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The Power of Omni Channel Marketing

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Technology is integrated into our everyday lives, especially in the fast-paced global healthcare industry. Medical suppliers can use technology to their advantage to create an engaging and sales-boosting marketing strategy with other supply chain stakeholders. 

Omni channel marketing is a brand’s presence across multiple channels. Online channels include websites, apps, social media, and email. This form of marketing exposure also includes face-to-face interaction through traditional brick-and-mortar stores and company events.

Medical suppliers increase their exposure through creation of a consistent brand experience. Omni channel marketing is a customer-centric form of brand promotion, meaning customers can interact with a business on their own terms, resulting in a better overall experience. 

Here are 3 preliminary steps to creating a seamless brand experience:

  1. Start with a website and social media accounts.

Websites are often the primary place a customer checks for relevant information. Websites can outline information, highlight products, and address customer questions. Additionally, posting consistently to social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., increases customer engagement. 

  1. Use the same message across channels.

Brand messaging should be consistent across platforms. The key is to create a concise message while considering the differences between each platform. For instance, LinkedIn is often more professional and concise, while Instagram is more visual and creative.

  1. Create an app presence.

Evaluate your industry and product. Could a mobile device application increase a customer’s positive brand experience? Apps can increase a customer’s engagement and provide a more user-friendly experience. Apps can be developed directly or through hiring a freelance developer.

RepConnect is an example of a user-friendly app with tools, resources, and news that reps can utilize for important health industry information.

Numerous companies have developed a successful campaign through omni-channel marketing, and it has been proven to maintain brand consistency and increase user engagement.

Creating an omni channel marketing strategy assists medical suppliers in providing a consistent brand message. Developing a message across multiple channels can take time and patience, and Share Moving Media, the creators of RepConnect, have the expertise to assist you in gaining more visibility in the medical distribution industry. If you’d like to stay front of mind with over 5000 distribution reps and can market share please contact https://sharemovingmedia.com/.

Medical Distribution Sales in 2023: Do Relationships Still Matter?

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With all of the tools and technology available to med/surg sales reps today, it’s easy to wonder if things have changed for the medical sales process. Just in the last few years, digital tools have become a much more popular platform for making connections and facilitating meetings of all sorts. In addition to plenty of other things, COVID-19 has sort of siloed people from making face-to-face connections.

But should that mean that relationships aren’t a critical component of the sales reps’ repertoire? Do relationships still matter in the sales process?

Replacing the human element

One of the main things to consider about relationships and sales is what the human element will look like with a digital approach. Sure, relationships can be built through tools like Zoom, but it’s really difficult to replicate the authenticity and trust that can be built through a face-to-face sales interaction.

Personal relationships are the foundation on which business is built. In a recent survey conducted by Repertoire Magazine, 82% of medical distribution reps said they highly value the relationship with the manufacturer reps in their territory.

The digital tools are a great supplement to what you already have at your disposal, but it’s no replacement for the real thing. Even if the landscape doesn’t look the way it used to, it’s important to remember that the human element isn’t going anywhere – use it to your advantage! With a huge shift towards digital selling, cultivate a personal touch that will separate you from your competition. Personalization is a great way to build better relationships with your customers.

How to build better relationships

Utilizing a personal touch is only one way to build better relationships in the medical sales process. Here are some other key ways to developing stronger relationships with your customers:

●        Build a rapport – Take the time to establish and cultivate some common interests with your customers. All good relationships are built on commonality, and that starts with having something to talk about. Additionally, make sure to research the needs of the company to help you better identify pain points that your products can address.

●        Respond promptly – If you want your customers to feel valued, don’t leave them waiting on a response from you. Prompt communication is one of the easiest ways to ensure that your customers trust you and feel heard.

●        Provide value – A relationship with your customers will mean nothing if you can’t consistently provide value. Every interaction should leave the customer with something that they can use. Be sure that you understand what your genuine value is to the customer, as differentiated from your competitors in the customer’s mind. With the right skills and tools to communicate value, you can continue providing that value throughout the customer lifecycle.

Even with today’s Amazon style of buying the number one reason someone buys a product or service is when it’s recommended by a friend or family member. To the health care medical device buyer, that friend or family member is their distribution sales rep. Here at Share Moving Media we help best in class manufacturers build relationships with 95% of the distribution reps in the US.  Please contact us at sadams@sharemovingmedia.com to learn how we can help you gain market share through distribution.

