A day in the life of a pharma marketer
One of the things about Marketing and Consulting in science and the Pharma/Biotech world is that you get to spend a LOT of time at scientific congresses as I did in DC the other week. It also means early to rise, late to sleep and a lot of blisters in between. You need a lot of stamina in this job. However, you do get to see some awesome sunrises and sunsets in different places around the USA though, as the photo shows:
Anyone who thinks these meetings are exotic junkets or jollies should join me on my schedule next trip; riding the inner city subway in the rush hour is not for the faint of heart 
and in some places, only the foolhardy dare brave the rough elements.
The main thing is, though, sometimes there isn’t time to eat or by the time you do have a free slot it’s too late. Often it means 18 hour days, so a day back in the office is a relative rest. There’s always thought leaders to talk to, sessions to attend, media briefings, poster sessions (you can walk miles at those alone), plenaries etc, not to mention lunch with clients as well, followed by a mad rush back to the convention centre to catch the next session before you get locked out.
Oh, and blogging the days science news late at night or at the crack of dawn before breakfast the next day is part of the routine too. Fitting it all in can make for hectic jam packed days.
By the end of the DC meeting, while droopily standing in line for a much needed coffee at the Starbucks shack, I was starting to feel a bit tired after 4 days of trooping round learning about the science of cancer. On turning to the lady behind me, I politely admitted to feeling a little brain dead, only she seemed a little shocked, which made me feel rather sheepish, until she laughed and exclaimed,
“What, you lasted four whole days? My dear, I was bleary eyed by lunchtime the first day!”
Hah! How do your days roll?
Photo Source: Personal iPhone – view of over the River Potamac and Georgetown, DC from Arlington, VA. You can even see the Apple reflection from the iPhone on the window!
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4 Responses to A day in the life of a pharma marketer
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I find the day in the life posts really interesting, it gives a great insight into each others businesses.
I could see from your tweets you were really business, but having to process as much info as you do would just totally blow up my brain! I would be like the lady in the queue, brain blown by lunchtime
Thanks for the insight
One of amazing things is how much walking around you have to do from Hall A to Hall F, from the press office at Room 154 in Building B to Room 303 in Building A… it’s a hell of a lot of walking in a day, never mind 4 days in a row. I wear comfy flat loafers and still have tired feet at the end.
But ladies, take a look at these! Awesome real shoes worn by one of my lovely biotech friends at the meeting:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sallychurch/4566793044/
How she can walk 10 feet in them, never mind 10,000 metres, I honestly don’t know… I would break an ankle trying!
We could do with a guest shoe blog from her perhaps?
There's just no way I could cope with that at all – I can concentrate for long days at the computer – but only with plenty of breaks- not to mention sustenance!
It is fascinating to see from a distance though, and like Sarah says, I often see from your tweets what you are up to. I suppose in some ways having to blog and tweet it helps all that new stuff to sink in – but I'd prefer to do it by getting some dreaming time
Breaks and sustenance? Uh oh, no way, Jose!
Finding food at these meetings is tough… water from the exhibits on the trot is more like it.