by using pictures, headlines, attractive borders, etc. to attract people's attention. 2. It should create a permanent impression on the minds of people. Repeated use of a brand name or trade mark is very helpful. 3. It should give useful suggestions to the public. For example, the advertisement of Vicks 500 tablet suggests its use for cold and cough. 4. It should educate the people about the use of the product and its benefits. For example, in the advertisement of baby milk powder, the instructions for preparing milk are required to be given. 5. It must contain solid arguments and proof to convince the consumers about the superior quality of the product. For example, Anacin tablet relieves pain faster as it is micro fined 6. It should arouse interest in the people to buy/try it. [3.3 MARKETING COMMUNICATION Marketing Communication is an art of communicating pro public. In pharmaceutical marketing, the main purpose of communication is to make a long lasting impression. In the current rat race several national and multinational pharma companies have gained remarkably for their exceptional communication strategies for sales promotion. Promotion: Promotion means to publicize a product to increase its sale and public awareness. There are two major demands in the promotional mix of any organization: (A) Personal communication: This includes; personal selling. It is perhaps the marketing element of the promotional mix. (8) Non-personal communication: This includes; advertising, sales, promotion, publicity and public relation. Marketing Communication: A It is a more specific form of communication wherein, a seller seeks to transmit information to the buyers. Communication essentially is a two way process. It can take place and the receiver (potential buyer) understands, accepts and acts upon what. the sender (seller) is intending to say. Communication is also defined as the transfer of meaning for a communication to be effective to: © Arrest the attention of the buyer. Establish rapport with the buyer to maintain © Stimulate the needs (desire) of the receiver and sug: satisfy his/her needs. his interest in the product. gest an appropriate method to—~ bh y Pharma Marketing Management 3.8 Promatie, This is the classic AIDA principle of communication. AIDA stands for: * Arrest attention * Arouse interest * Create desire * Make him act How communication works? A simplified model of the communication occurs is shown below: Message Message [7 Message Message eS Fig. 3.1: Communication Cycle The basic elements of this communication cycle are: © Sender: The origination or the source of message. * Message: The message itself. * Medium: The means or the vehicles by which, the messages are transmitted. * Receiver: The ultimate destination of message. * Feedback: The signal of understanding of the message by the receiver. In a promotional communication, the sender encodes a message and the receiver ‘decodes’ the message and signals his understanding of the message back to the source or the sender by a ‘feedback’. Barriers to Communication: 1. Multiple transmitters: Most messages involve multiple transmitters and so many people misunderstand the words of a message whether spoken or written, for the whole message. 2. Selective perception: They are responsible for a number of decoding errors. People only see or hear what they want to. They simply tune out and secure out the rest of ‘the messages, 3. Noise: It can be defined as interference that blocks or disturbs transmission of messages, (a) Internal noise: Kind of interference that is integrant in the message itself. If message is transmitted in an unknown language to receiver, it is internal noise. (b) External noise: Introduced accidentally from outside the communication process. (c) Competitive noise: It is deliberately introduced by another source to gain competitive advantage. Jpharma Marketing Management 3.9 Promotion x 4. Inadequate feedback: Inadequate feedback does not block or distort message directly but can stand in the way of future communications. Without sufficient feedback, a sender (source) is totally in the dark. Without prompt feedback, it’s not possible to transmit the messages successfully which will be able to know whether the messages have reached its intended destination or not. 3.4 DETERMINANTS OF PROMOTIONAL MIX _ The promotional mix in pharmaceutical marketing includes: 1. Personal selling: Medical representatives detailing the company’s product to doctors, with the help of visual aids, leave behind literatures, product monographs. Samples and gift, etc. are dealt later. It is the most important element. It can increase awareness, create interest, lead the doctors to evaluate, induce them to try the product and after successful trial persuade them to use and reassure them to use repeatedly. 2. Advertising: Preparation of visual aids, leave behind literatures, product monographs to assist medical representatives. Advertising is a specified media like; medical journals and souvenirs and medical symposia, print media and commercials for radio and TV in case of OTC formulations. Advertising rules out face to face communication but can make them aware of your product and create interest and take them to the stage of evaluation. It can create a better climate, a favourable disposition for the sales force to move in and clinch the sale, But only advertisement can't create or increase the sales directly. 