Website Secrets Every Medical Device Maker Needs To Know

Website Secret’s
Every Device Maker Needs to Know
Secret’s Your Competitors Don’t Know

More patients and healthcare professionals than
ever are using the Internet to learn more about
emerging medical devices & equipment. Medical
device & equipment makers compete in very
aggressive segments of the medical industry and
must market effectively to be successful.

This document is a focused, six-page executive
brief about the elements of an effective website
presence in the medical device industry. You will
find it useful to use it as a checklist for the items
that every medical device or medical equipment
maker needs to have on an effective website.

THE DEVICE / EQUIPMENT  Video Testimonials
People are naturally cautious, especially when they are
presented with a new and innovative way of doing things. We all
1. Patient & Doctor Testimonials share a fear of making the wrong decision and as a result, we
Providing testimonials from satisfied patients and doctors look for reassurance.
that have used the device will establish credibility.
Testimonials from past and present patients and doctors will serve Who better to explain the benefits of your device than your best
as a list of references that others can check. It can also illustrate that customers? With video testimonials they talk directly to site
the device has been reliable in the past and is likely to be reliable in visitors, and because they are talking peer to peer; you reduce
the future. Make testimonials even more effective by using video, as the time involved to build trust.
outlined below.
 Downloadable Presentations
Allow site visitors and sales representatives to learn about your
device(s) on their own time, by provide a downloadable
2. Video & Animation presentation. With downloadable content they can spread the
To build a personal interaction between the device and
word about your device on their smart phone, tablet, or laptop
the sales representative, doctor, or patient, the trend is to
when and where it is convenient.
turn to video based content. Video is a much more efficient method
of conveying information than text-filled pages. Site visitors are
simply in a hurry and want content that is fast and easy. What
follows are a few examples of how video is currently being leveraged
within the medical device industry. 3. Case Studies
The case studies of your website should be used to
highlight the previous achievements of the company and
 Device Introduction its device(s). Case studies are used as a discussion
Provide people that are unfamiliar with the device a quick two- platform for solutions to specific problems that have been
minute walk through to get them familiar with the highpoints of encountered by doctors, and how your device solved them. There
the device in as short and barrier free way as possible. Think of should be a wide cross section of case studies from device
this in much the same way that you do an elevator pitch. implantation solutions, and alternative uses (if L&R will approve) to
ROI and patient stories.
 Device/Procedure Demonstrations
What better way to sell a doctor on the features of your device
than by demonstrating it’s use or how the device is implanted. A 4. Tools
reputable peer will provide the best results for device At Bucca we always recommend that our medical device
demonstrations. Often if a doctor is used, they tend to do word- clients create something different and innovative which will
of-mouth marketing for you as well, without even asking. become a traffic magnet for their site. This could be a
downloadable tool, a smart phone application or web application.
Tip: Make an extra copy for the doctor so they can show it to We’ve seen past success with reimbursement calculators, which
their friends, colleagues or even add it to their presentations. doctor, sales representatives, and hospitals find handy.

Copyright © 2000-2010 Bucca Inc. | contact@bucca.com | 877.811.5039

ABOUT 3. Employment Opportunities
Describe the types of job openings and internships that
are available at your company. Showing opportunities will

T he “About” section is one way that a web site can help answer
these questions. They are pages that provide assorted
background information about your device(s), and information about
demonstrate that the company is a growing business.
Larger device makers will often provide very advanced database
searches, describing positions, responsibilities, and geographic
the company and the people behind it. When people encounter a locations. Smaller companies do not need to be as sophisticated,
web site for the first time, they have 3 questions in mind: and they can often just list all of the open positions with a short
description and an email link to contact the hiring manager.

