From HIMSS to Google Next, cancellations are mounting at prominent spring events for healthcare, medtech and B2B companies. Uncertainty over the spread of the coronavirus has organizers and attendees rethinking travel plans and high-volume gatherings. Even investor relations and general business meetings are up in the air; Target, for example, recently converted their planned analyst day in New York City to a webcast amid concerns for its staff.
If you’re in medtech sales or B2B marketing, where tradeshows, events and sales calls are vital to lead generation, you may be asking: Now what?
The power of the phone call
It’s an interesting question for us at Volkart May. For the last 30 years, we’ve supported top medtech and B2B brands with lead generation, appointment-setting and customer insights, all attained through professional outbound calling. We never see a prospect in person. Ever.
So, for us, achieving lead generation goals outside of face-to-face channels is not only possible, it’s an everyday practice. Here are four recommendations we can offer for sales and marketing teams who need a remote approach to connect with B2B, medtech and healthcare prospects.
4 ways to meet your lead generation goals
1. Find balance. Amid the uncertainty and disappointment, it’s easy to lose perspective. Coronavirus is the current concern, but there will always be setbacks and unplanned events that threaten to derail your B2B or medtech marketing plans. Right now, it’s important to stay positive. Where possible, diversify your marketing and sales efforts across several channels for a balanced approach. In the longer term, consider a disaster recovery strategy for marketing and sales, to have a “plan B” in place well before an issue occurs.
2. Revisit your objectives. If your event or trip is cancelled, get back on track by revisiting why were you were attending that healthcare tradeshow or traveling to that B2B customer in the first place. Typical goals include creating brand awareness, identifying new prospects, generating leads or growing customer relationships. Keep these goals top of mind as you prioritize substitute activities, budgets and resources.
3. Identify other tactics. With in-person out of the question, many event organizers and B2B marketers are turning to remote tactics: virtual events, webinars and video conferences. These “one-to-many” solutions are great options, but won’t solve every challenge. Outbound calling is another fantastic tactic that helps you deliver a personal touch to every potential healthcare buyer and B2B customer.
Consider asking event organizers for a copy of the registration list, then put together a targeted email and outbound calling campaign. You can invite contacts to your webinar, share your new product news, field one-on-on questions, gather market research data and even set up appointments for in-depth follow-ups by your sales force—all through a telephone call.
4. Outsource to professionals. Of course, a large-scale calling effort won’t happen overnight at most organizations. Even those with a dedicated inside sales team struggle to scale up for high-velocity calls.
That’s where an outbound contact center like Volkart May can help. Our trained conversationalists excel at navigating through gatekeepers and engaging busy B2B and medtech decision-makers; it’s a far cry from the rote script readers and robo-dialers of yesterday’s telemarketing. We pride ourselves on our transparency, professionalism and collaboration, earning the trust of many leading Fortune 500 brands.
Dispel uncertainty and solidify relationships
Too often, companies overlook the simple power of a phone call to engage decision-makers. At Volkart May, we’ve built a business on it. We believe there’s nothing stronger than the power of a one-to-one conversation, and nothing more valuable than a customer or prospect who feels valued. In this time of uncertainty, a proactive phone call goes a long way to solidify your relationship and brand.
Is a contact center right for your business? Connect with us to learn more, listen to calls and discuss your needs.
