Here's a technique I've used to get free coverage by ABC and now the calls are coming in consistently for other networks and syndicated shows. It works for the direct marketing medical devices, direct consumer medical marketing and the direct to consumer medical device marketing.
Stop living inside the medical device box of spending a fortune at medical shows and start becoming an innovative direct marketer. You'll spend far less and have more fun.
Here's the story that's getting shared on Twitter.
http://bradrichdalebusiness.blogspot.com/2014/12/news-for-facebook-cbs-nbc-fox-or-abc.html
written by Brad Richdale Author
Direct Marketing Medical Devices by "Brad Richdale" ®
Showing posts with label Direct to consumer medical device marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Direct to consumer medical device marketing. Show all posts
Friday, December 26, 2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Master the 80/20 Rule and You Will Master The Medical Device, Direct To Consumer Medical Marketing And Direct To Consumer Drug Marketing by "Brad Richdale"
The great thing about getting older is you begin to see trends that are true and consistent no matter what the economy or what's going on in Geo-politics.
One thing that has always held true in my life is the 80/20 rule.
Here's my friend and direct marketer extraordinaire, Perry Marshall in a five minute talk about the 80/20 rule.
Whether you are direct to consumer drug marketing, direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, selling direct drugs direct to consumer, direct to consumer medical device marketing, or running, Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), Lilly (LLY:NYSE) or ABBVIE (NYSE:ABBV), Abbott (NYSE:ABT) or Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) you need to always be cognizant that the greatest enemy a CEO and leadership faces is being bogged down in the mud on stuff you need to do delegate. The very definition of the 80/20 rule.
When you delegate remember that people can lie about the numbers but the numbers never lie. To get what you expect, inspect...always!
Get your marketing department to subscribe to www.perrymarhshall.com you will learn more about the details of marketing successfully on Google NASDAQ:GOOG), Google Display Network and FACEBOOK (NASDAQ: FB) and on line.
written by Brad Richdale Author
copyright 2014 All Rights Reserved
This story is also transcribed at www.amazon.co.uk/Brad-Richdale/e/B00JGCDFM8
One thing that has always held true in my life is the 80/20 rule.
Here's my friend and direct marketer extraordinaire, Perry Marshall in a five minute talk about the 80/20 rule.
Whether you are direct to consumer drug marketing, direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, selling direct drugs direct to consumer, direct to consumer medical device marketing, or running, Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), Lilly (LLY:NYSE) or ABBVIE (NYSE:ABBV), Abbott (NYSE:ABT) or Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) you need to always be cognizant that the greatest enemy a CEO and leadership faces is being bogged down in the mud on stuff you need to do delegate. The very definition of the 80/20 rule.
When you delegate remember that people can lie about the numbers but the numbers never lie. To get what you expect, inspect...always!
Get your marketing department to subscribe to www.perrymarhshall.com you will learn more about the details of marketing successfully on Google NASDAQ:GOOG), Google Display Network and FACEBOOK (NASDAQ: FB) and on line.
written by Brad Richdale Author
copyright 2014 All Rights Reserved
This story is also transcribed at www.amazon.co.uk/Brad-Richdale/e/B00JGCDFM8
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Here's a Great Model For a Direct Response Sales Letter For Direct To Consumer Medical Marketing
If you are looking for a great direct response sales letter simply go to www.successwithsanity.com.
This letter describes and proves the problem, the solution and also makes a juicy, better than risk free offer to the reader with great urgency.
It's a great model for a direct response sales letter from my friend Joe Polish. It can be used in the business of direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
written by Brad Richdale Author
This letter describes and proves the problem, the solution and also makes a juicy, better than risk free offer to the reader with great urgency.
It's a great model for a direct response sales letter from my friend Joe Polish. It can be used in the business of direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
written by Brad Richdale Author
Saturday, January 5, 2013
How To Increase Axiron's (NYSE:LLY, Lilly) Response Rate
The topic of my adventure with trying to become an Axiron customer has received an overwhelming amount of response from those that follow me in direct response, and direct sales along with professionals in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.
Their DTC (direct to consumer) campaign has been an interesting case study.
The first thing Axiron (Lilly: LLY:NYSE) can do to boost response is test copy and headlines or in the case of TV their opening statement. They could increase their ad response rate by 100 to 500% just by testing this element. The great thing about direct response is testing gives you scientific results that irrefutable.
You can only test one thing at a time but with the advent of the Internet you can test several elements of a campaign in a couple of days and use that empirical evidence to increase your campaign's efficiency in other mediums.
The other element of the campaign that is missing is a unique selling proposition (USP). Andro Gel (Abbott: ABT:NYSE) has a new USP which is you can use less gel and get the same results.
Axiron tries to pass off a feature rather than a benefit as its USP with their underarm application. By the way, the book, Reality in Advertising by Rosser Reeves, the man who invented the term unique selling proposition (USP) is a great book and worth reading.
However you can have the greatest headline or unique selling proposition (USP) ever and if you don't close the TV ad or Internet, print and radio ads correctly your increased efficiency vanishes.