3. Sales promotion: There aré many methods to increase the sale: The most popular are: (a) Quantity discount trade offers, (b) Gifts to retail chemist on the purchase of a predetermined quantity of a product or a value of an assortment of products. Sales promotion can't increase awareness, interest, evaluation, trial or usage in general but increase dramatically the repeat usage by dispensing doctors, if same offer is given. Sales promotion is useful in achieving certain short-term sales objectives like; reducing inventories of ledger increasing the stocks with the trade. 4. Publicity: Publicity is the attention given to medical profession through medical symposia, seminars, conducting clinical trials; organizing exhibition, designing and executing product publicity campaigns for truly innovative products. Publicity can create and increase awareness and interest. It can also create favourable disposition by improving the credibility of the company’s communication. It can probably facilitate repeat usage by satisfied customers. But it can neither induce trial nor increase usage.Promay Pharma Marketing Management 3.10 3.4.1 Personal Selling Selling is an important function. It may be defined as the process of analyzing Potent customer's needs and wants and informing him how such needs and wants can best be satisfied by the purchase of a particular product, service or idea. In pharmaceutical selling, the sales personnel are popularly known as medicg Tepresentatives or detail men, since they detail the products to the members of the medic profession. Personal selling refers face to face attempts to persuade prospective buyers tg prescribe your products. 3.4.2 Salesmanship Sales are the lifeline of pharmaceutical company for as much as sales are the major source of revenue for a business. In older days, salesmanship was considered a very important method for getting orders by fair or foul means for factory produced items without having any considerations for the satisfaction of the customers, But, nowadays ths concept has changed, Salesmanship is the art of convincing and persuading the prospective customers to buy goods that gives them satisfaction. There is no cut-off to be an ace medical representative. Two things matter the Most: the quality of the product and your ability to sell these qualities to the buyer. Personal seling or salesmanship is the oldest and most effective t helps in understanding the needs, motives and behaviour of knowing the habits, tastes and attitude of Customers. Such information is useful to manufacturers to manufacture such products and improve the existing ones, 3.4.2.1 Advantages 1. Ithelps in locating prospective buyers 2. It helpsin the creation of a demand for new products, n 3._ It provides feedback about the need, attitudes and behaviour of, 4. Ithelps to meet the objections and doubts of the consumers. 5, 6 i consumers, ._ Ithelps in demonstrating the product in a very effective way, ._ It can develop durable relationship with consumer, The salesman acts as a consultant to the consumers, 8. Salesmanship gets immediate buying action. 3.4.2.2 Steps Involved in Selling Process Pre-sales preparation Prospective . Approaching Presentation Dealing with objections Closing the sales Follow up NOB Rwa 3. hota _____ Promotion 1 ae saerason: The selection, training of sales personnel is the first step to face selling: ihe salesman must have thorough product knowledge besides knowledge of the competitors’ products and customers, 2, Prospecting: The salesman must locate the potential buyers and identify their needs. They should examine the records of past and present customers to find out the nature and attitudes of potential buyers, , Approaching: The salesman should introduce himself, the product and the manufacturer to the potential buyer. He should be polite and courteous while approaching the customers. In case the customer is busy worth some other customer, he should assure the customer that he would attend to him presently. 4, Presentation: The object of presentation is to convince the customer that he needs this type of product or service and this particular product or service will fulfil his needs. The salesman should describe the salient features and uses of the product in brief and not its technical details such as description about drug formulation, its chemical composition, its pharmacological actions and side effects, etc. The selling points and advice should be given without any hesitation. However, arguments should be avoided at all costs. To win an argument is to lose the customer and to lose the argument is to lose the sale. The success of a salesperson depends upon the degree to which he/she is able to match his/her presentation with the attitude of the consumer. . Dealing with objections: Certain objections may be raised by the customer after presentation which should be welcomed. Those objections which are mostly fegarding the price, quality and design are helpful in discovering the doubts of the customer. The salesman should not lose patience if a customer asks too many questions and takes time in reaching a decision. The main aim of the salesman should be to remove customers’ doubts. Closing the sale: Once the customer has made up his mind to buy the product, the salesman should close the sale in a cordial manner. The customer should be made to feel that he has made the right choice. It is difficult to close the sale if the customer has not yet come to a decision. However, under no circumstances, the customer should be pressurized to buy a particular item. The salesman should thank the Customer at the times of delivery of goods and all social courtesy should be ®ttended to him. He should assure the customer of still better service in rete. Follow up: Further ‘follow up’ is not practicable in case of ial 8 euery 2s isi Ss 5 stomers do not visit the pharmacy as frequently as they do in Pm er ee . Teptesentatives of suppliers generally follow up for stock ‘sold in’ to Be S0 i effective salesmanship. $ Salesman (Detail Man) Ma. 