A few weeks back, I wrote about key trends that would impact the medical device world in 2024. This time around, I’m going to be counting down some 2024 resolutions for medical device marketers. In most organizations, nobody is closer to consumer audiences as the marketing team, and that is no different in the med device space. In fact — and this may be my first lukewarm take of the year —nurturing the relationship with consumers is the real magic of med device marketers. Digital marketing, social media, analytics, messaging — all just tools to understand and befriend audiences.
So what should you as a medical device marketer be thinking about as they make their New Year’s resolutions? Here are five that should be top of mind.
Resolution #1: Educate your consumers interactively
I absolutely love the educational power that marketers yield. In fact (medium-hot take incoming), I think it may be the most powerful tool in the marketer’s arsenal. If you can teach consumers something that can help them live a better life, you’re instantly building trust, loyalty, and advocacy. And at this point, you likely already have educational content on their site. But it’s flat, and (we can be honest here) many of our audiences don’t take the time to read all the great content we produce.
So, the resolution is to take your educational content and reimagine it. Download Duolingo and get inspired by the gamified way they are teaching language learning, What can Headspace teach you about chunking and organizing content topics? Can Seek give you ideas on how to motivate audiences with badges and challenges? No need to build out an entire app to educate your audiences. Well, then again it would be cool if you did! But integrating some of these interactive ideas into your site can quickly engage audiences. What’s more, it can make your content more memorable and drive better product conversion and usage too.
Resolution #2: Take care of the caregivers
November is National Caregivers Month, and if you didn’t take a moment to celebrate the loved ones who support your patients, make it a goal for 2024. Caregivers have a tough job, and they are very influential when it comes to product research and purchasing. Depending on your product and user, they may be another audience you want to forge a relationship with this year.
Resolve to think beyond caregivers, too. Did you know that women make 90% of household healthcare decisions? No doubt there are women who are instrumental in helping a loved one make a decision about one of your products, even if men primarily use your products. What other audiences might you be sleeping on?
Resolution #3: Extend your relationships
You likely are well versed in nurture campaigns. But my challenge is to take a closer look and what you have set up and see where you might be able to send a just-in-time message that makes a huge difference to your audience. Are you sending educational materials out to help with setup and initial usage? Are you following up weeks after a purchase to check in on how users are faring with their purchases? Are you introducing your support tools and team and bringing awareness to the variety of questions they can help with? Are you sending tips and tricks from real users? Are you highlighting influencers and content creators in the space that can support their journey?
Email open rates for healthcare are among the highest across all industries. So resolve to get inspired by some of those nurture emails sitting in your own inbox. Dig into a few of these messages. Think about how some of the tactics could be applied to your organization or product. Then, let your creativity take over.
Resolution #4: Let your authenticity show
I’ve talked about authenticity several times on the Perficient blog, and it is one of my favorite subjects. It’s hard to build relationships with a stuffy, corporate voice — but, then again, in healthcare and life sciences, we have regulatory obligations. And, let’s face it: Most folks won’t want to buy a medical device from an organization that feels too casual.
However, consumers have made it clear that authenticity is exactly what they are after. (I mean, it was Merriam Webster’s word of the year in 2023.) So how can you strike the balance? One way is to lean into consumer quotes and testimonials, whether patients or clinical profiles. Another is to introduce members of your team through profiles, slick social quote cards, and storytelling (how did they get into healthcare? Why medical devices? What drives them every day?).
What kind of ”voice” is bubbling up in these collateral pieces? How can it be translated into your web presence, marketing materials, call center scripts, and other consumer-facing materials? Understanding how your consumers and internal staff members talk about the product they are passionate about can help bring that authentic voice to life.
Resolution #5: Pay attention to Gen Z
Finally, don’t sleep on Gen Z. While many med device marketers no doubt have Gen Z squarely in their sights, you may not be paying attention to what this new generation is doing online if your target audience is older consumers. But where Gen Z goes, we all go. These are the caregivers and patients of the future. And the language they use, their digital footprint, and their healthcare preferences will be helping the industry to continue to evolve for years to come. Understanding and connecting with this audience, where appropriate, will help set you and your organization up well for building strong relationships that last into the future.
Our Digital Healthcare Strategy team helps medical device organizations better understand their audiences and create memorable experiences that drive conversions, usage and inspire brand loyalty. Contact us today for more information.