Allow me to explain...in the current Axiron ad there are two ways to find out more--one, you can call a vanity 800 number to get more information or go to the Axiron website. Here's what's tragic about the Axiron CTA (call to action), the tag screen with their vanity 800 number is up for three seconds and what's worse is the 800 phone number is the same phone number for all TV ads running so knowing what media works and what media doesn't is impossible.
When you give consumers two ways to respond they delay their decision to act now. If you give them one ordering option, an 800 number to call to get their FREE 30 day supply they will call that number provided it's up for at least 15 seconds and mentioned at least two times, better still is three times which is the standard for direct response radio. Doing this would at a minimum triple response rates.
Some folks may search for the website and not call the 800 number but the value of TV is that respondents who act right away are impulsive and are easier sales than those that spend a lot of time on the website. This is the same for direct to consumer medical marketing, direct to consumer pharmaceutical marketing, direct to consumer medical device marketing and direct marketing medical devices advertising campaigns.
Despite all these tweaks that would definitely increase efficiency and response the campaign will probably succeed simply because of the FREE offer. I still stand by my statement that I could triple their efficiency in this campaign.
written by Brad Richdale Author
This story also appears at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/18/photetica-directors-idUSnPn3BWnyh+98+PRN20150218
Their DTC (direct to consumer) campaign has been an interesting case study.
The first thing Axiron (Lilly: LLY:NYSE) can do to boost response is test copy and headlines or in the case of TV their opening statement. They could increase their ad response rate by 100 to 500% just by testing this element. The great thing about direct response is testing gives you scientific results that irrefutable.
You can only test one thing at a time but with the advent of the Internet you can test several elements of a campaign in a couple of days and use that empirical evidence to increase your campaign's efficiency in other mediums.
The other element of the campaign that is missing is a unique selling proposition (USP). Andro Gel (Abbott: ABT:NYSE) has a new USP which is you can use less gel and get the same results.
Axiron tries to pass off a feature rather than a benefit as its USP with their underarm application. By the way, the book, Reality in Advertising by Rosser Reeves, the man who invented the term unique selling proposition (USP) is a great book and worth reading.
However you can have the greatest headline or unique selling proposition (USP) ever and if you don't close the TV ad or Internet, print and radio ads correctly your increased efficiency vanishes.
Allow me to explain...in the current Axiron ad there are two ways to find out more--one, you can call a vanity 800 number to get more information or go to the Axiron website. Here's what's tragic about the Axiron CTA (call to action), the tag screen with their vanity 800 number is up for three seconds and what's worse is the 800 phone number is the same phone number for all TV ads running so knowing what media works and what media doesn't is impossible.
When you give consumers two ways to respond they delay their decision to act now. If you give them one ordering option, an 800 number to call to get their FREE 30 day supply they will call that number provided it's up for at least 15 seconds and mentioned at least two times, better still is three times which is the standard for direct response radio. Doing this would at a minimum triple response rates.
Some folks may search for the website and not call the 800 number but the value of TV is that respondents who act right away are impulsive and are easier sales than those that spend a lot of time on the website. This is the same for direct to consumer medical marketing, direct to consumer pharmaceutical marketing, direct to consumer medical device marketing and direct marketing medical devices advertising campaigns.
Despite all these tweaks that would definitely increase efficiency and response the campaign will probably succeed simply because of the FREE offer. I still stand by my statement that I could triple their efficiency in this campaign.
written by Brad Richdale Author
This story also appears at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/18/photetica-directors-idUSnPn3BWnyh+98+PRN20150218
Friday, January 4, 2013
Comparing the NYSE:LLY, Cialas TV Ad vs. The Axiron TV Ad-FEATURES VERSUS BENEFITS
The Cialis TV (Lilly) ads do a great job of describing the problem that men have as they age with their peripheral nervous system and then they position their product uniquely as the ONLY logical solution to the problem. Their unique selling proposition is "lasts 36 hours so you're ready when you need to be" (rather than 8 hours like Viagra). This a benefit, not a feature.
The Axiron ad tries to position itself differently with a feature, "apply to your underarm."
Unlike the Cialis TV ad the Axiron ad doesn't focus on a benefit it focuses on a feature--features are far less compelling than benefits. So what if you can apply Axiron to your underarm? Will that get a prospect to switch from another competitive brand? Do you have a benefit that Andro Gel doesn't have?
Are you selling benefits or features? Features are nice but benefits close sales--they move people emotionally. Emotion causes sales, and logic reinforces emotional decisions.
Think about new benefits that could expand your medical device marketing and possibly a DeNovo claim.
Ask your customers if they have noticed any other benefits other than what was intended and claimed.
In my company's case we found out by accident what we could do in treating CIPN (chemotherapy induced peripheral neurotherapy), PN and diabetic PN. There's no one that can do what we can in this arena and it's a huge market starving for a solution.
We already knew what we could do for the Longevity market but Longevity is a preventive sale; being the only company with a patented treatment for a condition that 35% of all chemotherapy patients and 50% of diabetic patients suffer from is a much easier market to sell to because we are solving a problem rather than preventing one. This is critically important in direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, marketing drugs to consumers and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
Who knows maybe you can find a benefit like Pfizer did for Viagra. I'll bet those scientists at Pfizer were laughing pretty hard when they found out a new benefit accidentally.