's Is known as a ‘salesman’. It is Abe , {%pe1) S50" Who is engaged in selling goods to the custome! no : ely Said that ee are born and not made. However, It Is not true these em _ s intensive classroom an # Any person who wants to adopt a sales profession getPromotion pharma Marketing Management 3.12 a feld training, The success of a firm mainly depends on the performance of their ei Bre Therefore, itis essential to engage well-qualified trained, energetic and young People 2s the 3 company's sales force. 3.4.2.4 Qualities of a Salesman 1. Personal qualities 2. Mental qualities 3. Social qualities 4, Vocational qualities Personal Qualities: 1. Agood salesman 2. He must possess physical strain because of its must have an attractive personality. man’s job involves a great good health and sound physique. A sales touring nature, So, only a person with a good health cen work effectively. 3. He should have a clear voice and his tone of speaking should be natural to impress the people dealing with him. | dressed because it adds to his charm. A pleasing and 4, He should also be wel charming personality always creates @ 900% Mental Qualities: 1. A.good salesman should possess a sound memory, presence of mind, imagination, farsightedness, sound judgement and initiative. 2. He should be intelligent enough to understand the nature and requirements of potential buyers. 3, He must have the imagination to look at things from the viewpoint of the custome’. ‘A salesman can win regular and permanent customers only through good mental qualities. Social Qualities: 1. Agood salesman must have a liking for people and the ability to mix with them. 2. He must not be shy and of reserved nature. 3, He should be sincere, dependable, cooperative and honest. 4. A salesman has to deal with different types of customers, Therefore, he should ha¥? z patience to listen to his customers and meet their objections. 5. oir aor be polis and courteous while dealing with his customers. H elp the customers in selecting the right type of goods, Courtes; ing bY wins favour and permanent customers, lasses Vocational Skills: 5 4 ets salesman must have specialized knowledge of selling techniques. a = ere is . vee skilled vocation, It requires certain training and aptitude ig jorough knowledge of the product, customers iti o rough and competitive produ“ already available in the market. Such knowledge is essential to harale gpjections ( d impression on the buyers. je mutpact Mal rketing Management 3,3 ‘ Promotion the ore ere also for convincing them to buy your products. A person cannot pe a salesman unless he has the required ambition an husiasm to become a ion and enti successful salesman. 342.5 Selection and Requirements of MR’s medepends on factors like: 2 2 Your product mix. The extent of competitors in the therapeutic segment wherein, you are represented orwhich you want to enter. The degree of market penetration required and marketing objectives. ._ Financial capability. The level of customer coverage in terms of both reach and frequency ready to achieve your objectives. 3.4.2.6 Criteria for Selection of MR’s 1 2 3. eae 10. Interest: Sincerity of ambitio There are the positive qualities which Tegative qualities to be noticed at the time a a 3. a Age: Usually between 21 and 25 years. Education: A pharmacy graduate or science graduate depending on the technical knowledge required for promoting product. Experience: Experienced/ fresh graduate with a good scholastic records and extracurricular activities is preferred. Appearance: Pleasant, well dressed, grooming, bearing and healthy. . Manners: Pleasant mannered, confident, and enthusiastic. 3. Voice: Clarity, modulation and grammar. . Reactions: Quickness of response or quick to react. ’. Drive: Ability to stimulate, enthuse othe! rs, and self assurance. Intelligence: Analyzing, resolving ability, keenness and smartness. n and personal goals, interest in other people. should be considered while selecting MR's. The of recruitment are: Poor personal appearance. Overaggressive, MR knows all syndromes. Poor verbal communication skills. lack of enthusiasm. * No specific interest in this career. * Decrease important handshake. * Can't look interviewer in the eye Gives excuses, protects his minus points. Over emphasis on money:Pharma Marketing Management 3.14 Promotio, 3.4.2.7 Orientation and Training After selecting the MR’s, almost all com panies give an orientation or introductio, is i can play a vital role in shaping th, training. This training programme is very important. It can play attitudes of the representatives towards the company, the job, and themselves. The training programme usually covers: L 2. 3. 4, a 6. 