Decision-makers at prospective customers are becoming fewer and harder to reach, be they laboratory leaders, hospital CEOs, physicians or the ever-expanding procurement teams. In the face of these marketing challenges, in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) and medical device companies are embracing inbound digital content marketing tactics to engage potential customers with their high-value medical technology and to nurture them through the Buyer’s Journey. This trend has been accelerated by the pandemic as face-to-face sales efforts were limited, however this strategy remains, as it is a more cost-effective and convenient way for both companies and customers to do business.
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions by our clients about using content for lead-generation and inbound marketing.
Inbound content marketing is most effective where there is a high-value and high-consequence product which requires a lot of consideration before deciding. This could not be truer for IVD and medical device sales. Typically, these are high-value enterprise level contracts, which is a complex sales journey that requires a lot of nurturing over time and usually requires substantial tailoring.
These types of sales often feature a wide buying committee, yet not everyone on that buying committee will carry the same weight, and indeed not everyone will be as accessible as they could be, should be, or certainly as you would like them to be. Content marketing can be used to reach and inform more members of the buying committee, provide actionable sales intelligence for companies, and enable a best-fit solution for both buyers and vendors.
Stuck on what digital content to produce for each stage of the Buyer’s Journey? Find out more by visiting this page.
An inbound campaign is an orchestrated effort to attract, engage, and convert strangers into well qualified leads who in turn become customers. The purpose of an inbound campaign is to create a continuous flow of new leads so that the sales team always has fresh prospects to work with. Unlike outbound tactics such as cold calling or email blasting, inbound campaigns rely on attracting people who are already interested in the product offering. By creating informative content, the company can position itself as a thought leader and attract more qualified leads. When done correctly, inbound campaigns can be extremely effective at generating well-qualified leads for the sales teams to convert into customers.
It is becoming harder to get facetime with potential customers, whether they are in public or private laboratories, medical specialists, or surgeons. These people are exceptionally busy due to managing the pandemic and its shockwaves across the health systems. Spending time with sales reps, irrespective of how nice they are and how compelling the product offer is, just isn’t a good use of time for most people working in the health system. The higher up the organisation ladder, the more this is true. An alternative to trying to get in front of very busy people, is to produce compelling content that entices their interest by demonstrating how the product can solve their problems.
Inbound marketing strategies segment prospective customers into three stages, each one a step of the Buyer’s Journey. Prospects sit at one of the following stages.
At each of these stages there are opportunities to inform and influence prospects that will increase the likelihood of closing a deal with them.
The data gathered by inbound campaigns give rich information on customer preferences, what makes them tick, which allows subsequent campaigns to be further refined. Click data, on website behaviour, contact details and social media interactions are just some of the ways IVD and medical device companies can gauge who is interested in their products from the way they interact with content.
Understanding what potential customers find interesting, IVD and medical device companies can better focus their efforts on creating content that resonates. Additionally, they can use this data to fine-tune their sales and marketing strategies, making them more effective overall. As a result, inbound campaigns provide a wealth of valuable information that can be used to improve future marketing efforts.
In many ways, inbound marketing complements traditional sales efforts. For example, the content produced for an inbound marketing campaign can be used as a valuable tool by sales representatives. They can leave behind printouts of digital copies of the whitepaper during an in-person meeting. Links to the website or social media pages can be shared after a virtual interaction. Additionally, the data that collected from by an inbound marketing campaign can be helpful for sales representatives, to gauge who is a qualified lead.
By understanding the needs and interests of the target customer, sales pitches can be tailored and more deals closed. Ultimately, inbound marketing and traditional sales are two complementary approaches that can help build a successful business.
Stuck on what digital content to produce for each stage of the Buyer’s Journey? Find out more by visiting this page.
