Free! – Marketing Education for Medical Device Companies
Ted
in E-Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Management, Medical Device Marketing, Product Management
Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes
What will you be doing to increase your marketing acumen and ROI in 2014? Observing the marketing efforts of small and medium sized medical device companies; I continue to be amazed at how poor and misdirected the majority of these efforts are. One problem for these companies is that they may not be able to afford true marketing and product management talent. OK, if this is the problem, then why not task the person that has been put charge of marketing with looking for ways to gain some better marketing skills.
You can find great marketing skills information on the internet….for Free!! For example, there are websites that allow you to download pretty good ebooks on various marketing topics. At these same websites you may find webcasts that you can watch. And, you may find some good videos and podcasts on marketing topics.
I like to read, watch and listen to marketing advice related to business to consumer (B2C) and business to business (B2B). For example, today I watched a webinar on video marketing. It was an hour well spent. In the medical device world, the FDA and other regulatory bodies limit how we can promote many of our products. However, there is a lot of good advice and inspiration in the B2C and B2B marketing. Frequently, you can find a way to use their tactics within the limits of regulatory laws.
Below you will find the names and links to some of my favorite websites that provide a variety of marketing skills education and insight. Earlier I said this material is “Free”. Technically it is. However, most of these sights will ask you to register with your name, address and email information in order to be able to download the desired item. Well….for a free 30 page book on Email Marketing from Marketo I am more than willing to share my contact information. Yes, you will be put on their email list. For the companies below, I think it is worth it. Do I profit from my relationship with any of these companies? No.
Direct Marketing News webcasts – Managed by Haymarket Media, this site is a clearing house of news about direct marketing.
Marketo – A company that specializes in marketing automation software.
- Definitive guides http://www.marketo.com/definitive-guides/
- On demand webinars http://www.marketo.com/webinars/
- Blog http://blog.marketo.com
Medmarc – An insurance company that specializes in insuring life science companies. Here you will find several webinars and podcasts related to staying within regulatory guidelines.
- Webinars and podcasts http://www.medmarc.com/Life-Sciences-News-and-Resources/Webinars/Pages/Webinars.aspx
American Marketing Association – A great organization with free webcasts a couple times a month. Also, very good marketing seminars that you must pay for but are reasonable in price. It doesn’t cost a lot to join.
- Webcasts http://www.marketingpower.com/_layouts/Reference/Webcast.aspx
- Whitepapers http://www.marketingpower.com/_layouts/Reference/Whitepaper.aspx
- The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Marketers podcasts http://www.marketingpower.com/ResourceLibrary/Pages/the-seven-habits-of-highly-effective-marketers.aspx
American Management Association – Like the above association, the venerable AMA has a lot to offer in free webcasts. And, the AMA is not that expensive to join as a company. Membership gives you access to a greater selection of webcasts and business educational opportunities.
- Webcasts (free) and Webinars (paid) http://www.amanet.org/training/web-events.aspx?SelectedSolutionType=Web%20Events
Selling Power – Started out as a magazine years ago. Lots of resources. Blog posts written by experts. Whitepapers, webinars, newsletters, etc.
Do you have some favorite sources of marketing education? If so, share them with me and I will share them with all the readers. You will get credit.
Start spending some time each week in self-education. Or, delegate this to the person in charge of marketing at your company. Then, on a monthly basis, ask that person to give you a one page report on what they have learned that might apply to your company and products.
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