Personal Storytelling Makes a Difference

We talked earlier this year about the importance of including the patient perspective in corporate messaging.

In last week’s Comm Convo, our guest speakers reminded us, albeit from a different vantage point, why this is important.

They said the most effective way to get our stories across is at the human level.

And especially with audiences like government officials who have contrasting perspectives flying at them from every which way, it usually takes more than once.

What we also heard from our panelists was that, more broadly speaking, consistent and human-centric storytelling is the key.

Yes, this certainly includes working hand in hand with smart and credible patient advocacy organizations.

But it also means tapping into the personal stories that propel our industry forward.

For example, why is your leadership team focused on a particular disease area or modality? What’s the tie-in with their personal experiences or motivations?

Or, what experiences can your lab staff or manufacturing team draw on to provide the full picture to external audiences?

Or, what about the job creation or workforce development story in the local economy? Are there new and different kinds of jobs your company or client is creating that maybe didn’t exist 10 or 15 years ago?

Of course our industry has its challenges and there are bad actors just like every other sector out there, but as our guests said last week, there’s a LOT to be celebrated.

We should be proud of the work we’re doing and proud to tell our story.

It can make a difference,  from Wall Street all the way to Capitol Hill.

Empowering Corporate Advocacy Thru Social Media

As we roll into a new month, we’re combining a little bit of September’s theme of digital storytelling with October’s theme, as we transition to look at different kinds of advocacy across our industry and what it means for our companies, clients, and leaders.

First, let’s differentiate between a few types of advocacy:

Corporate advocacy relates to a company’s support for social causes.

Brand advocacy centers on customers and employees promoting the brand.

Policy advocacy involves influencing government policy or regulations.

Zeroing in on corporate advocacy, the Institute of Business Ethics reported in 2023 that a survey among international Corporate Affairs professionals found that half believe that companies should play a role in taking a public position on issues.

One of the most powerful tools at our disposal when it comes to corporate advocacy is social media.

The University of Kansas’ Community Toolbox highlights that “the modern digital era means that social media will no longer be a standalone aspect of your advocacy plan, but rather something that should be integrated at the most basic level.”

That’s because social media enables a quick reaction and a channel to share corporate responsibility efforts, while fostering two-way conversation and a community of trust.

What role does social media play in your own corporate advocacy framework?

Best Practices for Patient Advocacy Communications

Oftentimes, a company’s early patient advocacy efforts stem from the thought that patients are another stakeholder group to communicate to. This might sound obvious, but it’s critical to CONTINUE prioritizing this audience as therapies advance.

Whether you’re just beginning comms efforts in this area, partnering with an established patient advocacy function, or already have great patient community relationships, here are our top five must-dos:

  1. Understand the environment: Are there several big patient advocacy organizations or a single foundation? Is the treatment landscape crowded or is your company developing the first new medicine in this space in a long time? Also, what are the dynamics like between patients, their caregivers and major KOLs?
  2. Be aware of precedents you’re setting. For example, the timing of your first email or meeting with a PAO sets expectations for when you’ll engage with other communities related to future disease areas of focus. Are you initially engaging when your company declares a new program’s research efforts or not until there’s a development candidate?
  3. Be transparent but intentionally. Although PAOs may not always agree to a confidentiality agreement, being up-front with your main contacts about a program’s status can earn trust and credibility.
  4. Share consistent updates. Frequency and format will depend as much on your company stage as your PAO relationships, and can therefore take a variety of shapes. Maybe you’re having regular Zoom meetings, monthly email updates, or using quarterly earnings as a springboard.
  5. Finally, consider how complicated your news is. Are there new terms or MOAs that need to be explained in a sensitive way? Assess whether regular corporate messaging is appropriate for this audience.

What else should we keep in mind when communicating with patient and caregiver communities?