Competition for physician attendance and participation in CME events has been accelerating at hyperspeed. As a result, promotional media targeting physicians is coming under legislative and regulatory scrutiny. To survive and thrive in this challenging environment, CME mar keters can take a number of steps, at the tactical level, to increase the likelihood of success in rela tion to generating a maximum response rate and return on investment and keep within the accept able marketing boundaries. CME marketers should take a backtobasics approach when planning their event: Marketing 101 based on available data and research. These tactics, while at first may appear elementary, are the build ing blocks for a successful event. . Topics and Speakers: Physicians are presented with an abundance of opportunities on a daily basis. The content of a program should be significantly dif ferentiated to draw the attention of the physician. . Location: As in real estate, location, location, location must be the CME marketer’s mantra; loca tions must be attractive and accessible. . Planning and implementation: In light of bud getary constraints, errors are not an option in today’s competitive environment. The process should start as early as possible, thus avoiding the possibility of miscues down the line. . Pinpoint perfect prospects: Use all available data to identify the physicians who are most likely to attend the event. This can include such indicators as age, gender, specialty, type of practice, geo graphic location (i.e., distance from program loca tion), CME preferences, and prescribing profile. Also, profile attendees of past programs. If past performance predicts future results, identifying the characteristics of past physician attendees of similar programs will help pinpoint perfect prospects for upcoming programs. . Use all available media to promote the event: Plan from the very start to conduct integrated mar keting campaigns employing direct mail, broadcast fax, telemarketing, and email — perhaps in multiple waves for each medium. It is easier to cancel unnecessary waves once objectives are met than to plan emergency, last ditch efforts when recruitment falls short of goals. Also, test different media formats. For example, in direct mail, this can involve different outer envelopes, color schemes, and sizes. Legislation and Regulation To date, CME marketers have been left largely unscathed by federal regulation of directmarketing media. But recently the U.S. Congress, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Federal Commu nications Commission (FCC) have begun to pay attention to the tactical elements of directmarket ing media, including telemarketing, broadcast fax, and broadcast email as related to soliciting physi cian participation in CME events. Telemarketing: The National Do Not Call Registry gives an individual an opportunity to limit the telemarketing calls received. But, the donotcall list does not apply to businesstobusiness marketing, so marketers can still call doctors at their professional phone number to invite them to conferences. Fax: On Aug. 18, 2003, the FCC adopted an “order of reconsideration,” delaying until Jan. 1, 2005, the effective date of requiring written permission from recipients of advertising faxes. The order states that, at least until then, “an established business relationship (ERB) will continue to be sufficient to show that an individual or business has given express permission to receive facsimile advertise ments.” In the wake of the order, the American Medical Association has announced that its fax numbers will remain available for onetime use by CME marketers in accordance with existing policies until further notice. Hopefully, the FCC requirement will go entirely by the wayside as it’s being challenged by a num ber of organizations. At the moment, marketers can continue to fax CME invitations. Email: Right now there is no federal law, although 48 O c t o be r 2 00 3 VIEW on Medical Education At this point, CME marketers have been left largely unscathed tactically by federal regulation of directmarketing media. TECHNOLOGY AND PROGRAM DESIGN MEDICAL MARKETING SERVICE, INC. (MMS), Wood Dale, Ill., is a leading supplier of lists and directmarketing services to the CME community. MMS is the original American Medical Association database licensee and an Alliance for Continuing Medical Education value vender. For more information, contact Cindy Morrison at 800MEDLIST, or [email protected], or visit mmslists.com. CME Marketing Amid Hypercompetition TERRY NUGENT DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

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