How Healthcare Sales Teams Can Use Content For Supply Chain Success

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You need to stand out to your customers. Advertising campaigns and person-to-person sales strategies are excellent tools for bringing awareness to your company and your offering, but to really carve out mind share among your customers requires more – especially for sales in the healthcare supply chain.

Today’s health care buyers have a lot on their plates and, since they won’t be the end-users of what they’re buying, they work closely with their clinical value analysis team to make contracting decisions about new products and services.

Your messaging needs to go deeper than an advertising campaign, since marketing materials are often outright ignored by purchasing and value analysis leaders (Frustrating, but true!). They know that the goal of advertising is to showcase the best parts of your offering, they liked what they saw, and now they need to know more.

“Hard data” about your offering is a crucial asset, but to really get through and set yourself apart you need to tell your product’s story.

That’s where content saves the day. 

Savvy, successful suppliers know that creating captivating, targeted content is the best way to close the deal. Never underestimate the power of success stories that clearly demonstrate how the value of your offering is multiplied by the added value of having you and your company as a supplier partner.

Know your customer better than they know themselves

Getting on contract is just the beginning of the journey.

To get on contract, your customers have to know who you are. Forging a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship means you need to know your customer better than they know themselves.  

We’ve asked supply chain leaders across the country what their top supplier partners have in common, and they all say the same thing: Good suppliers respond to problems, best-in-class suppliers are so well-informed – so dialed in – that they can anticipate their supply chain partners’ needs and proactively collaborate on solutions.

When it comes to contracting in the health care supply chain, there’s nothing more critical to your success than knowing everything there is to know about your customers and prospects. But how do you get those high-level insights? What’s the secret?

Keep reading to learn why content is critical for health care sales teams and how you can leverage content to take your sales success to new heights.

Content takes out the guesswork.

A good database is a valuable tool because you can use data to uncover the story of what’s happened. But sorting through data to find what you need to know can be tedious and time-consuming. Putting that data in context and translating it into meaningful insights – a specialized skillset in itself – even more so.

Moreover, it doesn’t tell you what problems your supply chain leaders are dealing with right now or what their plans for the future are.

The best way to get relevant, actionable information for sales success is going to come from consuming content. Supply chain leaders want all the help they can get; they aren’t hiding what their needs and goals are. Whether its press releases, blogs, podcasts, or news articles, the content and media surrounding an IDN can tell you exactly what they’re dealing with, what they’re planning to do, what their priorities are, and so much more.

Industry magazines and publications, like The Journal of Healthcare Contracting, are treasure troves of details and nuance. Not to mention that there are countless podcasts and videos out there as well – a perfect way to stay in-the-know when you’re traveling or on-the-go.

Personal interviews and webinars with supply chain leaders are doubly helpful because you can get to know the supply chain leaders’ personalities and interests as well as clear information about exactly who you need to approach and what you need to do to get your foot in the door and get on contract.

Industry networking organizations like ANAE (the Association of National Accounts Executives) and platforms like the IDN Directory are outstanding resources for fresh health care supply chain content.

At Share Moving Media, we have a dedicated, captive audience of supply chain leaders across the biggest IDNs in the U.S. For over 30 years, we’ve been partnering with suppliers and distributors to create compelling content and messaging. Share Moving Media has developed the tools, resources and expertise to help you tell your story. If you’d to brainstorm about content ideas to help build an audience and get through to Supply Chain Leaders, please email me at jpritchard@sharemovingmedia.com.

Why You Should Invest in Marketing During Recessions

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Recessions tend to be synonymous with budget cuts. However, your healthcare marketing is one area that you shouldn’t cut. Marketing during recessions affords unique opportunities to keep your business healthy despite the economic upheaval. Then you can come out the other side stronger than when the recession began.

Explore opportunities for marketing during a recession and how these opportunities can benefit your company.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sales depend on a solid marketing strategy, even during a recession.
  • Recessions afford new opportunities for gaining customers as customers often switch brands during financial uncertainty.
  • Use agile marketing techniques and invest in approaches with the greatest return to ensure every dollar is well-spent.

How Does a Recession Affect Marketing?

When times get rough, and budgets get tight, healthcare businesses want to focus all available resources on practices that yield direct financial return while reducing spending significantly in all other areas. Unfortunately, many healthcare businesses don’t see marketing as one of those areas with a high return.

Ironically, sales investments often remain within the budget. However, there are no sales without marketing, as marketing makes up most of the B2B healthcare buyer’s journey. Customers agree with this funnel, as 80% say they don’t want a sales agent to contact them until at least 80% of the way through the sales process.

What’s happening in the first three-quarters of the journey? These are the marketing stages where a business introduces itself to potential clients, turns them into leads, then slowly builds trust and presents its products.

