I have "checked the box" and done enough dinner programs to avoid scrutiny, and I am more convinced then ever that these programs are useless. I spend days delivering invitations , and following up in person trying to get RSVPS. The dinner program arrives, 12 RSVPs , and what happens? I get maybe two nurses, and a lab tech that are each 200lbs. plus feeding at the trough , while a MD or nurse delivers our awful slide set on Abraxane to folks who can't do a thing about what drug is used in their clinic. These dinner programs are old time marketing tactics that are now useless, many of my MDs say flat out there personal time at home is much more important than the 3 or 4 dinner programs they get offered each week to attend. Get off these old tactics and look at online learning on demand programs, where people who are truly interested can go at their leisure and get the desired information disseminated to them. The days I waste running around trying to get attendance to these dinners takes away from my Abraxane selling time. Let's get off the herd mentality and come up with something different, is anyone in marketing listening?
"Is anyone in marketing listening?" Did you bother to raise this to anyone's attention in management? Do you ever voice your ideas to someone who can make a change or are you one of the constant whiners spending time on Cafe Pharma "cry, cry, cry, ooh poor me!!" I think you raised a very good point & a response should be addressed by your management team. You should be listened to.
any revenue that goes into P4 goes into 'you know who's' pocket. that's why they call P4 pss's pitstop for promotions and propaganda. you are truly naive and stupid
Upper management does these programs in lockstep with the rest of the pharma industry. They are all copycats. You can't be from Abraxis if you are stupid enough to ask if this issue was raised with marketing and management. What an ass you are, these people dream up these programs, tie metrics to them , and then bang reps over the head with the tally per territory. The people who do most of these dinner programs are ex nurses who take all their buddies out to dinner and call it an educational event. Just look down South.
Anyone that tells you that they have increased Abraxane usage as a result of shitty, outdated slides presented by a MD with limited use of this drug, is not being honest. These guys could go out to one of these "programs" five nights a week if they wanted. PLEASE wake up and realize these no longer have the impact they once did. Ok....perhaps seven years from now when there is some new indication, maybe.... but not with MBC. Put the money in a PR firm or marketing. I have never seen such a great product screwed over because of a shit marketing group. Maybe the big boy from Aventis, now marketing Abraxane should walk. What has he done? We get breast cancer month materials in the middle of the month....big deal
I had a program with a $1,500 minimum guarantee at the establishment. Had 1 person show and took home $1,100 in gift certificates.
Now that is thinking outside the box!! Way to go man, enjoy your dinners Sincerely Patrick it doesn't matter to me cause I own the restaurant Soon Sing
Perhaps if a dinner program is on a new, novel drug that treats a previously untreatable condition, then doctors will attend or at least have some mild interest in attending. But a program on hypertentsion drugs over 10 years old, or worse yet, a combination of 2 existing drugs into 1 pill IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's all about activity for activity's sake. Usually the Dr's that attend are just there for the free NY Strip or Red Snapper.....Management just doesn't have a clue!!
I am an Infectious Disease doc in central Texas and I love dinner programs, but if your speaker sucks it IS a waste of time. I remember when we were trained by marketing experts on how to speak in public, and told NEVER to talk for more than 20 minutes and NEVER use more thon 20-25 slides. Now " speaker training " is lawyer-driven with dozens ( often 60 or more ) of boring slides, mostly disclaimers and product insert garbage. This is why talks have gotten worse.