To be a Pfizer salesman with Viagra samples must have been fun.
If you ever have questions about direct marketing, DRTV, FACEBOOK CONNECT, Direct Mail or Google Display Network interact with me on Twitter and at https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=8V_hKizQNP48NQ0g9M7_MA
written by Brad Richdale Author
copyright 2013 all rights reserved
The Axiron ad tries to position itself differently with a feature, "apply to your underarm."
Unlike the Cialis TV ad the Axiron ad doesn't focus on a benefit it focuses on a feature--features are far less compelling than benefits. So what if you can apply Axiron to your underarm? Will that get a prospect to switch from another competitive brand? Do you have a benefit that Andro Gel doesn't have?
Are you selling benefits or features? Features are nice but benefits close sales--they move people emotionally. Emotion causes sales, and logic reinforces emotional decisions.
Think about new benefits that could expand your medical device marketing and possibly a DeNovo claim.
Ask your customers if they have noticed any other benefits other than what was intended and claimed.
In my company's case we found out by accident what we could do in treating CIPN (chemotherapy induced peripheral neurotherapy), PN and diabetic PN. There's no one that can do what we can in this arena and it's a huge market starving for a solution.
We already knew what we could do for the Longevity market but Longevity is a preventive sale; being the only company with a patented treatment for a condition that 35% of all chemotherapy patients and 50% of diabetic patients suffer from is a much easier market to sell to because we are solving a problem rather than preventing one. This is critically important in direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, marketing drugs to consumers and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
Who knows maybe you can find a benefit like Pfizer did for Viagra. I'll bet those scientists at Pfizer were laughing pretty hard when they found out a new benefit accidentally.
To be a Pfizer salesman with Viagra samples must have been fun.
If you ever have questions about direct marketing, DRTV, FACEBOOK CONNECT, Direct Mail or Google Display Network interact with me on Twitter and at https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=8V_hKizQNP48NQ0g9M7_MA
written by Brad Richdale Author
copyright 2013 all rights reserved
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
A Simple Tip To Increase Profitability On The Axiron, Eli Lilly Product Launch
A very successful business man once said, "I know that 50% of my advertising is successful I just don't know what 50%."
Axiron is a great product launch in many respects but aside from a lack of urgency to their offer they are offering a web address for viewers to go to rather than an 800 number to call for FREE information. I'd take the web address out of their TV ad and then put up unique 800 numbers for each TV station where they air the ad for ad tracking and the exact determination of profitability for each airing of the TV ad.
A web address is easy to put off going to because you remember the web address thus delaying the need to act now. People have good intentions but they get busy and put things off if they aren't put in a position to act urgently.
Axiron addresses an urgent problem that men with low testosterone want to solve. When Men with Low T hear the ads for this condition their ears pick up and they pay attention. Axiron really crushes other product launches with their FREE 30 day offer. Once you try this product your life changes.
Where they ( Ely Lilly, www.lilly.com) drop the ball is by not tracking the results of the TV ads they buy. There's no dedicated 800 number to each station they air their TV ads on.
If they started dedicating an exclusive 800 number to each TV station where they run their TV ads they'd know which 50% of their ad campaign is working and which TV ads aren't giving them at least a 6:1 gross sales to cost return on their ad dollars. They could run their business mathematically with far greater efficiency.
As it stands Axiron and Lilly are paying retail for their TV commercials so the chance the TV ads are paying out at 6:1 or higher ratio is ZERO. They have no ad tracking to see if their sales are at least a 6:1 multiple (gross sales versus ad cost ratio) and they won't really know their TV ads cost efficiency relative to sales for months.
Simply stated they are over paying for TV ads without measuring each stations cost efficiency relative to actual sales.
It would be easy for me to double ad effectiveness on this campaign and double profitability just with this change.
You need to track every ad cost, direct mail cost, and Internet cost in order to be effective in the direct to consumer medical device marketing, direct to consumer medical marketing and direct marketing medical devices.
written by Brad Richdale
copyright 2013
This story is discussed in detail at www.amazon.co.uk/Brad-Richdale/e/B00JGCDFM8 and responsive discussion and news at http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Self-Made+Multi-Millionaire,+Direct+Marketing+Expert+Brad+Richdale...-a019582605
Axiron is a great product launch in many respects but aside from a lack of urgency to their offer they are offering a web address for viewers to go to rather than an 800 number to call for FREE information. I'd take the web address out of their TV ad and then put up unique 800 numbers for each TV station where they air the ad for ad tracking and the exact determination of profitability for each airing of the TV ad.
A web address is easy to put off going to because you remember the web address thus delaying the need to act now. People have good intentions but they get busy and put things off if they aren't put in a position to act urgently.
Axiron addresses an urgent problem that men with low testosterone want to solve. When Men with Low T hear the ads for this condition their ears pick up and they pay attention. Axiron really crushes other product launches with their FREE 30 day offer. Once you try this product your life changes.
Where they ( Ely Lilly, www.lilly.com) drop the ball is by not tracking the results of the TV ads they buy. There's no dedicated 800 number to each station they air their TV ads on.