The sales team doesn’t see those leads until the leads have nearly made up their mind to purchase a product. However, when businesses cut marketing, they also cut sales, as the sales team won’t see even a fraction of the leads when sales work with marketing.

The new sales and marketing funnel

Image from SuperOffice

Is Marketing Important During a Recession?

Not only should healthcare businesses avoid cutting resources from the marketing team, but companies should invest MORE into marketing in a recession. Here are five reasons why:

1. Avoid Losing Market Share

Keeping your healthcare marketing practices strong also holds your place in the market, so you don’t lose ground with your audience. This strategy comes down to one idea. You need to spend money to make money. So when you start cutting marketing, you’re also cutting your sales because they’re directly connected.

However, a strong presence will keep your sales steady so your business sails more comfortably through the recession and isn’t hit as hard as those that made extreme budget cuts in marketing. Then, when the recession is over (as all recessions will be one day), your business will not have lost ground, so you can pick up where you were versus having to make up for lost market share and clients.

2. Increase Your Brand Awareness

With so many healthcare businesses cutting back during a recession, those that still stand firm stand out with increased brand awareness. Your ads will be more visible, your content will rank higher, and your brand voice will be more apparent because there isn’t as much competing noise.

3. Stay Ahead of Your Competitors

If your healthcare manufacturing brand grows silent because of budgeting cuts, your competitors might see that as an opportunity to take over your audience. While your business isn’t publishing regular ads and posting on social media, your competition might still be. Therefore, clients who still need your services might switch brands because the competition will seem more appealing and reliable.

However, you can turn the tables by being the healthcare brand that comes in when all the competition grows silent and attracts more of the audience to your company through consistent marketing through the recession.

4. Retain Loyal Customers

Your loyal B2B customers will help keep your business afloat through the recession. Now is not the time to cut back on loyalty programs and incentives because companies rely on loyal customers’ continued support. A crucial 65% of sales come from loyal customers. In addition, acquiring new customers is five times as expensive as retaining loyal customers.

Focusing on customer retention is the best use of marketing funds, as increasing customer retention by just 5% can lead to a 95% increase in profits.

 a little loyalty goes a long way

Image from FinancesOnline

5. Find New Customer Opportunities

In a recession, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with new B2B clients, especially when so many competitors are reducing budgets in crucial areas like marketing. Your healthcare marketing team can capitalize on those budget cuts and win over those B2B clients.

In addition, customer behaviors are changing along with needs. As a result, the old way of attracting customers may no longer work. 

However, a new marketing strategy will focus on customers’ unique needs and offer a recession-specific marketing message for financially-strapped clients. This updated message will appeal to B2B customers in their current stage of business uncertainty better than your pre-recession value proposition and marketing message. Updating your message will create new opportunities to reach B2B customers you might not have with your old marketing message.

For example, during the financial crisis in 2020, as COVID negatively impacted many customers and businesses, 45% of customers changed their preferences. In addition, 75% of people changed their purchase behaviors.

Statistics show buyers don’t stick with what they’re comfortable with during times of financial difficulty. Instead, those are the times customers often consider other brands. Lower prices and better value are two primary reasons a customer might switch brands during times of uncertainty.

Don’t Market Less–Market Differently

How can you recession-proof your healthcare marketing?

Use these key strategies to ensure your marketing investments carry you through recessions and your business continues to grow in times of financial uncertainty:

  • Keep your marketing strategies agile, adjusting to the changing times
  • Focus on marketing strategies with a clear ROI
  • Track the return of marketing strategies to make sure all investments lead to a return
  • Invest in loyal customers to retain their business through the recession
  • Focus on building relationships with new customers using strategies like account-based marketing
  • Understand changing customer needs, pain points, trends, and buying behaviors
  • Find ways to streamline marketing processes using automation and other tools to cut costs
  • Monitor the competition to identify new opportunities
  • Avoid any drastic changes where you don’t have a guaranteed return
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN15ilAaOqU

Make Every Marketing Investment Count

Share Moving Media helps marketers make smarter financial investments by offering marketing opportunities connecting them directly to their target audience. By investing in targeted marketing through industry publications, you know your audience sees your message every time, so every dollar is well spent.

Contact us to learn more about our marketing opportunities for healthcare manufacturers.

How to Use Online Content to Create Lasting Brand Awareness

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Content marketing is very much alive and well in every market from medical supplies to psychic readings. If your goal is to create brand recognition with staying power, you need a supply of fresh new content that consistently represents your company’s voice, tone, and values.

