The Voices Project Asia
Stephen Potts, Director at Purdie Pascoe, was recently interviewed by Rohit Sahgal, Chief Editor and AI Strategist at TVP Singapore, for the first episode of the 6th season of the Voices Project Asia Podcast. They delve into a range of topics such the importance of relationships in Asia, innovation, finding a ‘killer insight’, navigating the era of ‘info-besity’, rare diseases and the growing role of AI in healthcare.
Insights summary:
Building strong relationships is especially important in Asia
In Asia, building strong relationships is crucial to sales. Slightly different to the West, where the focus is often on delivering the right messages, in Asia, the emphasis is on forming bonds with agencies, doctors, and stakeholders. Sales representatives in the Asia-Pacific region prioritise creating service-oriented relationships with doctors, which significantly influences their approach.
Asia is starting to lead the way in Innovation
Japan, China, Australia, and Korea are leading in innovation within certain therapeutic categories. Outside these developed countries, the focus is more on making existing technology cheaper and more accessible. Asia has the potential to lead in AI, particularly in diagnostics, where AI can identify diseases through imaging that the human eye might miss.
Brands that build their value proposition on a killer insight connect with customers
Decision making in healthcare can be subjective, and researchers must often rely on their judgment to interpret data. Good researchers add their consultancy layer to the data, highlighting the most critical insights for their clients. Those brands that are able to build their value proposition on a ’killer insight’, i.e. a hidden truth based on universal human experience, are more likely to connect with customers and be successful.
In the age of ‘Infobesity’, the analyst is key
We live in an age of ‘infobesity’ where the abundance of information can be overwhelming. The key is to filter through this information to find what truly matters. Analysts who can sift through data and identify valuable insights are incredibly valuable to organisations, whether they work in agencies or on the client side.
In Rare Diseases, patients and caregivers often become opinion leaders
Patients and caregivers of rare diseases, especially genetic conditions, often become experts themselves due to their long journeys to diagnosis and treatment. These patients are highly engaged, but market research in this area faces challenges due to small sample sizes. Researchers must go deep to understand the needs of these patients and caregivers thoroughly.
Synthetic Respondents can help to validate insights
Using synthetic respondents can help validate the basic findings of research. However, is essential not to miss the "a-ha" moments that come from real patient interactions.
Healthcare companies need to start being truly patient centric
Patients should always be at the centre of research. It's essential to focus not only on doctors' needs but also on those of patients and allied professionals.
Curiosity killed the cat but is vital for newcomers in market research
Always be inquisitive and keep asking questions. Curiosity is a vital trait for anyone entering the field of market research.