If they started dedicating an exclusive 800 number to each TV station where they run their TV ads they'd know which 50% of their ad campaign is working and which TV ads aren't giving them at least a 6:1 gross sales to cost return on their ad dollars. They could run their business mathematically with far greater efficiency.
As it stands Axiron and Lilly are paying retail for their TV commercials so the chance the TV ads are paying out at 6:1 or higher ratio is ZERO. They have no ad tracking to see if their sales are at least a 6:1 multiple (gross sales versus ad cost ratio) and they won't really know their TV ads cost efficiency relative to sales for months.
Simply stated they are over paying for TV ads without measuring each stations cost efficiency relative to actual sales.
It would be easy for me to double ad effectiveness on this campaign and double profitability just with this change.
You need to track every ad cost, direct mail cost, and Internet cost in order to be effective in the direct to consumer medical device marketing, direct to consumer medical marketing and direct marketing medical devices.
written by Brad Richdale
copyright 2013
This story is discussed in detail at www.amazon.co.uk/Brad-Richdale/e/B00JGCDFM8 and responsive discussion and news at http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Self-Made+Multi-Millionaire,+Direct+Marketing+Expert+Brad+Richdale...-a019582605
Monday, December 31, 2012
The Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) Axiron Dropped Ball Story--Part Two
I've consulted to some Fortune 100 companies during my career so nothing shocks me at a big company.
Most employees are trying to keep from getting fired rather than doing something extraordinary that will advance the company they work for. I get it.
I recently wrote about how screwed up Lilly's process of selling their new testosterone gel Axiron was and today I have more bizarre activity to share with you.
Eli Lilly's lack of execution is a great lesson in what not to do in direct marketing, direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
Let's go over what Lilly is doing and aside from a great lesson in direct marketing you will probably laugh your ass off unless you are the person running this campaign.
Grey Group, their ad agency, has won a lot of awards for ads. The 60 second ad they shot for Axiron probably cost $300,000-$500,000 to produce. I could have done it for $75,000; for $300,000 to $500,000--I would have shot four to seven ads and tested the ads to see which one worked the best in actual responses.
Lilly is a big company and Grey Group is a big agency so spending a lot of money is expected--it's part of the territory. In all fairness the shots and the script are pretty good--on a scale of 1 to 10, I give the producer a 10 for production quality, and a 7 for copy writing. The copy writing is nice but the big penalty that causes HUGE points off is that there is no urgency to act now! There's no mention that this ad will discontinue without notice, or that this is for just two weeks, etc. Very basic DR stuff that can be done tastefully but make folks get off their rear ends and order.
The copy writing could also be more compelling but their copy writer probably doesn't need the product nor spoke to fifty people who do. When you hear people's problems before you write copy you become incredibly passionate and the copy just pours out of you.
The FREE 30 day trial offer of Axiron is huge and obviously that's Lilly's incredible asset here but pay attention because you will see how the brilliance of the FREE offer (it's easy to get hooked on this product) is dissipated by their (Lilly's) lack of follow through.
Lilly has outsourced their inbound telemarketing. I understand this and in many cases it makes a lot of sense. However when you are trying to compete with Andro Gel it would be wise to take and monitor the inbound calls yourself. If you're really smart and you are running the campaign internally you should take one hundred calls yourself, or if you are outsourcing go to the outsourced company and grab a seat and brown bag it. You'll learn so much from the experience of taking the calls from consumers that will translate into more sales and much stronger ads with awesome testimonials in all mediums.
So they initiate the FREE trial and the consumer gets hooked, now what? The answer is the consumer has to figure out what to do next. Let's take my case...my Doctor is kind of hot but she's younger than the fictional Doogie Howser, MD and busier than Neil Patrick Harris so she didn't explain to me that if I like the FREE trial how to get the prescription for a refill for $25 rather than over $300. I had to figure it out. In all fairness I didn't expect her to guide me through the co-pay approval process. I expected the drug maker, they failed in this regard.
My pharmacy was a little bit more helpful on the subject of insurance approval, then after four calls to my Doctor's office a young lady finally explained to me how I can get my insurance to approve it for co pay status. Again it's easy to get hooked on this stuff that's why the dropped balls and the difficulty to get more of Axiron is so tragic. At 55 I actually feel like I'm 45 when I'm working out and that's huge. I'm also sleeping better. I know the side effects and am careful but the upside is the difference between night and day.
Now here's the part where Lilly has really screwed up, again it's tragic but laughable.
Lilly has a FREE $25 co-pay card. Awesome, isn't it? I make the call and wait for a couple of weeks thinking that because of Christmas they either didn't send it or it takes more than two weeks for the card to go 800 miles to my address. I just called back and guess what? The morons in charge of mailing the $25 co-pay cards haven't printed any new cards up and it will be a few weeks before they are ready! Are you KIDDING ME?
Axiron (Lilly) is running media everywhere for this product.
I'm sure persistent lifetime prospects (like me) are getting insurance approval for their co-pay for Axiron and are really bummed Lilly didn't have enough sense to print the cards up and close the sale? Come on are the people in charge of the co-pay cards in rehab after the Christmas party? Here's what's worse they can't even give you a date when the card will be sent to you. This means that thousands of great long term customers who have been asking for the card like me are left hanging. How many will try Andro Gel instead?
