DCF Formats: From Hybrid to Self-Service 

In the past, pharmaceutical companies could get away with crafting three solid content pieces for their marketing campaigns. As long as those pieces were top-notch, they were good. But in today’s market, those same brands must produce dozens of content pieces, spanning various formats like triggered emails, eDetailers, or videos, to stand a chance against the competition.  

Diversifying content forms and distributing them across multiple channels allows pharma businesses to tap into different audiences and forge deeper connections with them. Producing enough quality content these days is a mountain to climb, requiring a fundamental change in the production supply chain. That is one of the driving factors behind the creation and rise of a digital content factory (DCF). 

But before the Viseven team dives into the various formats and benefits of DCFs, let’s define this term to ensure we are on the same page.

What Is a DCF? 

A digital content factory (DCF) is a comprehensive set of solutions that carries out a full-cycle content production process. A content factory uses a centralized approach to content creation and integrates processes, technologies, and stakeholders to streamline content production at scale. A solid content factory simplifies planning and briefings, speeds up content writing and editing, expedites medical legal regulatory (MLR) approvals, facilitates content adaptation for different markets, tracks campaign performance, and simplifies omnichannel engagement. 

A DCF lets users store content in a centralized digital asset management system (DAM). Since all data is integrated and accessible, creating consistent, engaging content within budget and on time becomes a feasible task. Due to this single repository, pharmaceutical brands can locate and reuse their pre-approved high-performing content assets. This way, they cut content time-to-market and costs while boosting engagement and conversion rates.  

Viseven DCF Formats: Which One to Choose and When? 

At Viseven, we provide three DCF formats: white-glove, hybrid, and self-service. Let us explain these options and how they can enhance your content creation experience. 

White-Glove 

In the white-glove format, a MarTech service provider handles all content production and management processes with their dedicated experts. Viseven’s white-glove solution offers a customized approach. We grasp the nuances of scaling in the pharmaceutical industry and guarantee the delivery of high-converting content tailored to your unique business needs.  

Choose the white-glove model if: 

You want to reduce expenses. 

The white-glove model is a wise move if you want to save resources on content creation. Let’s face it—recruiting in-house content creators is expensive, as you need to invest boatloads in onboarding and training.  

Also, finding experienced pharma marketing experts might take some time, and in the meantime, you will face the ongoing expense of unfilled positions eating up your budget. Renting office space, buying necessary equipment, or covering sick leave might not be the first things that come to mind, but those costs can add up quickly with a full-time team.  

By contrast, a content factory model lets you quickly find industry professionals ready to work on your project. Besides, you will only pay for their productive hours without upfront costs or administrative burdens. 

You want customized service. 

When pharma companies realize hiring in-house is expensive, they often turn to content agencies for tailored solutions. The problem with this approach is that agencies have their processes and timelines. This can make it challenging for them to adapt quickly to your evolving business needs. Requesting revisions can lead to delays, potentially pushing back your campaign launch.  

Using the white-glove format gives you more flexibility and agility. Thanks to a customized approach, dedicated professionals will swiftly tweak your content or strategy until you are satisfied with the result. 

You need more people for strategic work. 

Consider the white-glove model if your team needs to dedicate their energy to strategic business goals rather than content creation. Pharmaceutical companies often prioritize research and development as key growth drivers. Outsourcing content marketing can be a highly efficient solution in this case. By partnering with Viseven for white-glove content production, we will handle all the heavy lifting for you, from planning to distribution across channels. 

Hybrid 

Instead of outsourcing all content creation, you can delegate specific tasks to a third party while your internal DCF handles the rest. For example, if you struggle with content modularization or building standardized global templates, you can choose the hybrid DCF to let the Viseven team address those areas.  

Opt for the hybrid format if: 

You need more experts. 

The hybrid model shines when you have a highly skilled team but need to fill specific gaps. For example, you lack expertise in medical writing or layout design, or you may seek advice on strategic content planning, standardization best practices, or eDetailing. 

Finding skillful niche experts is no easy feat, so you can ask a trusted service provider for assistance. In these cases, the hybrid model allows you to continue working with your in-house team yet bring in external expertise for challenging areas.  

You have few tools at your disposal. 

Sometimes, a pharma company that lacks access to technologies might be better off using the hybrid format. For instance, a brand may need innovative AI-powered solutions to make sense of its data. Instead of searching for a suitable tool and training the team, they may outsource data analytics to a third-party provider.

Viseven has its own advanced content experience platform called eWizard. This solution helps pharma companies plan, brief, modularize, localize, approve, publish, and analyze their content at a large scale. With eWizard, marketing teams build effective DCFs, improving collaboration through transparent processes and speeding up content time-to-market by 45%. 

Self-Service 

Under the self-service model, a brand can access a content experience platform and manage content production independently. Notably, a company may request training sessions to navigate a platform easily. 

Select self-service if:  

You’ve got a team but seek efficiency. 

If you already have a team but want to streamline your processes, consider leveraging the self-service model. With eWizard, you can segment your content into pre-approved chunks, which you can mix and match to produce content without needing MLR approvals.  

Additionally, marketing teams can monitor the performance of each piece of content, allowing them to tailor campaigns more effectively and fine-tune existing ones. These are just a few examples of how content experience tools can transform digital content management. 

You are short-staffed. 

If you lack personnel, you might want to turn to self-service. With tools like eWizard, marketing teams automate their processes, thereby reducing the workforce required for content production and management. 

For instance, you might not need a team of skilled translators to localize your campaigns for different markets with AI-driven eWizard. Translation becomes a matter of seconds, and any changes in sentiment are even highlighted after translation. 

You want to enhance team cooperation. 

Your team members struggle to stay updated on real-time progress and often find it hard to locate the latest drafts. Guidelines and content assets are scattered across documents and spreadsheets, making generating new content excruciatingly painful. Important details such as edits, approvals, or new requirements often get lost in endless email threads.  

Self-service could be an excellent option if this situation sounds eerily familiar. With eWizard, your team members can communicate more effectively, tracking project progress via interactive widgets. Every stakeholder can access the history of changes and can easily find the latest drafts. Managers can provide their recommendations, while content creators can revise content and submit it for approval––all within a single platform. 

Pick the Optimal DCF Model for You 

Overall, the choice of DCF format depends on several key factors. First, you will need to assess your budget and time constraints to optimize content production successfully. Equally important is understanding how many people you have on board and whether you have enough expertise to create and manage content from A to Z. 

Remember the technological component. Matching competitor engagement rates and exceeding their scale requires you to leverage innovative solutions. Finally, consider your business needs, whether customization, process transparency, or efficiency. 

Regardless of your choice, you may need a reliable MarTech provider to leverage content automation and deliver engaging digital storytelling. Many leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies, including some of the world’s top 50 life sciences enterprises, have benefited from Viseven’s over 14 years of experience building effective DCFs. We offer expertise in various content types commonly used in the industry, from websites and landing pages to eDetailers, emails, banners, and both 2D and 3D videos. 

Interested in learning more about our DCF formats? Do not hesitate to drop us a line today.  

---