How To Gain The KOL’s Interest
Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes
Now let’s assume some of my ideas in the last blog post worked and you have some KOL candidates. How do you get them interested in working with you? Fortunately, you have ego, science and curiosity on your side. Medical professionals are scientists at heart. Furthermore, they have their patients’ best interest at heart. They use medical devices day in and day out…surgical instruments, surgical devices, therapeutic devices, implants and diagnostic devices. They have a natural affinity to gadgets! You just need to craft an approach to this prospective KOL that appeals to those elements of their personality.
In the previous blog post I suggested several ideas about contacting the prospective KOL. Most involved a referral or introduction from another person. This could have been a doctor friend of yours, a mutual industry friend or someone from the media. If this is how you found some KOL candidates, then it is critical that you use the referring person’s name in your outreach.
Outreach!
The fastest way is an email. You need to break through the clutter of other emails this successful doctor receives. Best subject line, “(name of referrer) suggested I contact you”. Then copy the referring person on the email. The KOL candidate will quickly see these two items and realize that this is not spam or a waste of time. The body of your email should get quickly to the point. Repeat the referral and then state your business.
Dear Superdoctor,
Mutual Friend suggested that I contact you. We have developed an interesting surgical instrument that will reduce trauma to vascular tissues and reduce surgery time by 20%. I am looking for one or two Key Opinion Leaders like yourself to evaluate this technology and assuming they see the same benefits, to help me educate other surgeons.
Would you be willing to sit down with me for 15 minutes to review the technology and give me your first impressions? If you like what you see, then we can talk about next steps.
Best regards, In Ventor
Phone call? Yes, you can go straight to the phone. In this case, you will have to get by his receptionist and/or office administrator. Again, use the referring individuals name. “Hello, my name is In Ventor. I am the CEO of XYZ Instruments. One of Superdoctor’s friends, Mutual Friend, suggested I contact Superdoctor about questions on instrument design. What is the best way to reach Superdoctor?” It is very likely that you will be leaving a message. They may forward you to the doctor’s voice mail. So, you better have a short pitch to leave as a message. You could use the text in the above email a script. If the receptionist or administrator takes the message, be sure that they write down the fact that Mutual Friend directed you to contact Superdoctor. Then leave your phone number.
Whether you reach out be mail, email or phone, you should succeed in gaining appointments with one or two of these KOL candidates.
Before going to that appointment, you need to think about what you want from the KOL relationship. That will be the subject of the next blog post in this series on Key Opinion Leaders.
Comments? Questions? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or question.