I asked the inbound operator if they were getting a lot of customer service calls like mine. She said, "oh yes, but there's nothing she can do." She's right.
What's the lesson here? Make sure that you flow chart a campaign and button everything down. Never trust someone to tell you how it's going.
Take your prospects by the hand through every step of the customer acquisition process, build rapport with them (and sell them some Cialis or other drugs while you're at it).
Go in and check every aspect of your campaign and buy from yourself just like a regular prospect to see if the campaign works the way you intend it to.
Employees almost always lie when they drop the ball and if you don't try to buy from yourself you will never know if the ball is being dropped.
Moreover Lilly could help the consumer understand the step by step process of getting their co-pay approved. This could be done with direct mail as a follow up to their redemption of their FREE 30 day Axiron trial offer. They could even include the co-pay card with your name printed on it
Funny, but tragic especially with an awesome product like Axiron.
I wonder if Andro Gel has their co-pay cards printed up? I'll call them and get back to you.
written by Brad Richdale Author
copyright 2012 all rights reserved
Most employees are trying to keep from getting fired rather than doing something extraordinary that will advance the company they work for. I get it.
I recently wrote about how screwed up Lilly's process of selling their new testosterone gel Axiron was and today I have more bizarre activity to share with you.
Eli Lilly's lack of execution is a great lesson in what not to do in direct marketing, direct marketing medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
Let's go over what Lilly is doing and aside from a great lesson in direct marketing you will probably laugh your ass off unless you are the person running this campaign.
Grey Group, their ad agency, has won a lot of awards for ads. The 60 second ad they shot for Axiron probably cost $300,000-$500,000 to produce. I could have done it for $75,000; for $300,000 to $500,000--I would have shot four to seven ads and tested the ads to see which one worked the best in actual responses.
Lilly is a big company and Grey Group is a big agency so spending a lot of money is expected--it's part of the territory. In all fairness the shots and the script are pretty good--on a scale of 1 to 10, I give the producer a 10 for production quality, and a 7 for copy writing. The copy writing is nice but the big penalty that causes HUGE points off is that there is no urgency to act now! There's no mention that this ad will discontinue without notice, or that this is for just two weeks, etc. Very basic DR stuff that can be done tastefully but make folks get off their rear ends and order.
The copy writing could also be more compelling but their copy writer probably doesn't need the product nor spoke to fifty people who do. When you hear people's problems before you write copy you become incredibly passionate and the copy just pours out of you.
The FREE 30 day trial offer of Axiron is huge and obviously that's Lilly's incredible asset here but pay attention because you will see how the brilliance of the FREE offer (it's easy to get hooked on this product) is dissipated by their (Lilly's) lack of follow through.
Lilly has outsourced their inbound telemarketing. I understand this and in many cases it makes a lot of sense. However when you are trying to compete with Andro Gel it would be wise to take and monitor the inbound calls yourself. If you're really smart and you are running the campaign internally you should take one hundred calls yourself, or if you are outsourcing go to the outsourced company and grab a seat and brown bag it. You'll learn so much from the experience of taking the calls from consumers that will translate into more sales and much stronger ads with awesome testimonials in all mediums.
So they initiate the FREE trial and the consumer gets hooked, now what? The answer is the consumer has to figure out what to do next. Let's take my case...my Doctor is kind of hot but she's younger than the fictional Doogie Howser, MD and busier than Neil Patrick Harris so she didn't explain to me that if I like the FREE trial how to get the prescription for a refill for $25 rather than over $300. I had to figure it out. In all fairness I didn't expect her to guide me through the co-pay approval process. I expected the drug maker, they failed in this regard.
My pharmacy was a little bit more helpful on the subject of insurance approval, then after four calls to my Doctor's office a young lady finally explained to me how I can get my insurance to approve it for co pay status. Again it's easy to get hooked on this stuff that's why the dropped balls and the difficulty to get more of Axiron is so tragic. At 55 I actually feel like I'm 45 when I'm working out and that's huge. I'm also sleeping better. I know the side effects and am careful but the upside is the difference between night and day.
Now here's the part where Lilly has really screwed up, again it's tragic but laughable.
Lilly has a FREE $25 co-pay card. Awesome, isn't it? I make the call and wait for a couple of weeks thinking that because of Christmas they either didn't send it or it takes more than two weeks for the card to go 800 miles to my address. I just called back and guess what? The morons in charge of mailing the $25 co-pay cards haven't printed any new cards up and it will be a few weeks before they are ready! Are you KIDDING ME?
Axiron (Lilly) is running media everywhere for this product.
I'm sure persistent lifetime prospects (like me) are getting insurance approval for their co-pay for Axiron and are really bummed Lilly didn't have enough sense to print the cards up and close the sale? Come on are the people in charge of the co-pay cards in rehab after the Christmas party? Here's what's worse they can't even give you a date when the card will be sent to you. This means that thousands of great long term customers who have been asking for the card like me are left hanging. How many will try Andro Gel instead?
I asked the inbound operator if they were getting a lot of customer service calls like mine. She said, "oh yes, but there's nothing she can do." She's right.
