Frequently Asked Questions
The Society
- Why was the Pharmaceutical Marketing Society set up?
The Pharmaceutical Marketing (PM) Society was founded in 1976. Initially called the PM Club, its primary focus was social. This changed in the mid-1980's to the PM Society which had a new philosophy, concentrating on meeting the professional needs of its members.
- How does the PM Society differ from other societies/organisations?
The Society is a not-for-profit organisation, run for the benefit of its members by a volunteer committee. This allows us to provide the greatest possible value for money to our members.
- What does the Committee do?
The Committee of volunteers arranges events and courses designed to help promote pharmaceutical marketing excellence. This includes educational meetings, awards ceremonies and marketing training courses
- Are Society Committee members elected?
The Committee members are proposed then elected by the existing Committee. Nominations are requested from members of the Committee annually for the posts of Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer.
- How many members does the Society have?
The PM Society currently has over 1,400 active members from more than 230 companies.
- What is the Society's vision and mission?
Aim:
To bring people together to promote excellence in pharmaceutical marketing practice through: training and development; recognition and promotion of best practice; provision of a range of educational, networking and teambuilding activities
Essence:
The essence of the PM Society is that it is a Society, not a commercial organisation. As such it is:
- focused on the need and requirements of its members for training, development, recognition and networking
- independent
- a functioning network that allows interactions and benchmarking
The Society currently delivers in three key areas:
- Education – PriMe, Briefings and Annual Events
- Recognition – PM Society Advertising Awards, PM Society Digital Awards
- Networking – Sporting Events, Social Events as an aspect of items 1 & 2
Individual Membership
- What membership benefits do I have?
All members have:
- Access to our programme of educational events (discounted rates for members) which include:
- Evening meetings addressing current hot topics
- The PM Society Annual Lecture
- "Working with the Code" workshops in collaboration with PMCPA
- Annual half day meetings to drive depth of knowledge on key topics
- Exclusive access to the PM Society's Advertising Awards
- Access to the PM Society's Digital Media Awards
- Priority booking and special discounts on our marketing training programme PriMe
- The use of PM Society Members and Digital and Advertising Awards logos
- The facility to display your company information on the PM Society web site
- Exclusive member offers/discounts
- Networking with industry and agency colleagues at all of our events
- Participation at social events via our Sailing Regatta and Golf Society
- Regular e-mails informing members about all PM Society activities and offers
- Regular newsletters with meetings' reports and forthcoming events
- Can I invite my colleagues to a Society meeting?
Some events are exclusive for members only however, on occasion, we do allow non-members to attend certain events and charge an appropriate fee.
- Can I suggest my company as a venue for meetings?
Yes please, we are always looking for good venues from our members and would welcome the offer. Please contact the PM Society Secretary Vivian Bennett by e-mail at vivien@pmsociety.org.uk
- How can I get in contact with other Society members? Is there a directory or linked in site?
Yes, you can contact other Society members via the linked in site
- How can I get more involved with the Society?
We welcome members who want to become more active. This may vary from attending and participating in more events and meetings through to becoming a volunteer on the Committee and helping to arrange and plan our activities. If it's the latter, please contact the PM Society Secretary, Vivien Bennett at vivien@pmsociety.org.uk outlining what sort of involvement you are interested in.
- I have a great idea to improve the Society, where can I send it?
We always welcome ideas! Please send yours by e-mail to the PM Society Secretary, Vivien Bennett at vivien@pmsociety.org.uk
- Do you share my details with other organisations?
We realise that security is important to all our members so please be assured that e-mail addresses and contact details will not be passed on to other companies .Any contacts you receive will be directly from the PM Society.
Company Membership
- How does my Company benefit from being a member of the PM Society?
Your employees would benefit from access to independent training and educational events which enables them not only to further their industry knowledge and insight but also to network with peers from, industry, service companies and service providers. We also hold a range of social events which provide excellent networking opportunities for you and your colleagues.
- I am the main point of contact for the Society, what will I be expected to do?
As the main contact you will have access to your company's account where you can amend the membership list as necessary and input your company's details into the Members' Directory. You will also be the point of contact to receive renewal reminders.
- Do Society representatives ever visit companies in person?
The PM Society is happy to come along to meet with your company if we can be of help. We do have a Business Development Director who can to come along and discuss how the Society can benefit your organisation.
- How can I propose my company as a venue for future meetings?
Please contact the PM Society Secretary, Vivien Bennett by e-mail at vivien@pmsociety.org.uk
- What are the benefits of using PriMe versus other training companies?
PriMe offers marketing training specifically targeted at the Pharmaceutical industry – utilising case studies and experts with hands on experience in this field. We offer a series of training modules to address the needs of marketers at various levels within the industry from aspiring or new marketers, to marketing managers looking for management skills, and broader strategic skills across European geographies and/or product portfolios. The course materials have all been developed using a steering group of industry and agency personnel and are hence developed for the industry by the industry. Training sessions are run as small interactive sessions to allow maximum interaction and optimise learning.
- Can PriMe training be provided on site?
Yes PriMe training can be provided on site, tailored to your individual company needs.. If you do wish to discuss tailored training please contact Jackie Brown by e-mail at jackie@pmsociety.org.uk
