Creating customer connections
Around 2 am this morning, my mind started to organize these conversations, and I realized quickly that a little shift in the approach could bring dividends to everyone involved.
First, building awareness to generate leads is challenging; the root of it all is trust, which is best built in real life.
- Most efforts are focused online because it's cheap and easy (although I'd challenge both) and it doesn't require vast amounts of labor.
- Few are willing to get out there to talk to customers IRL, instead opting for cold calls, mass emails, LinkedIn messages, and all sorts of crazy retargeting technology to measure "what works"
Second, these companies are often operating alone, compounding the awareness problem. Few partner vertically to maximize dollars spent.
- Partnerships are something startup CPG and retail is doing well but it hasn't translated over to healthcare
- The multiplier effect, collaborations, and partnerships that automatically grow your audience and reach is not well recognized and often is seen as competitive or not possible due to HIPPA
- While intentional, this shadow system creates a great deal of skepticism on the consumer side, creating a barrier to entry.
- Most patients aren't yet prepared to give up their doctors in full and many who need help aren't sure what to do with data.
So what can these companies do to win in this challenging environment?
1️⃣ Get out there and talk to customers in real life. Be creative and go where they are at. Leverage those communities, trusted circles and networking groups.
2️⃣ Partner up! It will also be more fun to do this with a friend.
3️⃣ Work with the healthcare system, not against it. Doctors and nurses are just as interested in these solutions as patients are.
Looking for more specifics? Let us know. We are happy to help brainstorm solutions, make introductions, or query our events database.