What's the lesson here? Make sure that you flow chart a campaign and button everything down. Never trust someone to tell you how it's going.
Take your prospects by the hand through every step of the customer acquisition process, build rapport with them (and sell them some Cialis or other drugs while you're at it).
Go in and check every aspect of your campaign and buy from yourself just like a regular prospect to see if the campaign works the way you intend it to.
Employees almost always lie when they drop the ball and if you don't try to buy from yourself you will never know if the ball is being dropped.
Moreover Lilly could help the consumer understand the step by step process of getting their co-pay approved. This could be done with direct mail as a follow up to their redemption of their FREE 30 day Axiron trial offer. They could even include the co-pay card with your name printed on it
Funny, but tragic especially with an awesome product like Axiron.
I wonder if Andro Gel has their co-pay cards printed up? I'll call them and get back to you.
written by Brad Richdale Author
copyright 2012 all rights reserved
Thursday, December 20, 2012
How NYSE: LLY Lillly (Axiron) Really Dropped The Ball And What You Can Learn From It
The most powerful four letter word in the English language is the word "FREE" in the direct marketing of medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
Axiron, a testosterone boosting gel manufactured by Eli Lilly, has been offering a FREE 30 day trial of their product (which I recently took advantage of). I loved the product had great results and wanted to get another prescription.
When I originally opted in to get the FREE 30 day trial I gave Lilly all the information they needed to begin a relationship with me. Here's where this story gets interesting and is worthy of your attention...
THEY HAD ALL MY INFORMATION AND NEVER CONTACTED ME!!!
Did you hear me? They never called, never emailed me, never sent me snail mail, NEVER!
When I found out that the product was $300 a month I searched on line to call Lilly direct and ask how to get my insurance company to co pay and they didn't know how to go about it. They did say they'd send me a co pay card which was nice. To their credit their inbound telemarketing wasn't bad, (it wasn't great either). I'd give them a five, on a scale of one to ten. My products have received over four million inbound calls in the U.S. alone so I know a little about inbound calls and the manner in which they should be handled.
Of course it was absolutely inept that they didn't send me a co pay card and welcome letter when the pharmacist went on line to validate the free trial voucher; they could have also sent a catalog of products they make and even coupons (they do make Cialis, pretty synergistic with Axiron, isn't it). A multi-billion dollar company and the marketing manager is asleep at the wheel.
I'd guarantee Lilly a 300 percent increase in conversion from the FREE TRIAL to long term customer within 180 days if I were handling the marketing of this product. They are doing some things right in this campaign but of course so are the New York Jets and Lilly is in their category when it comes to the optimal marketing of Axiron.
This is today's lesson: if you get a trial usage relationship initiated or make a sale you are myopic if you don't try to begin an on going relationship.
Of course, I have also had a couple of medical devices prescribed and I never heard from either company EVER!
I preach this but it can't be said enough, the easiest prospect to pitch is the one that you have already sold.
What other products can you sell to your prospects or customers in the direct marketing of medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, and direct to consumer medical device marketing that could be synergistic with their inquiry or purchases?
Can you upsell your customers to a newer, more improved version of your product?
Remember this you won't know which products or services will be enthusiastically received until you test your prospect or customers list. So start testing!
Consider building a relationship with your prospects and customers that puts you in a favorable light and have a great holiday season.
Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/BradRichdale
written by Brad Richdale
copyright 2012 all rights reserved
Axiron, a testosterone boosting gel manufactured by Eli Lilly, has been offering a FREE 30 day trial of their product (which I recently took advantage of). I loved the product had great results and wanted to get another prescription.
When I originally opted in to get the FREE 30 day trial I gave Lilly all the information they needed to begin a relationship with me. Here's where this story gets interesting and is worthy of your attention...
THEY HAD ALL MY INFORMATION AND NEVER CONTACTED ME!!!
Did you hear me? They never called, never emailed me, never sent me snail mail, NEVER!
When I found out that the product was $300 a month I searched on line to call Lilly direct and ask how to get my insurance company to co pay and they didn't know how to go about it. They did say they'd send me a co pay card which was nice. To their credit their inbound telemarketing wasn't bad, (it wasn't great either). I'd give them a five, on a scale of one to ten. My products have received over four million inbound calls in the U.S. alone so I know a little about inbound calls and the manner in which they should be handled.
Of course it was absolutely inept that they didn't send me a co pay card and welcome letter when the pharmacist went on line to validate the free trial voucher; they could have also sent a catalog of products they make and even coupons (they do make Cialis, pretty synergistic with Axiron, isn't it). A multi-billion dollar company and the marketing manager is asleep at the wheel.
I'd guarantee Lilly a 300 percent increase in conversion from the FREE TRIAL to long term customer within 180 days if I were handling the marketing of this product. They are doing some things right in this campaign but of course so are the New York Jets and Lilly is in their category when it comes to the optimal marketing of Axiron.
This is today's lesson: if you get a trial usage relationship initiated or make a sale you are myopic if you don't try to begin an on going relationship.
Of course, I have also had a couple of medical devices prescribed and I never heard from either company EVER!
I preach this but it can't be said enough, the easiest prospect to pitch is the one that you have already sold.
