Buyers (whether they are surgeons, procurement officers or distributors) are just like us: their time is in high demand, their attention span is ever-shortening, and they are hyper focused in lowering cost and improving outcomes for patients.
Meanwhile, the medical field isn’t the only place where technological advances are being made. Marketers today, more than ever, have access to interactive tools and platforms to help engage and activate their customers. I recently attended a conference on digital marketing, and this was a common theme. But there is also an inherent tension: how do marketers best use these emerging tech tools to make a difference and ultimately drive ROI?
- First and foremost, a marketer’s tactics and platforms should always be driven by strategy. In order to build upon the strategy, it’s important to harness and align data that supports the overall mission. Platforms such as Marketo and Veeva, which provide data processing, measurement and integration, are both examples of ways companies can lean into the insights data can provide.
- Moreover, it’s important as marketers to meet users exactly where they are – and in today’s world, that means digitally. LevelEx is a great example of this best practice. The innovative technology includes several video games designed for doctors to work through real-world scenarios in a variety of practice areas. If your company is not ready to make that kind of investment, there are other options (think recorded webinar and animations) that allow buyers to explore and engage with the product on their timeline, and at their convenience.
- A barrier many marketers face is one of scale. Change doesn’t happen overnight. In larger organizations, the timeline to implement new marketing technology may be months or even years. Our advice: Start with a pilot. What businesses or groups are most open to the idea? Where can you get a quick win? Start there, build a case study and then start a broader rollout.
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