7. it any, its policies, objectives and philosophy. Na Tea pharmaceutical and medical knowledge required to communicate the product benefits to medical profession. Handling objections. Selling skills. ; Interpersonal communication skills. Monitoring and analyzing competition. To build up and inculcate a value based culture, good working habits, service of achievements and pride in selling as a carrier. The job training may also be given by field manager or a first line manager. Role of MR’s (Detail man): 1. To achieve the product-wise, unit-wise and value-wise sales target monthly and a cumulatively. A MR is a vital communication link between drug manufacturer and medical profession. They are the source of information. He is also an important source of feedback from the company's point of view, happening of company's product in market place, perception, competition, customer complaints, etc. Improving the Effectiveness of MR’s (Detail man): 1. Initial impression: First impression is best impression in selling. One has to create a . Familiarity: The more familiar M Positive impact in first visit and reinforce it subse ‘@ppearance, sober, conservative; favourable first impression. One st quently. Pleasant, well ground Gress sense, confident approach, helps to create a hould avoid flashy dress and way of approach. R to his customer the more his sale will be. Frequent sufficient. It enables him to understand the needs of message to meet those needs. visit oF two visits per month is his customers and to adjust his 3.4.2.8 Tasks of Medical Representatives A medical representative has to Perform four crucial tasks, 1. Detailing: Detailing is sin Detailing means to provi only way to increasing pi action are: . . . ularly the most important task that has to be performed ide detail information about drug, Effective detailing is the rescription generation. The four basic elements that lead to Speaker Occasion for speech Speech itself Listener (the receiver) In our case ‘prescription’ is the acti ili actions and detailing is of communication, eaeting Management az aus Promotion Speaker: The MR is a speaker in the contest of detailing to a doctor. He should be confident, have faith on himself, in his ability to detail effectively, faith in company, relaxed mentally. Occasion for speech: For MR, every interview with a doctor is occasion for speech event. He should be prepared thoroughly for every occasion. Utilization of time is important. Speech: In a ‘detail talk’ of representative on his products should be complete and precise. It should be thoroughly prepared. Listener: Attention of listener is important. A representative should call on the doctor at the time of his convenience. 2, Sampling: Sampling is another task performed by MR's. It indicates the presentation of samples. Sample may be supplied to the medical and allied profession to familiarize them with products, to enable them to gain experience with the product in their practice or upon request. 3, Monitoring: Regular surveillance as checking of the product performance and its perception, is another tasks of MR. 4. Retailing or Retail booking: Visiting to the retailers or wholesalers is also important. It provides vital feedback as: © What is happening to your products and how they are moving? * Competitors’ activities, their product movement, their future plans, etc. «Identification of major prescribers of your as well as competitors products. * Basic information leading to effective response. «Retail booking is another task. Availability and optimum stock at the retail level is essential for products success. The visit to the trade and retail booking is as important as to the doctors. Future Prospects of Detail men: MR is a vital communication link between the drug manufacturer and the medical profession. Many companies are producing same product with little or no variation. Thus, sdling is a major problem. A perfect retailing is the only means by which a product can be tablished or it can generate prescription in the market. for this reason, almost all of the companies are focusing towards marketing prospects. Alaige number of detail men are employed or recruited. The highly competitive situation Desent in the pharma industry raises the importance of detail men and their future Prospect, Medical representatives are increasingly get = Promotion Employee Act, The Industrial D al leave had been increased and have been made more favourable to employees. f representatives is essential toh Dfoper understanding and appreciation of the problems o} know the way for better industrial relations even as managements ey be doing what is ting good remuneration, consequently the isputes Act has been made applicable andPharma Marketing Management 3.16 Promotion 3.5 ONLINE PROMOTIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR OTC PRODUCTS ] Definition: Online marketing is the practice of support internet or web-based channels of distributions or sales to distribute a message about a company's, products, brand or services to its customers/Patients. The techniques or methodology used for online marketing includes display advertisement display, social media, email, etc. P The main objective of online marketing is to reach potential Patients/ customers through the various channels, in which they spends most of their time searching, reading ang shopping in the current scenario. antiga ' There are also many challenges, competitions and benefits in online marketing specially with pharmaceutical products. There are certain schedules drugs which cant be sale without prescriptions of RMP and once one RMP write Prescription patients has to upload online then patients can purchase medicine online, at the same time to treat patients during emergency condition or urgent requirements of medicine