Before launching a new therapy, pharma companies must do more than execute tasks – they need a clear strategy to succeed in an increasingly competitive market. Launch strategy tackles the big-picture questions: why are we launching this new therapy? Which market needs does it address? How is our company going to ‘win’ and achieve its commercial ambitions?
Some of these questions may seem rather obvious, and yet time and again, pharma companies are failing to ask or address them. Per Impatient Health:
“Commercial teams don’t actually do launch strategy – not as any other industry would recognize it.”
– Impatient Health
In fact, it can be argued that pharma teams aren’t currently strategizing for launch at all. Instead, they’re planning – and often in meticulous detail. But what’s the difference between launch strategy and launch planning, why does it matter to pharma companies, and what can they do to redress the balance? This article will answer those questions and more.
The difference between planning and strategy
“Planning is very operational and it’s very tactical. Strategy is the ‘why’ – but it’s the ‘why’ from a market needs standpoint.”
– Mariam Eghbal-Ahmadi, VP, Insights Strategy, Within3
The difference between launch planning and launch strategy is more than a mere semantic one. In fact, it’s critical. But before we can dig any further, it’s important to first define what is meant by the two terms.
“In short, strategy is the act of making an integrated set of choices, which positions the organization to win; while planning is the act of laying out projects with timelines, deliverables, budgets, and responsibilities.”
Within3’s Chief Technology Officer, AI & Analytics, Jason Smith uses a sports analogy to unpack the differences further. “I go out there with a playbook and I know I’ve got 16 games before I get to the playoffs. I use that playbook and I create a game plan based on what’s in front of me week-over-week. That’s planning,” he explains. “I’m planning for what’s ahead of me. I’m blocking, tackling, and moving. And depending on the outcome, I plan for the next game.”
“Strategy is the GM saying: we need to get to the Super Bowl in the next three years.”
“So how do I start putting a team around me with the end goal of getting to the Super Bowl? How do I put everything from my coaching staff, to my training staff, to the organizational culture, to the team in place to achieve that goal? How do I analyze what my competitors are doing in the division?”
Strategy followed by planning can be considered a top-down approach to launch preparation, where strategy informs the planning efforts of every department and individual. By contrast, the current approach – where strategy follows planning if it’s even considered at all – is very much a bottom-up approach to launch preparation.
Why is the distinction important?
In most industries, strategic thinking comes first, and then that overarching strategy is used to inform subsequent planning efforts. However, where pharmaceutical launches are concerned, that relationship has been inverted – and it’s not easy to understand why. But whatever the reason, failing to strategize sufficiently leaves pharma launches vulnerable to failure.
Planning without strategy is ‘brittle’ – a plan might break or go wrong, and without an overarching brand strategy in place, there’s no guiding principle to suggest how that plan might pivot so organizational goals may still be achieved. A strategy provides the framework within which a plan can be adjusted or reworked.
A missing strategy also means departments operate in silos, working toward their own goals instead of a shared vision. As Mariam Eghbal-Ahmadi, VP of Insights Strategy at Within3, explains:
“We see this all the time with our group engagements. Someone will be running an advisory board, they’ll have their own set of questions, and we’ll ask them, okay, how does this apply to your brand strategy? And they’ll say: I really don’t know.”
– Mariam Eghbal-Ahmadi, VP, Insights Strategy, Within3
Agility + Knowledge = Power
For larger, established pharma organizations, strategy often takes a back seat – siloed structures and legacy processes make it difficult to align early. Fixing that requires a top-down shift.
Smaller and midsize companies, however, often have a distinct advantage: agility. According to Jason Smith:
“When you’re small or medium-sized, you’re bringing a new product to market, and you’re at that launch phase, I feel like that’s the time. When you start with good processes it makes everything easier.”
– Jason Smith, Chief Technology Officer, AI & Analytics, Within3
Regardless of size, strategy cannot exist in a vacuum – it must be grounded in real-world intelligence. That means knowing:
- Who your patients are and what they need
- What the current treatment landscape looks like
- Who the key experts are, and where they engage
- How your therapy is perceived – and how your competitors are positioned
This level of market intelligence requires a continuous flow of insights so teams can adapt and pivot their strategies as market forces change. It’s about “leveraging AI to continue to monitor your strategy as new data comes in, new data sets get refreshed, and the sands beneath your feet shift – requiring a pivot or change,” according to Jason Smith.
True launch excellence starts with strategy – not just planning. By leveraging real-time insights across the product lifecycle, pharma teams can adapt faster, align better, and outperform the competition.
Within3 helps pharma teams ground their launch plans in real-time strategic insights – so you’re not just executing tasks, you’re advancing toward true launch excellence. Book a demo to see how it works.
