Our son Oliver cries a lot.  I can’t really blame him, either.  It’s part of that long Darwinian process of evolution from which we’ve all benefited, enabling human beings to survive life’s challenges.  In his defense, the little guy just turned one.  You cried a lot, too, when you were his age, before you could “use your words” – and over time, you learned how to communicate in a more compelling and socially acceptable manner.

But now you may have something to cry about: the patients you are trying to reach know how to communicate very well - and they are doing so every day, both in-person and online, at unprecedented levels.  More people than ever before are sharing their stories and offering their opinions to other people who trust them and want to hear what they have to say.

But are they talking about you, or about your competition?

According to “The Social Life of Health Information Report” from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 68% of people with a health question or concern say they consult a friend or family member (2nd only to a health professional, 86%).  Building on that data is information from Neilsen BuzzMetrics, who reported from a global study of 25,000 consumers that 90% trust the advice from people they know.

And that’s where the powerful sweet spot for pharma marketing remains.

So what are you or your clients doing to tap into that power?