What other products can you sell to your prospects or customers in the direct marketing of medical devices, direct to consumer medical marketing, and direct to consumer medical device marketing that could be synergistic with their inquiry or purchases?
Can you upsell your customers to a newer, more improved version of your product?
Remember this you won't know which products or services will be enthusiastically received until you test your prospect or customers list. So start testing!
Consider building a relationship with your prospects and customers that puts you in a favorable light and have a great holiday season.
Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/BradRichdale
written by Brad Richdale
copyright 2012 all rights reserved
Sunday, November 4, 2012
What I Learned From Calling "Medical Device Direct Marketing Experts"
I'm a believer that you survey a battlefield before you begin a battle. In keeping with that core business belief I responded to several "direct marketing experts in the medical field" for their expert help. I only found one person who was actually willing to set up a phone appointment and made an effort to respond to my direct response inquiry quickly, professionally and with enthusiasm, that person is Joe Hage, here's the link to his website: www.medicalmarcom.com .
I had one company respond by email after I also left my email and phone number in my lead inquiry for their services. One email from only one out of three companies (other than Joe), no phone calls, and obviously no excitement.
If someone doesn't respond enthusiastically in the buying process what do you think will happen when you hire them?
People buy from people that are excited, exciting, and/or excitable, these are the THREE E's OF SUCCESS. People buy on emotion and reinforce their decisions with logic. If you lose excitement your closing rate will plummet.
The problem with American businesses isn't the allegation of too much regulation and indecision in the oval office but rather from the fact that most people want to send emails and never pick up the phone. What happened to salesmanship? The answer is simple the younger people today have been brainwashed into believing text messaging and emails make sales. They don't; they just breed mediocrity and this misguided sickness young people suffer from has expanded to the general population when it comes to business. It's asinine. Now more than ever you need to pick up the phone. I'm overloaded with emails I like hearing the voice of another human being as they state their case and make their pitch.
The only way to influence Washington is to spend $25-50 million in lobbying. Short of that you are on your own so you better start going back to the basics, excitement, phone calls, face to face relationships and above all else sell what people want to buy!!!
Do you know why Joe Hage has succeeded? It's simple, he stays excited about what he does and is happy to share it.
He has opened up one door in regulatory consulting, which has opened up another door for valuation and financial consulting--we now want to work with both companies. I haven't sent him (Joe) a dime. What do you think the chances are that our company, Photetica, www.photetica.com, will want to work with Joe's firm? 100%! He's already proven that he wants our company to succeed.
The lesson here is simple, pick up the phone, go meet people face to face that are critical to your success and ascertain if your needs and desires are being heard and more importantly, "will they be acted upon enthusiastically?"
Go back to the basics and remember that people buy from people not from emails.
By the way, if you have a web marketing strategy use video it will consistently out pull and out convert the written word--video is the next best thing to being there (Joe's home page has video embedded).
Most of all don't blame Washington for rough times it is the kiss of death--it just causes resentment and inaction. At the age of 55 I've learned that despite what we want to believe politicians on both sides are usually selfish, insincere, and disingenuous. They care about you when it benefits them not when it benefits you. Figuratively speaking, put your jock strap on every morning and adjust your cup you will probably get kicked in the balls at least once every day and you shouldn't take it personally. If you do you will get off track. This also appears at direct to consumer medical device marketing. I also write about this at Brad Richdale Business.
story by Brad Richdale
I had one company respond by email after I also left my email and phone number in my lead inquiry for their services. One email from only one out of three companies (other than Joe), no phone calls, and obviously no excitement.
If someone doesn't respond enthusiastically in the buying process what do you think will happen when you hire them?
People buy from people that are excited, exciting, and/or excitable, these are the THREE E's OF SUCCESS. People buy on emotion and reinforce their decisions with logic. If you lose excitement your closing rate will plummet.
The problem with American businesses isn't the allegation of too much regulation and indecision in the oval office but rather from the fact that most people want to send emails and never pick up the phone. What happened to salesmanship? The answer is simple the younger people today have been brainwashed into believing text messaging and emails make sales. They don't; they just breed mediocrity and this misguided sickness young people suffer from has expanded to the general population when it comes to business. It's asinine. Now more than ever you need to pick up the phone. I'm overloaded with emails I like hearing the voice of another human being as they state their case and make their pitch.
The only way to influence Washington is to spend $25-50 million in lobbying. Short of that you are on your own so you better start going back to the basics, excitement, phone calls, face to face relationships and above all else sell what people want to buy!!!
Do you know why Joe Hage has succeeded? It's simple, he stays excited about what he does and is happy to share it.
He has opened up one door in regulatory consulting, which has opened up another door for valuation and financial consulting--we now want to work with both companies. I haven't sent him (Joe) a dime. What do you think the chances are that our company, Photetica, www.photetica.com, will want to work with Joe's firm? 100%! He's already proven that he wants our company to succeed.
The lesson here is simple, pick up the phone, go meet people face to face that are critical to your success and ascertain if your needs and desires are being heard and more importantly, "will they be acted upon enthusiastically?"
Go back to the basics and remember that people buy from people not from emails.
