The spotlight on healthcare and healthcare technology has never been fiercer, thanks to COVID. For the past year, we’ve been inundated with messages from the government, scientists and the NHS about how to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy. It’s not surprising therefore that healthcare PR – which includes pharmaceuticals, healthcare providers, biotechnology and medical technology – is an area that has seen rapid growth.
Let’s look at medical technology, taking air purifiers as an example. With a growing demand for businesses to provide safer environments for their employees and clients and a desire amongst consumers for products that facilitate cleaner living”, there is a key market opportunity for expansion of your air purification devices using a focused PR strategy.
“United Kingdom Air Purifiers Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020” report that the UK air purifiers market is projected to surpass USD636 million by 2020.
If now is the time when health was at the forefront in people’s minds and as a company, you have in your hands, an effective air purifier and there’s demand for the device, you’d be forgiven for thinking that promoting your business/consumer technology to the press and consumers would be a shoo-in, right? Not necessarily.
There are a number of challenges PRs face which make the need for effective communication about your healthcare product and therefore, in the form of an experienced UK Business Technology PR agency or professional to guide you, all the more important.
- Mixed messages – walk the walk
There is so much information and opinions on healthcare and effective technology. You might know your product eliminates 99.99% of pathogens but all it takes is one conflicting headline in prominent media, stating that air purifiers can spread illness, to confuse matters. In this case, proven effective research is essential. Here, it is not enough to state your client’s “experience in healthcare” or simply disagree with the opposing view, you will need scientific research and hard figures, to back-up your view and correct the story. - The saturated market – be creative
During the pandemic, healthcare news is everywhere – an opportunity for your product. The downside to this is that a year on, media and consumers are reaching saturation point and your voice can easily get lost among the others. With COVID restrictions set to lift in July, people will be itching to get back to normality and hit pause on healthcare news for a while. It is important, therefore to have a clear PR strategy and to be as creative as possible with story angles that pique interest and create leads for your business. Is there an interesting case study that you have or an exciting, timely collaboration you can shout about? - Competing with the big boys – use what you’ve got
The air purification market is highly competitive, with recognised manufacturers including Dyson and Philips. You may think that your business or consumer healthcare technology product is superior but the press and potential purchaser are likely to gravitate towards trusted brands, even if said brands do not have expertise in your industry. You have to use all of your differentiators. Is your product a superior medical grade purifier? If so, use this USP and provide proof.
Do your founders have a medical background? If so, the media train them and use their expertise. Is your technology medical grade and your competitors’ isn’t? Use it. Has your product been used in medical environments successfully? Great – produce that case study. You have more resources and positive product differentiators than you think. It’s a case of identifying your resources and using them strategically. Here is where the experienced counsel of a seasoned UK PR Agency can save you time and money in the long run.
There is a massive opportunity for your business to gain a foothold in the healthcare technology market right now so it would be a great time to explore the PR possibilities. The right public relations guidance can help you optimise your opportunities while navigating the aforementioned challenges, help make your voice heard and establish your brand, whatever the background noise.
If you have an amazing healthcare technology product that you want everyone to know about but don’t know where to start, we’d love to hear from you.
