CHAPEL HILL, N.C., March 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether in the medical affairs group, the sales leadership function, or elsewhere in the pharmaceutical environment, corporate communication is perpetually evolving. The vast array of technological advances that impact every aspect of a company's culture have a particularly large impact on external communications, including targeting business customers and clients.

Due to these ever-changing factors, corporations and professionals must continuously adjust their business-to-business communication strategies and tactics. Measuring the effectiveness of these adjustments is difficult, but also critical as a way to fully adapt to today's communication options.

In order to address these growing communication issues, consulting firm Best Practices, LLC developed a study that explores the various external communication strategies and tactics and how people utilize various communication formats to reach core decision-makers. The report, Best Practices in B2B Communications: How to Effectively Reach Core Decision-Makers, identifies the preferred channels and tools for communications as well as optimum communication frequencies and approaches.

While the impact of email and social media on communication has been extensive in the corporate world, face-to-face communication was still listed as the dominant force that drives business-to-business purchasing decisions. Conversely, 9 out of 10 benchmarking participants stated that telemarketing and mobile marketing had the least impact on purchasing decisions.

The 80-page study includes the insights of 183 leaders from 162 companies from different industry segments across six continents. The largest participation came from Pharmaceutical/ chemical industry professionals. Key study objectives included:

• Benchmarking communication tools and usage frequency executives utilize for external communication
• Identifying the preferred and most effective channels for external communication

This report will help communicators improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their external communication approaches and processes. The study also provides key insights and metrics across a variety of communication issues, such as preferred formats for reviewing business-related information from external sources and what types of information participants wanted to receive from external sources.

To access the full report or to download a complimentary summary containing insights found in this report, click on the following link: http://www3.best-in-class.com/rr1188.htm.

For more information on this study or other recent primary research studies, contact us at 919.403.0251 or at bestpractices@best-in-class.com.

ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, LLC
Best Practices, LLC is a leading benchmarking, consulting and advisory services firm serving biopharmaceutical and medical device companies worldwide. Best Practices, LLC's clients include all the top 10 and 48 of the top 50 global healthcare companies. The firm conducts primary research and consulting using its comprehensive proprietary benchmarking tools and analysis. The operational insights, findings and analysis form the basis for our Benchmarking Reports, databases and advisory services to support executives in commercial and R&D operations.

SOURCE Best Practices, LLC