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Why Medical Suppliers Need to Create Content Distributors Can Use

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The world of medical sales is competitive, with over 10,000 establishments in the U.S. alone. As a medical supplier, you know that you need to sell your products and services to get the revenue you need. But you also know you must build a relationship with your customers. They need to know who you are, what you are offering, and why you are the best choice for them. This means more than just selling to them; it means adding value to their lives. To do this, medical suppliers must create content that distributors can use to market their products and services.

Your job as a medical supplier is to help your customers see you as an authority on the subject matter they are discussing. While many customers searching for medical products and services will sometimes look up medical suppliers directly, they will likely run into distributors first. 

Distributors are the ones who are most likely going to be selling your products and services to their customers. They will tell your customers who you are and what you are offering, and they cannot do that without the right content. 

Key Takeaways

  • Distributors use your content to educate themselves and buyers, so having high-quality physical (or digital) content at the ready is crucial.
  • Without the right content from medical suppliers, distributors cannot communicate the benefits of your products to buyers.
  • Supplying your distributors with high-quality content can help build brand recognition and trust. 

Benefits of Creating Useful Medical Supplier Content for Distributors
Medical suppliers have a lot on their plate these days when it comes to running their businesses. Not only do they have to think about their own daily operations, such as their supply chain needs and customer service, but they also need to think about their distributors and how they can help them sell their products. 

Medical distributors are the big movers when it comes to getting your products into the hands of doctors and patients. While you have a lot of control over the products you sell and the services you provide, your distributors are the ones who will likely make the final sale. However, to do this, you must provide them with the right tools and resources, and this comes in the form of content. 

From product descriptions to how-to videos, the content that you provide your distributors can make or break their ability to sell your products. In today’s digital world, distributors will often provide information to their customers through text and video. This means that you need to have on-the-go content that distributors can use as a quick and effective way to answer questions or concerns that buyers may have about your products. 

You can also use content to establish yourself as an expert in your field. Either way, the content that you provide your distributors is vital to not only their success, but yours as well.

5 Types of Content That Medical Suppliers Should Be Creating for Distributors

Many medical supplies and equipment distributors offer their clients professional advice on what medical supplies to use in what situations. However, as a distributor, they must first educate themselves on the products they are selling and the medical supplies they are recommending. From there, they can provide the correct information to their customers.

Therefore, as a medical supplier, you must create content for distributors to use for themselves and their customers. Here are five types of content that you can create to help your distributors:

1. How-To Articles/Guides

Arguably one of the most beneficial types of content you can create for your distributors is how-to articles and guides. These pieces of content are useful for several reasons, including: 

  • They are easy to read and understand
  • They are written to inform, educate, and answer questions
  • They guide the reader on how to use a specific product or inform them on how a service can address their particular pain point, concern, etc.

How-to articles/guides are designed to be a go-to resource for distributors and customers alike. They are a great way to provide your distributors with the information they need to be successful. So taking the time to put care and detail into these pieces of content is essential. 

Source: Biologics By McKesson

2. Case Studies

Case studies can help your distributors and customers better understand how to use the products you offer and best use them to address their needs. They also show your distributors how your products have helped other people. This can help build trust and help your distributors feel more comfortable selling your products.

3. Research Studies

Research studies are designed to provide facts and figures that prove why your products are superior to the competition. This is especially important when trying to convince distributors to carry your products. Taking the time to put together a well-researched study can significantly impact those on the fence about whether or not they should carry your products.

4. Video Content

Videos provide information to your distributors and customers that they can refer to anytime, making them one of the most successful types of content. Video content is often much easier to break down and understand than text, which can be especially helpful when explaining the benefits of your products to someone unfamiliar. 

Here’s an example:

5. Informative Blog Posts

Blog posts can inform your distributors and customers about new products, services, and programs that you offer. They can also keep your distributors and customers up to date on the latest news and developments in your industry.

Example of an informative blog post targeting medical distributors and how they can prevent healthcare product shortages. 

Image Source: Repertoire Dail-eNews

Create Content Your Distributors Can Use with Share Moving Media

Content is the backbone of any marketing strategy. It can help build a strong connection between your brand and your customers. However, when it comes to medical suppliers, content is also a great way to help your distributors. 

By creating content that your distributors can use to answer questions, provide guidance, and help build your brand awareness, you can help them better serve your customers, leading to more sales for your business.

Here at Share Moving Media, we can help you build and execute a content marketing strategy that will help you not only connect with your customers, but help your distributors do the same.

Are you a medical supplier needing guidance on creating content your distributors can use? Contact us at Share Moving Media today, and we’ll help you get started.

What Content Types Work Best in Healthcare?

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Despite how widespread content marketing is, 72% of marketers say their content was only slightly successful or not successful at all. Creating content isn’t enough to succeed in content marketing. You need to focus on the right content types.

