Validating Your KOLs
If you already know your KOLs, at some point you will most likely want to perform a validation exercise to avoid the dangers of becoming over-familiar or over-confident in your list of Experts.
Working with the same Experts again and again does have advantages, but there is a risk of becoming myopic in your view of the KOL landscape and possibly even your decision-making.
The KOL landscape changes over time with new voices and shifting opinions being thrown into the mix. It’s therefore prudent to keep your list of Experts reflective of those changes. It may also be worthwhile to update your engagement plans based on the evolving landscape, so they are always in tune.
There are several different research methodologies and combining objective quantitative data with objective qualitative data gathered directly form the field can give you the best lens with which to validate your KOL list.
Validation may also be an ideal opportunity to review the categorisation and segmentation of your KOLs, e.g. Experts better suited for advisory boards, versus those best for medical educations.
“Validation” comprises all the above, and by the end of the exercise, you should know which KOLs should stay, which should go, and which should be added to your list.
Omabuwa Tetsola
Services & Innovations
+44 (0)20 3951 0246