By the way, if you have a web marketing strategy use video it will consistently out pull and out convert the written word--video is the next best thing to being there (Joe's home page has video embedded).
Most of all don't blame Washington for rough times it is the kiss of death--it just causes resentment and inaction. At the age of 55 I've learned that despite what we want to believe politicians on both sides are usually selfish, insincere, and disingenuous. They care about you when it benefits them not when it benefits you. Figuratively speaking, put your jock strap on every morning and adjust your cup you will probably get kicked in the balls at least once every day and you shouldn't take it personally. If you do you will get off track. This also appears at direct to consumer medical device marketing. I also write about this at Brad Richdale Business.
story by Brad Richdale
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Direct Response and Direct To Consumer Medical Marketing Race Goes To The Steady Not The Swift!
Today we live in a world that moves so fast that many believe they have to get in the fast lane confusing productivity with activity.
Where are you going in life and why are you going there. This may seem like a lofty question and admittedly it is, but it's a necessary one.
I have had to reconsider the direction of my life often asking myself the question, "where am I going and what I'm doing this for?" Get a vision for yourself that won't harm you physically or mentally, most of all spiritually.
You are what you allow yourself to be and if you hang around a barber shop you will get a haircut.
Take time to chart a course and watch out who you associate with, you could be caught up in a cross fire and disaster that you could have prevented. This story is also at direct to consumer medical device marketing.
production also found on Brad Richdale Internet Yellow Pages
story also found at Brad Richdale Customer Reviews
Where are you going in life and why are you going there. This may seem like a lofty question and admittedly it is, but it's a necessary one.
I have had to reconsider the direction of my life often asking myself the question, "where am I going and what I'm doing this for?" Get a vision for yourself that won't harm you physically or mentally, most of all spiritually.
You are what you allow yourself to be and if you hang around a barber shop you will get a haircut.
Take time to chart a course and watch out who you associate with, you could be caught up in a cross fire and disaster that you could have prevented. This story is also at direct to consumer medical device marketing.
production also found on Brad Richdale Internet Yellow Pages
story also found at Brad Richdale Customer Reviews
Monday, August 1, 2011
Bad Margins Are Like Swimming Upstream
When I’m retained for Direct Marketing consulting the first question that I ask is, “are you offering a product or service that is sold or bought?” The second question I ask is, “what are your margins, in other words what do you sell your product for and what does it cost to make it?” You’d be surprised how many businesses are failures just because of bad margins.
If you are not at a 5:1 mark up from sales price to cost (in your business model) you are fighting yourself and the odds of success in any business. I discussed this in length at Brad Richdale wikipedia in July's 2011 column along with my column on direct to consumer medical marketing and direct to consumer medical device marketing
I know a man who began a boutique type sandwich shop while he was in college. He later expanded his chain throughout the west coast and eventually sold his chain of sandwich shops for a massive amount of money. He made his fortune counting nickels and pennies. To me that accomplishment is amazing. He is an amazing operator and an incredibly astute analyst of costs and margins in a business where you have spoiled goods in conjunction with a plethora of menu choices. What’s my point here? Simply this I’m not interested in counting pennies and nickels I’ve done it before and it usually ends in disaster.
The standard restaurant operating margins are 4:1 and guess what? Most restaurants fail due to low margins. You have to be a genius to make it all work in the restaurant world. You will notice where you can see meals being prepared (for the most part) that the portions are allocated precisely for this very reason. Remember you are also dealing with a perishable commodity.
On the other hand take the pharmaceutical business; their margins are monstrous, sometimes 100:1. You don’t have to a genius to make it work when you are in the drug business especially when you are selling a solution (a product that is bought). What do you think the profits were on Viagra (the first drug for erectile dysfunction)? They dumped millions in free samples and in TV advertising. Doctors I know said market demand was off the charts. On top of that Pfizer gave free samples out like candy on Halloween. In months the business was rocketing to the stratosphere.
Would you rather be in the restaurant business or drug business? I can’t stress this enough most people I’ve met that had a failed business failed because of low margins whereas most people with huge margins have hit out of the park. Sure there are low margin successes and there are high margin failures but they are the exception to the rule.
If you are barely getting by in business it probably has a lot to do with low margins, whereas if you have high margins you can grow out of cash flow; margins matter.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
GET Red Hot Leads And Predictable, Repeatable Cash Flow For Direct To Consumer Medical Marketing
There are two types of medical device sales; one is a longer cycle selling to members of the medical industry and the other, a one call close in direct to consumer medical marketing and direct to consumer medical device marketing.
In both cases red hot leads will increase your company's efficiency as sales people will be dramatically more successful since their time will be focused on sales rather than prospecting.
I outline the specific steps to to take to garner red hot leads, the specific techniques for better efficiency and how to increase your net profit quickly and more easily than ever before at www.BradRichdale.com.
written by Brad Richdale Author
In both cases red hot leads will increase your company's efficiency as sales people will be dramatically more successful since their time will be focused on sales rather than prospecting.
I outline the specific steps to to take to garner red hot leads, the specific techniques for better efficiency and how to increase your net profit quickly and more easily than ever before at www.BradRichdale.com.
written by Brad Richdale Author
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