When medical device manufacturers, diagnostic test makers, pharmacies, laboratories and other healthcare companies reach out to us, many are considering lead generation calling for the very first time. Especially during COVID-19, when the pandemic restricted face-to-face interactions and traditional marketing opportunities, we heard from a number of new medtech marketing and sales professionals.
All have the same question on their minds: Does outbound lead generation calling work?
Our answer, of course, is a resounding “Yes!”
A lead generation call center built for healthcare
After all, we’ve built a business connecting leading medtech brands with their customer bases in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare organizations. We speak healthcare fluently. Our professional callers know how to engage busy medtech buyers. We bring more than 30 years’ experience to the space.
But why, exactly, does outbound calling work so well in medtech and healthcare?
Let’s dig in and look at the top reasons. For even more information, tips and best practices, read our complete Medtech guide to healthcare lead generation or download our Medtech lead generation eBook.
Six reasons to try outbound calling with hospitals, clinics, labs or pharmacies
Whether it’s the experienced healthcare business development team at Volkart May making calls on behalf of your medtech brand, or your own inside sales force doing the dialing, lead generation makes a positive impact in the healthcare space. Here are a few reasons why.
1. Healthcare organizations always answer the phone
One of the first questions we heard from our clients when COVID-19 prompted a massive shift to working from home was “How will we reach our target audiences? We don’t have cell phone numbers—and no one answers their phones anyway.”
While those concerns proved unfounded, they were rarely an issue with our medtech projects. Reach rates remain strong with labs, pharmacies, hospitals and clinics. The very nature of healthcare means there’s always someone available to answer calls. While it may not be the primary decision-maker on the first outreach, that’s part of the value that sales prospecting and outbound calling delivers: navigating phone trees and gatekeepers to reach the ultimate buyer.
2. Nothing beats the power of human conversation
Medtech sales can be complicated. They’re rarely “one and done” in a single call or appointment. That means relationships matter. And when it comes to establishing a connection and building rapport, nothing tops the power of one-to-one conversation. A warm and professional call from a representative who understands healthcare can convey far more about your brand, your solution and your niche in the market than a series of online clicks.
3. Persistence pays off with busy healthcare buyers
Healthcare decision-makers—doctors in particular—can be notoriously hard to reach. It can take several attempts before you connect, and email or digital advertising alone rarely break through their day. Consistent outreach via phone gets results. It’s even more powerful when combined with a digital marketing campaign for an integrated effort.
4. It’s fast and easy to hone a medtech call campaign
Immediate, tangible marketing insights are one of the most important aspects of outbound calling for healthcare. Every call produces information, from updating your prospect list with accurate decision-maker names and titles, to securing opt-in email addresses, to understanding the buying cycles, budgets, current challenges and competitors of your target customers.
Best of all, it only takes a day or two of calling before you can see trends in the data. You can then act quickly to revise your message, add call volume or update your offer. The more data you collect and analyze, the easier it is to improve your results.
5. Every engagement adds value for your brand
Studies show it can take six or more connection points with a brand before your target audience starts to recognize and react to your messages. Outbound calling provides a much stronger touchpoint than other methods, helping to shorten your sales cycle with healthcare organizations.
6. Outbound calling delivers measurable results
The proof is in the metrics for medtech lead generation calling. Volkart May campaigns routinely produce 10:1 or greater ROI for our healthcare clients—even on their very first campaign. It’s a sound investment that improves brand awareness, identifies and nurtures prospects and keeps your sales pipeline filled. Check out these medtech client case studies for real-world examples of healthcare lead generation results.
Activate your healthcare market. We’d love to discuss your medtech lead generation opportunity. Contact us to schedule a conversation.