In a competitive and technical industry like GPO IDN healthcare sales where expensive advertisement campaigns abound, relatable and helpful content that connects with consumers on an emotional level is what builds a long-term bond that converts. Whether your company’s goal is business-to-business (B2B) sales, business-to-consumer (B2C) sales, or both, you need more than high-pressure salesy ad campaigns to build a well-known and trustworthy brand image. You need content that creates the face of your brand.

Content versus Copy for GPO IDN Healthcare Brands

Brands that decide to get serious about their digital marketing campaigns often face confusion around the differences between content and copy. Marketing copy is advertisement – its purpose is to make a sale as soon as possible and as often as possible. The descriptions of the products and services you sell on your website, for example, are created using copywriting.

Content, on the other hand, plays a comparatively long game. Both content and copy marketing campaigns are imperative to the success of your business. The importance of content, however, tends to be overlooked. A solid content campaign does more than draw in quick sales. It utilizes repeated exposure to build your brand’s authority and recognition over time, while also telling the story of your company. Content creates the kind of familiarity, trust, and loyalty that pays off in repeat clients for years to come.

5 Types of Content to Increase Brand Recognition 

Online content comes in all shapes and sizes and each one plays a unique part in your brand becoming renowned, recognized, and trusted by your potential customer base.

1. Email Newsletters

Source: Superoffice

Despite what some of the trendier self-proclaimed marketing gurus may insist on, there is no denying that email is still king when it comes to profitable, fast, direct, and effective communication with medical suppliers. Email marketing is the most reliable method for converting leads into sales during all stages of the sales funnel.

The average return on investment (ROI) for email marketing is $42for every dollar spent. This beats every other form of content marketing. For that reason, all other forms of digital marketing you use should drive your audience to subscribe to your email list. Sales announcements, discount codes, and exclusive early product launches are some of the most effective ways to gain and retain subscribers to your brand’s email newsletter. 

2. Blog Posts 

Company blogs provide several opportunities to advance your brand while also providing useful, informative content to your potential clients or consumers.

  • Informative, news, or how-to articles establish your brand as an authority on industry-related topics
  • A subscription option on your blog page serves as another way to build your email list
  • Direct communication with your audience through your blog post’s comment section

3. Videos 

Every single day over a billion hours of video content is viewed on YouTube. The latest short-form viral video platform, TikTok, is experiencing rapid growth with users averaging over 850 minutes per month spent watching videos on the app. Even though your company is selling to other manufacturers and distributors, there are human beings at the helm of those businesses. Video content tends to be incredibly effective at connecting with those fellow humans through the use of humor, connection, and empathy.

4. Social Media Accounts

In 2021, brands are expected to maintain a presence on mainstream social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. The right content posted on your company’s social media accounts combined with the perfect amount of direct witty banter with your audience can lead to massive boosts in brand awareness and social approval. An entertaining social media presence is the new “street cred” for brands Additionally, social media accounts offer invaluable analytical tools for tracking the types of content that resonate with your brand’s audience.

Source: Twitter

5. White Papers

White papers offer a unique opportunity for your brand to be seen as an absolute authority on the products and services you provide. These long-form content marketing tools can be divided into three main types of documents:

  • Problem-solution white papers promote a specific product or service as the solution to a long-standing problem for the business you’re attempting to sell to.
  • Listicle white papers list features, tips, or questions pertaining to a specific business issue and your product’s unique ability to provide the best solution.
  • Background white pages are in-depth, long-form descriptions of a product or service’s features, evaluations, and price points.

Leverage Meaningful Storytelling 

Effective content needs more than just helpful tips and entertaining commentary to cement your brand in the minds of your audience. Human connection is the most powerful sales tool of all time. Stories can bring people together and bring their eyes, ears, and trust directly to your business’s products and services. 

Your content is where you can share the story of how your company was founded. Post a photo of your great grandfather, who paved the way by inventing the first disposable exam table paper. Take the time to reveal behind-the-scenes snippets of the process with your audience during the development of a new product. The people calling the shots at the companies you want to sell your products to are bound to relate to other people putting in the work to make their company a success. 

Content and Conversion Rates will Always go Hand in Hand

The sales industry comes down to human connections, even if you’re selling to massive corporations. That human factor cannot be removed from the equation and that means content can’t either. Your content is what makes your brand unique, trustworthy, and relatable to consumers of any size, and that is worth its weight in gold. 

SMM can help you with all of these types of content.  Please email Scott Adams at sadams@sharemovingmedia for a free content marketing evaluation.