Medical device marketing can be a thing to get right because of the watchful eyes of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and HIPAA. But even if this niche is complex to market for, it doesn’t mean marketers give up on it. Medical devices are always a part of progress in the medical industry and to give up marketing them would be a disservice to the public.
Any company that’s serious about marketing its medical devices should have a medical device marketing expert on staff just keep tab of all the regulations that fall under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Manufacturers of medical devices should not depend on the technology underlying their devices alone to make sales. Communication with the relevant communities and physician education is key as all medical devices have a high level of complexity.
Important Trends in Medical Device Marketing
According to journalist Heather Thompson, several factors are impacting the medical device industry. Here are a couple of highlights from her findings:
- Minimally- or non-invasive surgery is becoming more popular, and the tools required for these procedures are in-demand. According to Thompson, “The global market for minimally invasive medical technology will be worth $50 million by the end of this decade.”
- The industry is being shaped by newcomers who establish their reputation through a single innovation to become dominant domestically, and in some cases worldwide.
- Private equity is going to play a major role in which medical device companies survive. Private equity investors are getting involved in underwriting startups. As a result, competition is ramping up.
- Bluetooth and IoT (internet of things) devices are starting to gain popularity and become approved.
Medical Device Marketing Best Practices to Follow
The medical device landscape is changing, so take into account the following trends to drive your sales forward in the right way.
Prioritize Customer Service
With so many medical devices vying for attention, standing out can be a challenge. In this case, providing efficient and timely customer service can be a unique selling proposition that drives sales.
Your medical device service must be top of the line if your company wants to survive. Doctors and healthcare organizations are some of the world’s busiest, so your customer service needs to be impeccable.
Medical devices tend to be expensive, so buyers will not ‘settle’ when it comes to customer service.
According to Dr. Dave Rominski from Doctor Referral Institute, the deciding factor when choosing his medical device is customer service and follow up, coupled with the quality of the product.
Device Website
The website marketing your medical device should be impeccably designed, and you shouldn’t rely on traditional communication alone to spread the word. Consumers want their questions answered instantly, and your website can help with that. Email and call exchanges simply don’t cut it anymore.
Make sure the website marketing your device is designed professionally, especially for mobile devices. Most of today’s traffic comes from mobile devices, so your site should be readable and navigable easily on these small devices.
Pay Attention to Your Reputation
Healthcare organizations are comprised of smart people, so your reputation in the marketplace should be impeccable. A lot of the time when deciding what medical device to choose, doctors will ask other providers about the success they’ve had with the same medical device.
Dr. Dave Rominski says he asked other providers on how much success they were having with their medical devices, before purchasing his own medical device. Even though he was approached by a marketing rep from the medical device company, he did his own due diligence by asking the consumers about the device.
Thus, your medical device won’t just sell itself based on the technology and claims alone. It needs to have a solid reputation in the medical community for sales success.
Deploying Medical Devices in Institutes
The medical devices used in medical schools and institutes naturally have a huge advantage over the competition. Doctors will go on to purchase the devices they were trained on during med school.
According to Dr. Wanona Wellspring from Spring Creek Hollistic, she ended up buying the medical device that she used at the clinic at her college, the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Chicago.
Dr. Wellspring says, “We had a lot of training on it (the medical device), and just because I had so much success with it while I was in clinic at the college, I decided to get it.”
She also mentions that new med school graduates get a discounted price, and she could make affordable payments as well.
Have a Presence at Medical Conferences
Many doctors will choose their medical devices after hearing about them through medical conferences.
Dr. Lisa Fortin from ReYouvenate says she purchased her medical device from the A4M medical conference, after asking around for which device worked best.
Have a Reputable Online Presence
Having a website that’s packed full of glowing reviews about your product can help speed up the decision making process for your medical device’s prospective buyers. Of course, your website should be fully optimized and should offer fast response times.
Search engine optimization should also be a part of your medical device marketing strategy. Medical device companies don’t have a lot of freedom when it comes to online marketing because of HIPAA requirements, so make sure to have a medical device marketing expert as part of your SEO and marketing teams.
Final Thoughts
We hope medical device companies find something useful in the marketing tips we’ve included on this list. In no way is this an exhaustive list of everything medical device companies should be aware of, but it’s a great start.
Your medical device marketing expert will be your greatest asset when it comes to promoting your device and getting it to the right consumers.
If you’re a healthcare provider wondering how to apply these marketing tips to your private practice, then read our SEO Guide for Doctors to learn how to attract more patients.
The online landscape offers great opportunities for marketing, but only if you can wade through the tricky compliances that guard medical device marketing.
