May 07, 2019

4 Key Inbound Marketing Strategies for B2B Healthcare Companies

B2B buyers have different expectations from companies today than they did five years ago, and it’s the same for businesses that need healthcare solutions.

In fact, a McKinsey study found that businesses have exactly the same expectations from healthcare brands as they do from other B2B businesses, including fantastic customer service and great value.

Another report from Kantar Health states that 60% of buyers consider online resources the best source of information about healthcare brands, which can mean anything from blogs and videos to reports and personalized quizzes.

To provide your buyers with the information they want, you need to be putting out good content that keeps them coming back for more.

This is the exact purpose of inbound marketing.

Millions of other brands are using this technique to attract consumers and create loyal customers, but somehow it seems different for healthcare brands.

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In fact, studies show that B2B healthcare providers tend to be behind the times when it comes to marketing which means that, by getting ahead and implementing successful inbound strategies, you might find yourself way ahead of your competitors.

1. Build Awareness and Your Reputation

Choosing a healthcare brand to collaborate with isn’t as simple as choosing where to go for dinner, which is why you need to instill a sense of confidence in a potential buyer if you want them to choose you.

Remember: the sales funnel for B2B buyers is often longer than B2C customers, simply because the price point tends to be higher and there are usually a number of gatekeepers needed to approve the decision.

In order to help people choose you, you need to first of all build awareness around your brand so that potential customers know it exists, and then create a trustworthy reputation. You can do this by soliciting and managing reviews and using the experience of past customers to bolster the confidence of new buyers who might be on the fence.

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There’s always social media, too. You can find the platforms where your prospects are hanging out online and start conversations with them there to quash their fears and make them feel good about choosing your brand.

2. Integrate Video

Video is an incredibly powerful form of content.

In fact, more people than ever are choosing to watch videos over reading blog content, and this is especially true in the healthcare world where procedures and industry-specific vocabulary can be confusing.

You can use video in a variety of different ways to attract and keep the attention of potential buyers.

For example, you might film an introduction with your key physicians or staff members, or show buyers how your services work so they know what to expect when they invest. Alternatively, you can use the power of visuals to outline complex procedures or educate potential customers on concepts that might be tricky to understand with just words.

On top of this, you might also use video to build your reputation by sharing customer testimonials and the experience of previous buyers.

Take Medical Realities Platform, for example. This B2B healthcare brand is a virtual reality platform that was created to visually teach complex topics to professionals in the industry.

One of the first pieces of marketing the company did was a live 360-degree video of co-founder Shafi Ahmed performing an operation on a patient. It was watched by more than 200,000 people and was one of the very first 360-degree videos that showed things from the perspective of a patient.

3. Test Out Retargeting

Choosing a B2B healthcare company to partner with isn’t an instantaneous decision.

In fact, with all the content we have access to through the internet today, we’re finding that more and more buyers are carrying out extensive research before they commit to investing in anything at all.

Studies have shown that buyers need at least seven touchpoints with a brand before they’ll even consider handing over their money, and this number is even higher for bigger purchases which are often the case for buyers investing in B2B products.

As a result, you’ll find that prospects will visit your website, leave and never come back again. Unless you retarget them. This involves serving ads on relevant social media channels and websites to people that have visited your site before and are aware of your brand.

This might be a very small number of people, but they are highly qualified leads who have already expressed an interest in what you’re offering.

4. Provide Content Your Prospects Are Looking For

Content is key in any inbound marketing strategy. It’s often the first thing new prospects will see when they land on your site, so you’re going to want to make it good and memorable.

So how do you do that?

The key lies in serving up content that potential buyers are actively searching for.

Think about it:

When you’re looking for a solution to a problem, you tend to run a Google search as the first step in finding an answer. Content works wonders in a number of different ways; for example, it can help you better educate prospects on the problems they have and how your brand has the winning solution that will solve all their challenges.

By arming them with vital information, you’re easing their fears and working towards building a relationship that’s heavy on trust.

How Will You Approach Inbound Marketing?

As a B2B healthcare company, acquiring and helping new prospects is the name of the game. Today, it’s vital that you build trust and nurture relationships with your prospects and bear in mind that choosing a healthcare brand to go with isn’t an easy decision by a long stretch.

By using the techniques we’ve laid out here, you’ll be able to educate potential buyers and create awareness for your brand at the same time – it’s a win-win situation.

 

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