1. Who Are You?
2. What Do You Do? 4. Public Relations
The public relations page contains information published
3. Why Should I Trust You? by, as well as for, media outlets; such things as:

• Press releases about new products, partners, device
The “About” section should provide information tailored to customer milestones, changes in management…etc
demographics, interest, and needs. The list that follows identifies • Links to or excerpts from media coverage about a
these important aspects. device or the company
• Awards, FDA approvals & industry recognition
• A media kit that contains contact information for
interviews along with other helpful information for
anyone who is interested in writing about the company
1. A Solid Profile
or its device(s)
The profile describes who you are and what you do. It
might include a brief history of the company, an overview
of the device(s), and a mission statement that
communicates your up-front value proposition. Be sure to include 5. Investor Relations
staff profiles with a mini biography, making sure to mention their The investor relation’s page contains relevant financial
qualifications and expertise. This type of information is essential in literature about the company. Common items included
establishing credibility. here are annual reports, Securities and Exchange Commission
filings, analyst coverage, and positive media coverage.

2. Show Personality
People prefer to do business with those that they know. 6. Community Relations
Let site visitors know who you are by displaying images Show the softer side of the business by describing how
of your work place, past events, and corporate outings. you give back to the community, including past charitable
Show the fun side of your business so people will see the personality events, as well as what the company can provide for future events,
of your company. such as time, people, or money. It is also useful to explain how
people can contact the company to make a request.


3. Multiple Contact Methods
7. Frequently Asked Questions Some of the things that you must have are a physical
Some device makers collect questions that sales mailing address, phone numbers, fax numbers, and at
representatives and doctors often ask and create a least email addresses for management and/or departments. Adding
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), page that will answer them. task specific instructions will guide site visitors to the correct person
Having a central location for these questions will allow site visitors to for press inquires, business opportunities, or general information.
seek out answers to their questions, and if they can’t find the answer,
ask a question from the page, which can then be added to the FAQ.
4. Directions
Driving and/or walking directions are a very nice addition
to help site visitors find their way to your door. A stylish
design with a Google map is a great way to add a bit of functionality
CONTACT and style to your directions. Doctors, sales representatives, potential
employees, and the press will thank you for adding this handy little
aspect to the site.

T he purpose of the Contact page is to get your clients or
customers to talk to you or enquire more about your device(s),
and ultimately to generate businesses. A contact page may seem
insignificant but it's the primary mechanism for your visitors to get in
touch with you.
ALL PAGES

1. Physical Location
Having a physical address is more important than it may
I f you look carefully at the most successful sites on the web you’ll
see that there are certain elements that should be on nearly every
page of a website; elements that are used consistently among the
seem on the surface. It’s often difficult to tell if the most successful sites. With that in mind, here are a few of the more
company behind the site is a real company or a fly-by-night important elements that you should consider including in your site.
organization. Listing a street address will help to diffuse any fears.
By adding a photo of the exterior of the office you will also solidify, in
the minds of site visitors that you are a real company. 1. Brand Consistency
Site visitors often don’t land on the home page, and it
should be obvious what web site they are on, and how
2. Only What’s Necessary they can get to the main homepage. Traditionally the standard
Know the objective of the form, and what you need to find method to return to the homepage is to use the brand image or site
out from those looking to contact you. Make it easy for logo as a link. If your website does not follow this generally accepted
people to contact you with short forms. You can always follow up standard, site visitors will quickly become frustrated with your site. If
with a phone call or an email to get additional information. a page is printed or otherwise separated from the site it should be
obvious what web site it is from with the address and brand image
displayed prominently on the page.


2. Clear Navigation 6. Metrics
Part of having an effective site is having a site that is easy Once your site is up and running you'll want to keep
to navigate, ensuring that the links to the key areas of your your eye on traffic. Who's visiting your website? What
site are presented at the very top and bottom of the page. Even pages are the most popular? Where is the traffic coming
large sites like Amazon.com have a simple navigation structure that from? All of these questions and more can be answered by using a
is easy to navigate, so there is no excuse for having a site where good analytics program.
things are hard to find.

