As I travel to Boston for INBOUND 2103 I can’t help but ask myself, is my industry – the pharmaceutical industry – ready for inbound marketing? I believe, without a doubt, that it is ready. Unfortunately concerns around patient privacy have made pharma a cautious business. Personally I can’t think of an industry more in need of inbound marketing and I see the empowered patient as the catalyst.

The patients and health consumers of today are educated, savvy individuals that seek out information to better manage their own health. They want to know about preventative care, they want to understand their different treatment options, they want be an active participant in their own care – and they should be. They are after all, intimately involved in this process we call healthcare.

For more on the topic:  CROWDPulse: Searching for health information online 

I see some raised hands… What exactly is inbound marketing? Good question and one we should answer before this discussion goes any further. According to HubSpot, the undisputed authority on all things inbound, it’s the best way to turn strangers into customers. 

In a nutshell, inbound marketing uses quality content to draw people into your company or business. Share information that’s valuable to your customers and they’ll come to you. Who doesn’t want that? Also seems like a good fit for the pharma industry – patients that want information and companies that have a wealth of knowledge and resources to share.

INBOUND 2013 kicks off tomorrow and while I understand the HIPAA and FDA constraints placed on the pharma industry I’m excited to apply some new thinking to engaging and connecting with the health consumer. Stay tuned, there’s more to come on pharma and inbound marketing efforts.

Are you a pharmaceutical marketer attending INBOUND 2013? Drop me a message via the awesome INBOUND app and let’s connect.