CONFERENCE COVERAGE
Medical Conferences/Congresses are great venues to collect competitive intelligence. Key Opinion Leaders and speakers/presenters are nearly always available, poster sessions and symposia can provide great insight into competitors’ plans, and exhibition halls are a unique opportunity to meet and talk with competitors’ managers, sales reps, and science experts. Conferences also provide opportunities to establish contacts with sources to follow-up with post-conference.
However, to maximize their value, there needs to be meticulous planning, the right team to attend the conference, and strong project management to ensure that all Key Intelligence Topics and Questions (KITs/KIQs) are covered every day of the conference.
- PRE-CONFERENCE
- Establish goals
- Define KITs and KIQs
- Select ideal EMC Team and Project Manager
- Research conference program, abstracts, posters, session, speakers, and exhibitors
- Develop Conference Playbook, identifying prioritized targets and responsibility for coverage
- Relay Playbook and other relevant material to client two weeks in advance
- CONFERENCE
- Explain Counter-CI to client team and how to conduct ethical collection at conferences
- Review Playbook to maximize collection
- Attend conference as per Playbook
- Take photographs of exhibit booths, posters, oral presentations, as allowed
- Conduct debrief meetings with client team; develop daily recaps of conference activity
- Upload material to client’s secure server each evening
- POST-CONFERENCE
- Deliver Top-Line Report summarizing key findings
- Present Final Report including detailed findings and assessments
- Conclude with a client meeting or teleconference to review findings and identify gaps and next steps