its difficult to obtained through online. Online purchase of medicine is possibly the choice for the patients suffering from chronic disease like; Diabetes, hypertension, etc. because these people need medicine 365 days and if they plan then these patients can order online well in advance, There is a classical way to do purchasing medicines in over-the-counter (OTC) is to order for OTC drugs where there is no requirements of prescription to be uploaded. In one side, the OTC market is very much useful and patients are making one of the major choice for that and other side marketer are leaving patients with more choice and flexibility and most of the time with discount offers. Approximately 60% of the patients expressed that that don't have enough tool online to plan for treatment of minor ailment at their own level. Nowadays it's clear that marketing efforts have been made for the quantitative sells no qualitative sells. Still now healthcare marketing it self is not established well. So, there is enormous potential in this sector if its channelized appropriately. Generally, the purchase efforts made in healthcare sector are more of making rationél Gecision in compare to other product, no one purchase the medicine for future use like other products. Whenever it's required or people suffers from certain disorders they purchase and use it. Online purchase of medicine is not like fast moving goods of other types or goods required for day to day life, so special Prequation and necessary suggestions need to b¢ followed when ever online purchase of medicine is done. It is/always better to’ consult Registered medical practitioner before online purchase of medicine and is equally importa"t to use these medicine in consultation with RMP even though it is OTC medicine. As these at health related product so, these products are very much important and need to be take" sufficient care in term of quality and purity, though it's OTC medicine, Example, treatment Of pain or fever is common goal for OTC medicines,Marketing Management Bey Prom the reason behind self diagnosis with the help of onli ; ine experts they wants opini fi the source which Ee Sead genuine then only they will be sure o vol vt jcation, SO now a day's online search related to common symptoms on a orice aggzase are 5° high. resent situation, another important i i In pr Bee iy ot mobi portant aspect of online purchasing of OTC drug is that we to the acces? y jles, people can enquire many things by asking questions not only t0 pharmacists to oe and suppliers also. This will ensure that product information on internet! web is correct and authenticated so that, people can rely on the web information which result in clarity of thought and information to the purchaser/Patients. The Sale cycle of OTC drugs/ medicine is short. The patients may visit pharmacy/ chemist and druggist or order from online to get required medicine, this demands multi-channel and sustainable marketing approach. In the present era, patients have information about saepthing on their finger tips. So, if the marketing channel is not dynamic its elmost impossible to sustained patients/ purchaser. ‘An example ‘of how Procter and Gamble started their social campaign and subsequently giveaway of their product Prilosec, this medicine is used to treat Ulcer, GERD (Gastro fsophageal Reflux Disease) and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. They launched this product under the quotation of everything you can do without Heartburn, it was an great initiation and the idea was to review the list of activity/ things passionately people wants to do without Heartburn. The people were allowed to share their ideas with storytelling, text and videos, it was cbviously an intelligent way to market campaign their product by linking them with their passion. Its sets an example for the other marketer too, that when we link people passion with product then it's something which people can never forget. ct, review and rating is always invaluable for the any Regardless of the type of produ marketer which is an integral part of any success story: Whenever customers see that particular product is getting more praise online then automatically it becomes the social proof that, that particular OTC product is genuine and quality product. This will add values tothe product and reviewer will praise your product online, Certain OTC medications like; vitamins and supplements are meant to be frequently consumed daily or need basis. This frequent use OTC product is very ideal for customer loyalty programme. This believes will help to develop good and long term relationship with Product and company, too. The OTC marketing is someti sther products. The marketer of 0 basic concept of marketing intact an‘ to expand their product market. me different from the marketing of ent by following do few things differ they need to take extra efforts too me same and someti TC product need to d at the same time,3.18 Promoti, ealth and people are more concer, d slowly growing progress of Or. available 0n e-commerce id execute their Strategy pharma Marketing Management, sing in awareness about h ‘As there are rapidly increa: i globe, there is a steady an ular category/ if they plan an about their health across the e becoming reg! products/ medicines towards i ‘ platforms. OTC medicine marketers can strike gold i properly. a) 3.6 PROMOTIONAL BUDGET | need to set aside in the beginning of financial year to led promotional budget. This Amount of