Traditionally, medical device marketing has been built on long-term business relationships and in-person meetings between doctors and companies.
However, as the world becomes increasingly driven by technology, medical device marketers are abandoning interruptive marketing tactics and opting for strategies that support their customers’ needs.
If you want to see consistent revenue from your marketing efforts, it’s time to adopt a digital mindset. Here’s how to incorporate tactics like content and email into your medical device digital marketing strategy to see impressive results.
Create useful content for your audience
Doctors are constantly busy, as you certainly know if you’ve ever sat around one of their waiting rooms. In fact, 80% of physicians say they are either overextended or at capacity with their workload.
As a result, doctors’ attention spans are getting shorter when it comes to marketing that interrupts their day.
To get your message heard, you need to provide information about your company, products, and industry in a place where your audience can access it at their own pace. Content marketing is the most effective way to accomplish this.
By offering relevant content, you’re enabling physicians to learn about your company on their own time, while they’re conducting research related to your field. Publish blog posts, product videos, customer testimonials, and other similar pieces of content to transform your website into a knowledge destination for your target audience.
Rather than viewing digital content as a replacement, consider it as a supplement to your physical marketing collateral and in-person meetings and events. Digital assets can live on your website indefinitely, and your audience can access them from anywhere, at any time.
Engage in email marketing
According to a HealthLink survey, 66% of doctors prefer to learn about product updates or announcements via email. This is great news for marketers, given that email marketing is consistently named one of the top marketing channels today.
Unlike direct mail — which is often thrown out or lost in transit — email allows you to track how your audience interacts with your message. Email marketing platforms give you visibility into whether or not someone opened your message, which links they clicked on, and which type of device they used.
Email also opens up a two-way communication channel between you and your audience. By providing them with a steady stream of content, you can stay top of mind and they have the means to reach out if they have questions.
Tap into direct-to-patient marketing
The rise of the internet has provided people with unprecedented access to nearly anything they’d like to know. Especially when it comes to their health, people are doing their own research into their medical diagnoses and treatment plans.
To address this, medical device marketers have begun to tap into what is known as direct-to-patient marketing. Not only are they providing medical-grade content for physicians, but they’re also offering information that patients can understand as well.
For example, Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company, has dedicated an entire section of its website to patients and their caregivers. They include treatment information, health tips, and supply ordering.
If you can offer this type of content, patients will consider your brand as a helpful resource that’s supportive of their needs and challenges. They may even alert their doctors to your products.
As you look to develop your medical device digital marketing strategy, remember that content, email and direct-to-patient marketing are just a few of the tactics available to you. The digital marketing world is constantly evolving with new trends and opportunities. The important thing is to keep testing and learning to see what works for you and your brand.
