Medical device marketers are grappling with the cold hard truth that COVID-19 has made their jobs more difficult. Trade shows are being canceled, reps are losing access to hospitals, and personal channels in general are being neutralized.
If you’ve always focused the overwhelming majority of your spend and expertise on personal channels, how do you launch a product in this “new normal”?
SHIFT TO DIGITAL
A digital-first launch strategy can drive revenue quickly, because its reach is far broader than personal channels. However, most medical device marketing teams struggle with digital. They don’t fund or staff these activities in a manner that can truly move the needle:
To be effective in the age of COVID, medical device marketing teams need to prioritize digital-first launch strategies. But where do they begin?
STEP 1: RECALCULATE THE CUSTOMER BUYING JOURNEY
COVID-19 has changed customer behavior in nuanced, yet meaningful, ways. A medical device marketing agency like VIVO can help you understand what specifically motivates those changes. Ask yourself:
STEP 2: MAP YOUR CONTENT TO EACH STAGE OF THE JOURNEY
It’s impossible to lead a customer down a “breadcrumb trail” through the five stages of the buying journey (Awareness/Consideration/Evaluation/Implementation/Advocacy) unless you have content that engages and persuades. Create content that addresses customer needs (i.e., solution marketing) in a way only your product can satisfy, and make sure it’s mapped to the right:
STEP 3: DIGITALLY ENABLE YOUR REPS
When you remap the customer buying journey, you’ll see that reps need to virtually engage with customers. Arm your reps with the right materials. Once they have a meaningful array of tools at their disposal, they can use their skills and expertise to connect the:
STEP 4: DRIVE DEMAND WITH PRELAUNCH DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS
With personal customer engagement curtailed, medical device marketers have to pick up the slack on lead-generation efforts. The best way is to start before the launch, by driving awareness of the problems that your solution will uniquely solve. By arousing customer needs, you’ll create pent-up demand for your solution.
STEP 5: WIN INCLUSION AT THE CONSIDERATION PHASE
VIVO’s win/loss market research demonstrates the high percentage of companies – even market leaders – who miss out on sales opportunities. The reason? Poor digital presence during the Consideration phase of the buying journey. The fix is centered largely on your value proposition, promoted in two ways:
STEP 6: LET CUSTOMERS TELL THEIR TRANSFORMATION STORIES
In this age of value-based medicine, every clinician is on the hook to transform their clinical practice. A subset of those clinicians wants to tell their stories and empower others. Focus on creating these assets to be repurposed across digital/social channels:
MAKE SHIFT HAPPEN
Shifting to a digital-first medical device product launch isn’t easy. You must follow the right sequence — from strategy, to execution, to optimization. VIVO’s medical device marketing experts can help by guiding you every step of the way. Reach out to VIVO for your next launch, today!