Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Even though ABC exposure is great, it is NOT a valid source of information for doctors to make a decision.

Virago makes an interesting point with the shoe analogy by here is how surgeons work (I worked with them for over a decade):

Some may see the broadcast and go "Hmmm...interesting...I wonder if any RELIABLE MEDICAL STUDIES OR REPUTABLE DOCTORS ARE PERFORMING THE PROCEDURE." New medical and surgical devices, procedures, strategies, etc come out every month and if you were to visit a surgeon's personal office (desk) you would find STACKS of pamphlets, brochures, etc.

Surgeons are an egotistic lot and very much rely on keeping up with the Jonses. But ONLY the "popular" ones.

So you see, while the ABC exposure may bring a lot of awareness, most surgeons are not hurting for new business. So, having patients asking over and over and having repeated news broadcasts, national paper articles (doctors keep up on stocks and politics -all about their money) will ge their attention. And like some of the others mentioned, do what pharma companies do - go to the docs, bring the hardware and some test "tissue" to show them how it works, offer 5 free "kits" along with a surgical instructor to train the surgeon how to use it, better yet...hold a conference (perhaps co-sponsored by a related pharma corp) with detailed case studies, example procedures, taped procedures, promotional packages (like the free equipment and training allthewhile they get to charge for the surgery), AND AND AND get a respectable plastic surgeon to appear and promote the product. Doctors like to brag in the lounge "Yeah, better go start on my Brotoulli Lipectectmy...". Just to see (and hear) the others go "What? I heard about that..you know how to do it? How many have you done? What are the results? Can I sit in...I have some time before my next case..?".

Publishing in medical journals, plastic surgery journals, and approaching associte proffessors ot med schools is another great way to get quality exposure.

Very few doctors are going to say "WHAT? There is a NEW surgical procedure on ABC next Thursday? Suzie...cancel my meeting with Dr. Smith...I HAVE to see this!!! Like I said, the continued pressure from patients, marketing advcates (food, conferences, training, etc), and reputable publishings and testemonials will do more than hoping the ABC show will get the best way in...it's GREAT exposure, but not the right media for targeting surgeons.

Good Luck!

Great answers so far! Jett, I have been selling to this group for over 22 years and I appreciate your comments. The company has been around for 5 years we have 5 of the last 5 Presidents of the American Society of Plastic Surgery and the current one using our product. We conduct monthly seminars for doctors, we provide pamphlets and patient CD's for their offices, we have hundreds of favorable articles on our procedure, we are partnered with the second largest medical prodcuts and equipment distributor in the world, we have a direct sales team that is in the O.R. everyday doing demos. Our model is to charge a per patient fee and place the system with surgeons not sell to them. The procedure has been proven to be more effective than any other procedure and we have a growing (300+)but solid base of surgeons doing the procedure. What we hope the exposure on this ABC show will do is drive patients to those doctors that do have systems (immediate revenue for us) and drive those doctors without a system to get one. Plastic surgery unlike almost any other healthcare group is driven by fear and greed. The procedures they do are elective and because of this they are very competitive. When it comes to marketing our product we did the science first and now we are trying to do the mainstream marketing.

dhinkle

I'll close this out at the end of business today. Thanks for all the help!