This document discusses using social networking for hiring, internal collaboration, and customer engagement by medical science liaisons (MSLs). It provides tips for using LinkedIn for recruiting and hiring. It also recommends using social business software like Yammer or Jive to facilitate internal collaboration for non-co-located teams. Finally, it argues that MSLs can engage thought leaders through their presence on networks like LinkedIn, QuantiaMD, and Doximity, as over 30% of thought leaders may already be on such networks. An example virtual community set up by a pharmaceutical company found KOLs had a positive response, though the sample size was small.

1. © 2014
The MSL
&
Social Networking
Stephen Dodge, PharmD, MBA
© 2014

2. © 2014
Disclaimer
This presentation is made at the request of the DIA
MSL Community. The presenter, although an
employee of Merck and Co., is presenting on
his/her own behalf. The information provided and
any views expressed during the presentation are
those of the presenter and may not be attributed to
Merck and Co.

3. © 2014
Three Areas for Consideration
• Social Networking & Hiring
• Social Networking & Internal Collaboration
• Social Networking & Customer Engagement

4. © 2014
Thoughts about Hiring
LinkedIn…
Big Daddy
for
Recruiting
Keep your
Profile &
Network
Current and
Accurate
Your
Network is
the best way
to ID Talent
Check
LinkedIn
Against the
CV
Check
LinkedIn to
see who
candidates
know
Use LinkedIn
for Role
Profiles
YOUR
CANDIDATES
WILL CHECK
YOU OUT!

5. © 2014
A Best Practice for Hiring
• Post positions to
your LinkedIn
Share an Update
section
• Repeat daily
• Have colleagues
do the same
• Leverage
multiple
networks

6. © 2014
Three Areas for Consideration
• Social Networking & Hiring
• Social Networking & Internal Collaboration
• Social Networking & Customer Engagement

7. © 2014
Thoughts about Internal
Networking
1. Gartner, 2013
Networking
Happens Non-co-
Located
Teams
Struggle to
Connect
Use Social
Business
Software
Most will Fail
Early –
Results in
2016
Pull … Don’t
Push
Lack of
Leadership
Over-
Emphasis on
Technology

8. © 2014
Social Business Software
Social Networking
• Yammer
• Jive
• SharePoint (Disappoint)
• Enterprise Hive
• And Many More …
Problem Solving
• Imaginatik
• Spigit
• Bright Idea
• Ideascale
• And Others …
It’s All About
PULL!

9. © 2014
An Interesting Problem Solving
Example
Needs1:
(1)Meaningful & Specific Purpose
(2)Critical Mass of Users
(3)Integration with Other Applications in Use
Leadership Driven
Problems Made
Available to the
Crowd
Open to All Global
Medical Affairs
Colleagues
Solutions Evaluated,
Chosen and
Implemented …
Solvers Rewarded
1. Gartner, 2013

10. © 2014
Three Areas for Consideration
• Social Networking & Hiring
• Social Networking & Internal Collaboration
• Social Networking & Customer Engagement

11. © 2014
And Back to LinkedIn – Accessing
the Hard-to-Access
in
Challenges with Initial Interactions
• They don’t know you
• You don’t know them
• Your name and business card may
tell them very little or not what
you want
• Gatekeepers may not pass this
information along
The Secret of LinkedIn
• Your profile tells them a lot about
you
• You can connect via LinkedIn
without an e-mail address
• If profile complete, they can
understand your role, who you
know and your background
• No Gatekeepers

12. © 2014
Embrace and experiment with new technologies in mobility
and social media to be well positioned for the future.
2. Medical Affairs 2020 and Beyond, McKinsey and Company, 2014
Virtual
Ad Boards
Surveys of
Communities
Open
Innovation
Work with
Traditional
TLs
ID Online TLs
Online
Scientific
Engagement

13. © 2014
Social Networking With MSL
Customers
• Build or “Buy”
– My Opinion – Buy!
• Networks already exist
• Your customers are there
• The technology exists to engage them
in this environment
• Limited data show it can work
3. Digital doctors: marketing to online networks (2nd Ed). A FirstWord ExpertViews Report., 2013
In 2012, close to 65% of physicians engaged in physician online
communities3

14. © 2014
To Answer the Question: Are your
Thought Leaders there?
2012 – Worked with
QuantiaMD to identify
subset of TLs from full list
within their network
Result: Over 30% within the
network
Representative of the
broader list – specialty,
geography, work setting
Thought Leader
Universe
Diabetes
QuantiaMD
Subset
Diabetes

15. © 2014
To Answer the Question: Can you
engage them?
QuantiaMD and Doximity
will create private spaces
within their environment
to engage TLs.
Both networks have
>200,000 active
members.
Both have internal TLs

16. © 2014
An Example of the Virtual ML Concept
16
4. Dodge S. The MSL Today (online), February, 2012.
• Social networking community set up by top
10 pharma co for MSLs to interact with
KOLs
• Overall feedback from KOLs was positive
though sample very small
• 40% felt overall value for time spent in
community was very good to exceptional
• 64% felt community offered potential to
help access knowledge and perspectives of
colleagues
• Issue: Almost nothing published in this
space
• Issue: Regulatory guidance not close to
offering clarity around this
• Issue: MSLs can easily see this as a threat