money/ fund that promote the products in a business 0 budget is been created in anticipation © business or creating or maintaining brand. e total promotion budget: r organization 1s cal f essential costs associated with growth of a ll the affordable budget method Methods use to determine th be set up in a manner so that, 1, Affordable method: Most for determining the promotion company can afford to invest. This is more attention in the long-term pro! organization. Enrollment of affordable uncertainty in an annual budget and so, method also considers the role of promotion in vol Percentage of sales method: This method of promotion expel determine percentage of sales. The advantages of this method are: First, expenditure on advertising is closely eflected in terms of sales. So, the organization can easily decide to afford a percentage of sales to be spends on of the companies enrol budget. It should purely subjective method of assessment to pay motional services and need depends upon budget method is very often results planning for long-term is difficult. This ume of sales. nditure is used to N promotion. Second, this method helps to analyse the relationship between sell price per unit and cost of promotion. Third, this method ensures stability when competitors are also investing the equal percentage of sales on promotion. aaa a method: In this method, expenditure on advertisements of an P é 3 ea nk as spent by competitors. In this methods, organization follows licy like competitors to invest in promoti i ne 5c n promotion budget. This method also ed on the assumption that competitor's expenditure represents the judgment of » the industry. Since th i eo promotion budget of one organization is in equivalent with the Cs cy war can be avoided. However like other methods, this also has certain limitations. There is no : } so has . guarantee that competitors’ of promotion gives collective prudence of the industry. Diffent uatcarer in /. iff _pharma Marketing Management 3.19 Promotion objectives, resources, opportunities and in terms of reputation. So, the type of promotional budget made by one organization may not be promotion budget appropriate to another organization 4, Objective and task method: In this type of method, marketers finalized budget for promotion by defining objectives, ascertain tasks to be performed to achieve the objectives and estimate the cost for performing these tasks. This is rational method because it sets the promotion budget at the cost which is required to achieve the objective of the organization and which may vary from organization to organization. Several methods can be used to determine the promotion for budget of an organization. The simplest method for determining the budget for promotion is often rarely use a percentage of last year's sales or the projected sales for the forthcoming year. These methods may not account for any changes in the market or unexpected situations. However, many organizations use this method as it is straight forward and simple. The affordable methods for promotional budget is the perception of an organization that how much they can afford to promote their product and unfortunately cost for this is more than anticipated in most of the cases. Most of small organization thinks that they can invest money on promotion but Practically, they run out with shortage of money and can't afford to invest appropriate amount to promote their product. As a result, organization needs to modify their plan to invest on promotion of product. Other organization may decide to follow competitive parity and keep their promotional budget spending comparable to the competitors’ spending level. During certain condition like; recession, some organization thinks that they must spend as much possible than their Competitors to get customers retained. Other companies are forced to reduce on their Spending for more targeted promotions. The more ideal and rational approach is the task and objective method, in which marketing managers first determine what are their objectives and what they want to @ccomplish objectives through their communication. Then they determine the activities for Sales promotions and commercialization of product which are necessary to achieve objective Of an organization, Then finally they carry out market research to find out how much the task or activities cost in order to finalize the budget.Pharma Marketing Management 3.20 CASES: ‘Case 1: Magic- slate’s magic formula! Another company requested the doctor to write the brand name in the magic s jon the visual aid, to make the doctor familiar to the writing of the brand name. To thel ‘surprise of the company’s field force many doctor obliged. The company was successfu| jn, (getting its new products brand name on to the pen of the doctor very quickly! Case 2: Innovative communications strategy pushes a product to brand leai \position! > One company had found out an innovative way to communicate its product. Th company had fixed a battery-operated electrical display panel board behind the visuz that can light up with the pressing of a button to create a neon-sign effect in the chamber. Every time the representative announced the brand name, button and the brand name was illuminated. The reaction and the fesponse of the doct to this novel and innovative device was pleasant surprise. It made the brand name memorable. This certainly paved the way for the brand's long march towards leade st position. ‘ Se ot0 ln Pottery soars Be