Learn seven of the best types of content for healthcare marketing that will give your content marketing a boost in 2022.

Key Takeaways:

  • Content marketing requires different strategies for each stage in the sales funnel.
  • Video is the most effective form of content marketing in 2022.
  • You can build relationships with your audience through webinars or social media marketing.

How to Choose the Best Content-Type

Not all your content has the same goal. Content marketing is a broad strategy that covers every step of the sales funnel, from awareness to brand loyalty. The content you create should reflect the goal of each step.

Before choosing a content type, start by outlining the goal of your content. The top marketing goal is lead generation, followed closely by increasing website traffic. Surprisingly, most marketers say sales and product promotion aren’t the highest content marketing objectives, although there are some exceptions.

17 types of content for each stage of the funnel

Image from Orbit Media Studios

7 Content Types You Should Use in Healthcare Marketing

Explore seven of the top healthcare marketing content formats you should use in your strategies to reach your marketing objectives.

1. SEO Blog Content

Blog content is one of the most well-known content marketing formats. This long-form content type engages the audience, answers questions, and encourages action. Some examples of popular blog content include:

  • How-to articles
  • List articles
  • Educational content
  • Interviews
  • Company insights
  • Thought leadership

Blogging drives more traffic to your website by ranking in online searches. To rank in search engines, you target specific search phrases combined with linking to authority sites that boost your reputation. In this way, when your target audience is researching products or solutions, your content is more likely to appear in their searches. Today, nearly 70% of marketers invest in search engine optimization.

Blogging is also a key lead generation and nurturing strategy. Once you attract traffic to your website, you address their pain points and offer valuable information that will lead them through the sales cycle and encourage them to subscribe.

2. Social Media Posts

Over half of the world’s population is on social media. These platforms aren’t just spaces for posting pictures of your cat or lunch. They have transformed into legitimate business platforms where you network, engage and convert your audience through various content types for social media.

Social media has become a crucial part of content marketing for healthcare and requires a dedicated content marketing strategy. For example, suppose you repost your blog articles on social media. In that case, they won’t perform as well as creating dedicated content for your social audience optimized for the platform.

You can use a combination of videos, images, and text to build relationships with your audience through the platform since social media is social first and supports customer interactions. While Facebook and Instagram work well for B2C connections, for businesses that want to connect with other businesses, LinkedIn is the best platform. 

3. Lead Magnets

Lead magnets are content that you exchange for your reader’s contact information. The primary purpose of the content is to generate leads. Without this exchange of information, you will lose your readers when they leave your page because you have no way to follow up.

Instead, you know who is looking at your content through lead magnets. You can use their contact information to qualify them as a lead and focus on those with a high buyer’s intent when nurturing those prospects.

Roughly 72% of marketers saw increased leads from their content marketing.

Some content formats that work well as lead magnets include:

  • Ebooks
  • Case studies
  • Original research
  • Whitepapers
  • Webinars or live events

4. Webinars and Live Events

Over 90% of marketers say their webinars are the most valuable content channel for generating qualified leads. A webinar is an online event where a presenter provides information to a target audience.

Webinars effectively educate your audience, promote products, and convert customers. For example, in healthcare distribution, you can use webinars to explain how new products work or build trust by educating your audience on the latest healthcare trends.

5. Case Studies

Case studies prove your claims as a business. For example, you can show it through a case study instead of just saying your product results in better patient outcomes. A case study tells a story of how your products or business helped a client. It uses data and emotional storytelling to convince your audience that they can also see those transformative effects if they use your products.

6. Videos

Forty-one percent of marketers say that increasing the amount of video content they produce significantly influenced their success. Video is one of the most powerful mediums for conveying your message. It creates an immersive experience that holds your audience’s attention and sends a memorable message.

Healthcare marketers have been successfully using video content over the past few years. For example, you can share patient or customer stories, demonstrate a new product, or address issues in the industry to help your customers make better decisions.

Some of the places you can share your video include:

  • YouTube
  • Social media
  • Company website
Video has the best results

Image from SEMrush

7. Landing Pages

If all your online traffic is coming through your homepage, you’re missing out on a valuable conversion opportunity. Homepages are just the doorway to your other content. A landing page is different because it’s the destination.

A landing page has one goal and removes all unnecessary or distracting elements that might keep your audience from that objective. For instance, if you want your audience to sign up for a webinar, you will create a landing page that doesn’t have a navigation bar or other content. The only content they would see is information about the webinar and a form for signing up.

Landing pages are a key element of your end-funnel content marketing strategy. They help lead your customers to make that final action.

Create More Content Your Audience Will Read

We can help you upgrade your content marketing strategies with our unique insights and industry data. Our communication and educational services will transform the way you perform healthcare content marketing.

Contact us to learn more about our content marketing solutions.