TOPICS
Marketing
5 Ways Online Medical Device Sellers Can Boost Positive Word-of-Mouth
May 06, 2022
4 min read
Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WOM) is sometimes all that it takes to achieve success or failure, especially in the healthcare industry where trust is a crucial factor. Many marketers take it for granted as something you can’t affect, but that is far from the truth. In this article, we share our experience of how Online Medical Device Sellers can help their customers become their most valuable communication channels.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WOM) is sometimes all that it takes to achieve success or failure, especially in the healthcare industry where trust is a crucial factor. Many marketers take it for granted as something you can’t affect, but that is far from the truth. In this article, we share our experience of how Online Medical Device Sellers can help their customers become their most valuable communication channels.
- Customer support
- Direct communication
- Customer feedback
- Mobile-first user experience
- Referral and discount options
Does word-of-mouth come naturally, or do businesses have to invest in it? In this article, we shared our experiences of boosting this intangible communication channel and making your loyal customers spread the good word to other healthcare professionals.
It is in human nature to trust recommendations from a reliable person rather than anything else. We know this, statistics confirm it every time. However, we still seem to forget the value of word-of-mouth.
This refers to every industry, but in our experience, word-of-mouth has a special place in the aesthetics industry because healthcare professionals and private clinic owners are probably one of the most doubtful target audiences in B2B marketing.
This means that building trust is the number one priority for every medical device seller. Any satisfied healthcare institution can influence the purchasing decision of a new potential buyer or even a group of prospective buyers.
On the other hand, negative word-of-mouth can have detrimental effects on your business. A single late shipment or an incorrectly sent order could put you at risk of not only losing the trust of a particular healthcare professional but also creating a fast-spreading negative brand image.
That said, marketing, sales, logistics, and procurement teams should join forces and take control of the buyers’ overall impression.
We talked about this with our partners, mostly from the field of medical e-commerce businesses, and analysed together strategies that can push word-of-mouth in the right way. Here is what we found:
1. Supplier’s Customer Support
Let’s start with the most obvious one: a friend in need is a friend indeed.
When an office manager of a private clinic or a healthcare professional himself turns to you and asks for help or complains about a problem, they are almost always emotionally involved – concerned or even angry. While this may seem as a threat, it is actually an opportunity.
The way the seller’s customer support agent handles these emotions is how your customers will continue to feel about your business. Sometimes, your customer support agents don’t need to have an instant solution, but the proper manner in which they communicate:
- Listen with patience and empathy
- Agree (even if the customer is exaggerating)
- Show willingness to do everything you can
- Know all the products you offer, regulations, packaging, and stock status.
- Show that you are in control (shipment status, delivery estimates, etc.).
- Be precise and direct.
Investing in your customer support team’s soft skills and procedures means indirectly investing in your B2B marketing. Next time your buyers share their experiences with other healthcare professionals, they will have positive stories to tell.
2. Direct communication with healthcare institutions
Instead of waiting for your buyers to ask, you can be proactive and deliver information before they even notice there is something wrong.
Let’s say there is a delay in the shipment of goods due to the holiday season. The biggest challenge here is that you need to announce unpleasant news.
Again, try to make an opportunity out of it. Think of it as a new chance for direct communication. Instruct your customer service to write a personalised email or, even better, to make a call.
Your buyers will appreciate this transparent approach because they will have time to get around the situation and still make their clients happy, which is their ultimate goal. Of course, try to make it up to them with a gift card or a discount for their next purchase.
3. Doctors and office managers’ feedback
Knowing what your customers think of your business is knowing what kind of words they are spreading about it.
We know it is hard to convince anyone in the aesthetics industry to spare some time, but with the right tactic, you could win a few minutes of their time and get their opinion.
There are different methods you can use depending on how much you are willing to pay. For example, you can compose a questionnaire (a maximum of 3 questions), send it to your customers by email, and ask them to respond to it in exchange for an incentive (e.g. free shipping for their next order).
Or you can try to get a review for free.
Whatever you do, just remember to be concise and to the point, with clear instructions on what they should do.
4. Mobile-First User Experience
Another positive word-of-mouth you can get is about your website.
Having an intuitive interface that allows users to easily find products and proceed to payments is essential for every e-commerce business. Many online medical device sellers still don’t realise that up to 50% of all B2B enquiries are made from a mobile phone.
This means that you need a responsive website more than ever to take advantage. Investing in your website User Experience (UX) can bring great results in a number of ways. Word-of-mouth may not be so obvious, but it is absolutely important.
5. Referral options
A referral network is like hiring a devoted team of campaigners to drive leads to your company. This strategy uses trusted recommendations from other community members and businesses to increase your customer base.
A discount can be a solid motivating factor. You can offer a two-way discount reward – to the referred customer and to the referrer. This way, your loyal buyer will be motivated to spread the word-of-mouth, and the new buyer will be invited to try out your site. Moreover, if you have a great offer along with a great UX, this can be an optimal experience for your new returning customer.
Keep in mind that this is a more demanding marketing method. If you decide to invest in it, be sure to do everything right:
- Plan the program in detail
- Decide what the reward should be
- Create a landing page with detailed explanations
- Create a promotional campaign
- Deliver on everything you promised
Referral marketing can bring you new high-value customers and extend your reach in the aesthetics market.
Final thoughts
For healthcare goods online sellers, every activity can be a trigger for positive or negative word-of-mouth, meaning that it is an indirect result of everything you do. Our final tip is to try to think from your buyers’ perspective and have a look at both your e-commerce and the products you are offering. Contact us for more advice!
References:
https://techjury.net/blog/mobile-vs-desktop-usage/#gref