Healthcare SMEs can boost sales and change behaviour with Medical Education

Medical Education – changing behaviours and boosting sales

Healthcare SMEs that want to grow their sales and increase uptake of their products should consider medical education as a vital marketing tool.

Effective medical education enables you to work with key healthcare professionals and decision-makers to create the right environment for your product to be bought and used.

Many SME healthcare companies rely on their salesforce, marketing materials and advertising to reach their audience, but this can leave them on the periphery of their market, competing with companies that have bigger budgets, and greater brand awareness.

It’s also not enough to have your product listed in guidelines, protocols and formularies.  This is a start, but a less passive approach is required if you want your product to stand out.

Training and developing the very people who will use and purchase your product adds value and helps you to overcome barriers that might affect its uptake.

Health professionals should understand where your product can be used and be confident enough to use it.  The education you deliver should be focused on that outcome.  If possible, it should also provide accreditation that can support delegates’ professional development.

Here are some key individuals a typical healthcare SME may need to access in order to gain maximum impact for its product, depending on its purpose and function:

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Consultants
• Pharmacists

However, it is often the financial decision makers who have the final say when it comes to purchasing your product.

Do you know how to engage health sector professionals who may not have a medical background?  This requires a specialist knowledge of this complex market, which is why healthcare communications agencies exist to help health SMEs overcome these challenges.

Whatever the target audience, your activities must seek to bring about a change in behaviour that results in improved uptake and awareness of your product.

Here are 6 impactful medical education activities for healthcare SMEs to consider:

• Feature articles in the medical press – referenced and produced by a medical writer
• Roundtables – workshops, focus groups
• Train-the-trainer
• Satellite symposia – at congresses and exhibitions
• E-Learning – online training packages, videos, webinars, CME
• Gamification – interactive activities, apps

Tailoring your medical education strategy to suit your market is key if you want to get the best out of your budget. To find out more about these and other medical education services, contact Onyx Health on 0191 6403638, visit www.onyxhealth.com or email info@onyxhealth.com.