7. A Targeted Message
3. Disclaimers & Legal When working to secure funding from investors, training
Links to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use page are sales people or marketing to the end-user it is not
important when you are looking to adhere to legal and enough to communicate the technical design of or materials used to
regulatory conditions. Some web sites also list rules that make the device. Know your audience and craft the messaging to
outline the correct way to link to the site and provide pre-approved those that you are targeting…
images that others can use. You may also need disclaimers about
the content on the web site to stay compliant, so be sure to have
your legal and regulatory people approve page content.
 Investors must understand the long-term implications
and expected ROI of the medical devices you produce.
4. Continuous Improvement
Just as your product continues to improve, your marketing  Sales Reps. must be fully educated on the R&D
message and website need to move with it. A website is process behind the device(s), the competition in the
only as good as its last update, and frequently updated market environment, your reputation and corporate
pages rank higher in search engines, thus driving more traffic. If history, and the technical features of the device(s), as
your site hasn’t been updated for a while it will reflect badly on your well as the value propositions derived by those features.
brand, negatively affect your image in the eyes of site visitors and
lower search engine rankings. Don’t tolerate broken links, graphics,  The Buyer, whether it is a doctor, department head, or
or “coming soon” pages; they are damaging your brand image more hospital administrator, must be persuaded to choose
than you know. your device over competitive products and must be
convinced that this device will result in positive
outcomes and improved quality of life for patients.
5. Concise Copy
In the online world, less is nearly always more. Site
visitors are really only interested in a fraction of what’s on
the page, so write concise copy for the impatient reader.
Be careful not to use jargon, abbreviations, or terms of the trade. If
the page is full of words that site visitors don’t understand you will
alienate them very quickly.


OTHER TOOLS Electronic Newsletter
Newsletters are a great way to stay front-of-mind with

I n addition to those features that we’ve outlined in this document,
there are additional tools, which we believe to be essential to
competing effectively in today’s device marketplace. The following
doctors on a consistent basis. The key to success here is
designing a newsletter-styled email that will introduce readers to the
topic. This will then offer them the ability to click through to the article
are the top tools that we recommend. or content on your website, allowing them to read further into your
content and ultimately contact you for additional information.

Sales Communication Channel
Your representatives in the field need support through
planning, coaching, motivating and leadership from the
corporate office. To pull together remote sales teams,
communication is the key. Using an agent/ sale representative only,
CONCLUSION
password protected area; team members at the corporate office are
able to securely share business critical and time sensitive
information with reps. in the field in a cost effective manner. A s a device maker, your corporate website is one of the most
powerful potential sales and marketing tools at your disposal,
when in the hands of a professional. As you can see there are a
number of aspects to a successful web presence. The good news is
Lead Generation that all of this is readily achievable with some careful planning and
Apart from having a simple contact form, create a form execution with the correct web partner.
to request additional information as a means of lead
generation. On this form, you’ll be able to ask specific Ensure you find a web partner who understands the challenges
questions, which will allow you to tailor the reply to the prospective behind establishing a medical device website. In the end, your
client. For larger medical device companies, requests can even be medical device site needs be about a business centric approach
sent directly to the sales representative that deals with that territory focused on results, which is a lot more than just repurposed print
or specific device. material.

Corporate Blog
A blog can generate great word-of-mouth buzz on and
offline, higher search engine rankings, increased press Contact Us at Bucca.com for more information or to simply discuss
coverage and superior lead generation to name just a this document and how you can apply the principals that it outlines,
few of the benefits. Blogging works to build a corporate culture to your site. If you would like to know what we’ve done for some of
around openness and transparency. It can focus your business on our past clients read the case studies for Boston Scientific,
customer ideas and create a dialog with those that are passionate SalesSource or VTI Spine.
about your product line.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian Porter – brian@bucca.com
Director of Interactive Media at Bucca.com, an
interactive media agency headquartered in
Minneapolis, Minnesota specializing in solutions for
the medical device and equipment field. Brian is at
the forefront of digital solutions for the medical device industry
working with Fortune 500 businesses like Boston Scientific, General
Electric, and 3M as well as helping to grow medical device start-up
companies in emerging markets over his career.


Website Secrets Every Medical Device Maker Needs To Know

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Website Secrets Every Medical Device Maker Needs To Know