Been ghosted? Ghosts might not be real, but ‘ghosting’ is for sure. It is ubiquitous in our society, happening in both our personal and professional lives. It may leave us confused and uncertain, especially if we were just actively engaged in discussion with someone or are following up to address a question they posed. Keep in mind that people are busy and pulled in many directions, so it’s not personal (even though it feels very personal). Sometimes it’s okay to let it go, but if this happens in our professional setting, particularly with a KOL, it’s likely that we should not walk away, and we really cannot walk away. The art of being an MSL includes keeping the communication flowing and reinitiating that conversation if ghosted.
If you’ve been ghosted by the KOL, what’s your next step? An MSL’s job is to engage in scientific discussion with KOLs on topics relevant to their work, whether that is related to company initiative, new data that is important for their patients, or to address a question they’ve raised. Here are a few options to consider using the art of being an MSL.
Have you contacted the KOL via their preferred method of communication…or differently? Really, have you? Be honest here. Many MSLs respond with “Duh, of course I did.” But on further reflection have you really taken the time to think it through? With the multitude of ways to communicate and the enormous amount of data coming at us throughout the day, it’s important that we understand how this specific KOL not only likes to receive information, but also what they hate, and what they are seduced into reading. Don’t know the answer? ASK!!
What strategy worked best in the past? Is email really the best tool or is a short text message more likely to garner their attention? Or is it a voicemail at a time when you know they won’t answer? Change it up.
- Shorten that email and ensure you’re not burying the lead.
- Text at a different time of the day.
- Make that voicemail about them, not you. “I was thinking about you today and I remember you said ______. I loved that and mentioned it to my spouse. She/He said I should have asked you _______. So can I get a bit of time with you, so my spouse stops asking me?!”
Are you using the subject line to talk about yourself or about their patients? An idea that we know will work is to think about patients, patients, patients! Physicians are big on patients. Then think about the problem the KOL has with those patients. You have a blink of an eye to catch them with an email. Do you really want it saying, “Just following up” or “Long time no see” or “(name of your drug) breakthrough.” Don’t be like everyone else.
- What email subject lines attract and detract your attention?
- Be clear and concise with your request!
Upon reflection have you realized you don’t know this KOL’s preferred method of communication? Ask the KOL directly… text or email? Voicemail? Carrier pigeon? Consider asking them what they really, really hate about MSL communications…. many will happily tell you story after story. That you even asked gives you bonus points. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, I’ll bet they like the attention when they discover that you are listening. Start this conversation when you profile a KOL and check back periodically to ensure things haven’t changed.
- Ask your KOL their preferred method of communications and adjust accordingly.
- Implant in your brain: W.A.I.T. (Why Am I Talking?) just listen for the preferred and the non-preferred.
One aspect of preferences is frequency of communication. Some KOLs appreciate more frequent contact while others thrive on contact for a specific topic. Be sure you’ve included this question… maybe ghosting is due to what they consider to be an overwhelming number of communications. Maybe they focus on emails on Friday afternoon and, in fact, haven’t ghosted you at all, they just haven’t gotten to it just yet.
- Determine when the KOL is more likely to have time to answer you.
- If your initial communication isn’t answered, ask them what the right cadence for follow-up is for THEM
What is the content of the email you’ve sent… just “checking in” or have you made a specific request? Was your email too vague for them to understand that a response was expected? Develop the habit of scheduling the next meeting at this meeting. Getting your next meeting on the calendar helps to avoid the opportunity to get ghosted altogether.
- Get to the point and ensure the subject line is clear.
- Finish your meeting with “What’s the best time to meet you next month?” or “What’s the best way to keep you updated on the latest information?”
Are you struggling with how and when you should reach out to the KOL again? Ensure you’ve given them at least a week to respond, responding to the same email chain (if that was your original mode of communication) and using words that garner their attention. The book “Exactly what to say” by Phil M Jones gives some phrases that may be effective to generate results. In this scenario using a “When would be…” or “I’m guessing you haven’t…” or “If you give me a chance…” opening line may do the trick.
Did you ghost someone this week? What made you decide to respond to certain communications? Monitor who you respond to and what messages you left unanswered. This self-reflection will provide insights into changes you need to make to your own communications. Did you find those emails easier to read? If so, why? Perhaps you are like more than 85% of people and use your phone to read/screen emails. Where the communication burdensome to read or perceived as requiring effort to answer? Probably not! This is an important consideration when crafting an email, you want people to open!
- What prompted you to respond or not?
- Keep your emails short and to the point.
- Use bullets instead of long paragraphs and complex sentences
Was a specific question asked and easy to answer? I know I respond to that style email more quickly. Seeing a long text or email results in my closing it down until I have more time to read through it… and hopefully I remember to mark it unread, so it gains my attention again!
- Frontload your communication (and your subject line) with a call to action or question and fill in the details in the following paragraph.
- Reframe the question from “would you like to…” to “when is a good time to…” or “which of these times work for you…” versus “when is a good time for you” to strengthen your request.
Did you respond because a deadline was given? Providing a deadline a few days away may result in a quick response. If the deadline is weeks away, it may result in a delayed response due to the thinking of “I have plenty of time to make this decision” or “I have no idea what I’m doing in 6 weeks.”
- Include “Why” when appropriate as that may save back and forth emails and will help garner a response.
- Provide deadlines / options that are in the near future to avoid enticing procrastination
After asking the KOL for their preferred communication style, putting that into practice as well as the other techniques outlined in this series of posts, and continue to be ghosted, talk with your colleagues. Reach out to an MSL who is practicing the art of being an MSL (the “MSL’s MSL” per se) and learn their techniques. Pose the question and listen (WAIT… Why Am I Talking (discussed in our LinkedIn community the “Art of Being an Impactful MSL”)). You are not alone in this so use the transformational skills you’ve learned and turn “ghosting” into a thing of the past.
About the authors:
Kimberly Cremers, PharmD
Kim Cremers, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist with over 20 years of experience in medical affairs within the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated success in leading medical affairs teams across six companies, handling products throughout their lifecycle and spanning various therapeutic areas. Presently, she utilizes her extensive background as an external consultant, aiding organizations in the development or enhancement of their Medical Affairs capabilities, specifically MSLs.
As the Founder and CEO of Petrichor Medical Affairs Consulting, Dr. Cremers provides strategic guidance, planning, training, and executional support tailored to organizations seeking to establish, optimize, or expand their MSL team. Aligned with her passion for teaching about the pivotal role of pharmacists within the industry, Dr. Cremers has developed and teaches “Introduction to the Pharmaceutical Industry” to graduate pharmacy students providing comprehensive insights spanning the drug development continuum, from early-stage development to Medical Affairs, including the role of our commercial colleagues. Kim partners with Kevin O’Connor to provide insights from the PharmD and Executive Coach on a LinkedIn group called “The Art of Being an Impactful MSL”.
Kevin E. O’Connor, CSP, CEC
Kevin E. O’Connor, CSP, CEC is an executive coach, professional speaker and teacher. Kevin holds three Masters degrees and his expertise focuses on scientific professionals who are charged with leading and influencing medical professionals. He teaches graduate students at Chicago’s Loyola University, is faculty for the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL) and the American College of Healthcare Executives. (ACHE). Kevin partners with Kim Cremers, PharmD to provide insights from the PharmD and Executive Coach on a LinkedIn group called “The Art of Being an Impactful MSL”.
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