When assessing value, few things are more convincing than the word of an actual customer. And that’s especially true in healthcare. It doesn’t matter if you have the best brochures or the cleverest copy—physicians and other healthcare professionals will always pay attention to their peers over sales reps.
That’s why you need KOLs (key opinion leaders) to help you make personal and authentic connections with your target audience. Exhibitions provide the perfect opportunity to highlight KOLs, create multi-channel content, and ultimately extend your reach.
To maximize your results, you need to start with a strategy for developing compelling KOL content that will resonate with your audience and increase engagement. You’ll find plenty of fodder exploring educational topics, industry breakthroughs, and cutting-edge research. KOLs can also comment on case studies or share patient stories that support your product.
It’s important that your thought leaders talk about their personal experience with your company’s device or medication—and its impact on their practice and their patients. Steer the conversation towards the emotional benefits of your product, instead of just focusing on the functional advantages.
One of the best places to discover stories and create content for multiple channels is at a congress or exhibition. The big shows attract some of the industry’s most important players—including many of the KOLs your company should be courting. Leveraging your KOLs at exhibitions is a smart way to stretch your marketing dollars—even if you’re footing the bill for some of their speaking fees and travel expenses.
Here are some ideas on how to generate content at congresses that can be republished and repurposed on different platforms to drive traffic and boost engagement.
CAPTURE KOLS ON CAMERA
It’s hard to find an open seat when a top researcher or specialist is presenting at a symposium. Those lectures are popular for a reason—and can also attract audiences long after the exhibition ends.
Record videos of the sessions and post it on your website, or feature it as part of future webinars. You can also create smaller clips for social media. Think of creative ways for your KOLs to perform demonstrations or training videos so potential customers can see your product in action.
GET READY TO REPORT
Some of the most compelling and colorful content comes from interviewing KOLs. Their experience and insight on specific healthcare topics can be transformed into thought-provoking articles for the web or a whitepaper.
Be sure to do your research and provide questions to your KOLs a few weeks before the congress. And during your interview, seek out stories and ask questions that evoke emotion. The resulting comments typically make the most impact on your target audience.
CAN I QUOTE YOU?
Exhibitions are also a great place to collect testimonials. When a KOL stops by your booth, ask if the physician would be willing to say a few things about your product. You may also find some persuasive remarks during presentations and workshops. These quotes can be marketing gold for brochures, ads, and other collateral.
LET'S SHARE
Promoting content is huge part of the equation. Extend your reach by asking your KOLs to preview their symposium, or share your congress posts on social media. After the exhibition is over, encourage your experts to create links to the videos and articles on their clinic website. This allows you to make a more personal introduction to your target audience—and it’s faster than traditional marketing methods.
Planning your next exhibition? Make sure you include a KOL strategy. Not sure where to start? That’s where we come in. Tamooz can help you devise a comprehensive plan for building relationships with KOLs and developing content that will capture your customers’ attention. We’d like the opportunity to tell you more.
Visit us on Twitter or LinkedIn. Or—to get even better acquainted—give us a call at +1 612 234 1153 (US), +44 7 835 160 205 (UK), +972 3 681 8885 (IL), or info@tamooz.net.