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In the competitive landscape of life sciences and biopharmaceuticals, the journey from product development to market success is fraught with challenges. Critical decisions can determine the success or failure of ventures. A Go-To-Market (GTM) strategist becomes essential, serving as the linchpin for commercial success. While many companies rely on in-house teams or large consulting firms, contracting an unbiased external GTM strategist offers distinct advantages.

Unbiased Insights and Recommendations

External GTM strategists provide unbiased insights. Unlike internal teams, an external strategist evaluates your business with fresh eyes. Their recommendations are based on objective analysis and tailored to your unique situation, free from internal politics or corporate agendas. This impartiality ensures honest feedback and strategies designed to optimise investment decisions and market approach.

Market Understanding and Tailored Strategies for Your Business

A deep understanding of the market is crucial for success. An external GTM strategist will bring extensive knowledge of market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and patient needs. Their market understanding allows them to identify trends and opportunities that may not be immediately apparent to internal teams, ensuring your strategies align with current and future market conditions.

External GTM strategists are not bound by a one-size-fits-all methodology. They take time to understand the nuances of your business, market, and competition. This personalised approach enables them to craft highly customised strategies, addressing your specific needs and goals. This means identifying unmet needs, refining your value proposition, or optimising your commercialisation pathways. Independent and bespoke strategies can significantly enhance your competitive edge.

Launch Planning and Readiness

Navigating pricing and market access, as well as ensuring the best launch planning and readiness requires specialised expertise. An external GTM strategist provides insights into pricing strategies and reimbursement landscapes, helping you set competitive yet profitable price points. Their knowledge of market access pathways ensures your products gain necessary approvals and coverage, facilitating smoother market entry and broader patient access.

Successful product launches require meticulous planning and preparation. External GTM strategists have wide knowledge in launch planning and readiness, ensuring all aspects of the launch are coordinated and executed flawlessly. From regulatory approvals and supply chain logistics to marketing campaigns and sales training, they ensure your product launch is seamless and impactful, maximising market uptake from day one.

Bolted onto this is considered resource planning which is essential for successful GTM strategy execution. An experienced strategists bring expertise in allocating resources efficiently, ensuring every aspect of your strategy is supported adequately. This includes budget planning, personnel allocation, and technology investments, all aligned to support your business objectives and maximise return on investment.

Complementing Internal Strategy and Building Capabilities

By seeking an external expert for your GTM strategy, your internal team can focus on their core strengths. This division of labour allows your organisation to operate at peak efficiency. The GTM strategist handles market analysis, strategic planning, and execution, freeing up your resources to concentrate on driving core business activities and achieving operational excellence.

An external GTM strategist not only brings external objectivity but also complements your internal strategy and planning efforts. They provide an outside perspective that can validate and refine your internal strategies, ensuring they are robust and effective. External strategists can also help build internal competencies and capabilities by transferring their knowledge and expertise to your team. Through collaborative workshops, training sessions, and strategic planning meetings, they empower your team to adopt best practices and innovative approaches, enhancing your organisation’s long-term strategic capabilities.

Furthermore, businesses can get stuck in a rut, relying on outdated strategies and traditional approaches. An external GTM strategist brings a fresh perspective, challenging the status quo and fostering innovation. Their diverse experience across different businesses equips them with unique insights and creative solutions that can revitalise your market approach and drive growth. In a sector as dynamic as life sciences, where innovation is key, this fresh perspective can be a game-changer.

The business environment is constantly evolving, and the ability to adapt quickly is crucial. external GTM strategists are known for their agility and flexibility. They can swiftly adjust strategies in response to market changes, emerging trends, or new competitive threats. This nimbleness ensures your go-to-market approach remains relevant and effective, enabling you to stay ahead of the curve and seize new opportunities.

Cost-Effectiveness

Hiring an external strategist can also be a cost-effective solution. Large consulting firms often come with hefty price tags, and in-house teams may incur ongoing costs such as salaries, benefits, and training. In contrast, an external strategist typically works on a contract basis, allowing you to manage costs more effectively. You pay for their expertise when you need it, without long-term financial commitments.

Conclusion

In an era where strategic precision can significantly impact a company’s market success, contracting an experienced external Go-To-Market strategist is a wise investment. Their unbiased insights, tailored strategies, cost-effectiveness, agility, and access to a broader network can collectively propel your business towards its commercial goals. By leveraging their expertise in market understanding, commercial and brand planning, pricing and market access, launch planning and readiness, and resource planning, you enhance your market positioning and ensure that your internal teams remain focused on their core deliverables. As the business landscape evolves, having a trusted external advisor by your side can make all the difference in achieving sustained growth and profitability.

Dale Bullett is a Partner Consultant at AvisenRx Consultants. Dale has over 23 years’ experience in commercial roles in life sciences businesses. He has worked to aglobal level both operationally and strategically. He spent 13 years at Orion Pharma, then successfully built the Commercial operations at Ridge Pharma, a PE backed branded generics company. Dale advises on biopharmaceutical companies on all aspects of commercial strategy and operations.

AvisenRx Consultants, https://avisenrx.com

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