How to Choose the Right Healthcare Lead Generation Partner

“Trust is like the air we breathe – when it’s present, nobody really notices; when it’s absent, everybody notices.” 

- Warren Buffet.

Trust is important in all businesses. 

Everyone wants to deal with honest, ethical, straightforward counterparties. But sometimes, in most B2B businesses, you can afford to take a chance on working with a company you don’t know much about if they’re offering a good deal and you’re solving an immediate, non-business-critical problem for the company.

As long as it isn’t stolen, who cares where the printer ink comes from?

Such a purely transactional approach is not one that can be taken in medical services. Trust is the bedrock on which the healthcare industry is built. 

Healthcare is about way more than just the bottom line (although the bottom line is a consideration too!). With people’s lives potentially at stake, trust trumps all other considerations. 

B2B organizations looking to gain traction in the wider industry need to mirror the same high standards that practitioners adhere to when dealing with patient care, and this includes those that need to sell into the sector.

Healthcare is an ever-changing landscape that demands innovative approaches to reach decision-makers and secure valuable prospects. If you're struggling with finding high-quality medical lead generation services in the healthcare industry you’ve come to the right place! 

Here we’ll look at the key challenges that face companies looking for great medical sales leads, how to overcome them, and the best way to partner with an organization that will guarantee to deliver the best practice in medical sales lead generation.

The Importance of Healthcare Lead Generation

Before delving into the process of selecting the exemplary lead generation service, it's essential to understand why medical sales lead generation is critical for your business. 

In the healthcare industry, reaching the right stakeholders is crucial for converting prospects into loyal customers. By targeting the most appropriate decision-makers in the industry, you can increase your chances of closing deals successfully. 

The medical sales sector has an average lead conversion rate of 5.6%, so it’s essential that you’re reaching the right people the first time.

Healthcare Lead Generation - Key Challenges

1. Identifying Target Prospects

Healthcare is a vast and diverse industry with numerous niches, making identifying and connecting with the right prospects an arduous task. Each segment, from general hospitals to medical research firms to pharmaceuticals, requires an individual, tailored approach. And the person you need to connect with will be busy and often will consider purchasing low down their list of priorities. And added to that, your competition is fierce. 

2. Extended Sales Cycle

You are in a market where 20% of buyers report sales cycles lasting more than one year. 

This is a huge problem for every aspect of the sales process, from lead generation onwards. To stand a chance of thriving in this market, a successful entry will require detailed preparation for a long journey for everyone involved. Enduring such periods of uncertainty demands adept resource allocation as you patiently await the final decision to materialize.

3. HIPAA Compliance

HIPAA reigns supreme in the realm of healthcare in the United States. It encompasses an intricate web of regulations that influence virtually every aspect of the industry. Its reach is pervasive from the delivery of care to the healthcare sales cycle.

Navigating healthcare sales and marketing compliance can be a perplexing challenge. In the past, before the 1970s, marketing to hospitals and practices was prohibited by law. Even today, healthcare marketers face restrictions on utilizing certain tools, such as re-marketing ads, to ensure the protection of users' confidential health data.

4. Institutional Caution

The healthcare industry exercises great caution in its purchasing decisions. After all, they impact the lives of the people they serve, directly or indirectly. This cautious approach extends the transaction period, and the only way to overcome this risk aversion is by effectively addressing their concerns. Offering viable, evidence-based solutions is essential to surmounting apprehensions.

Another noteworthy aspect to consider is the need for a product or service that can be swiftly adopted, minimizing the strain associated with transitioning to your offering.

5. Unique Budgeting Characteristics 

Like the sales cycle, the budget cycle in the medical sector is unlike that of other industries. Often fixed and aligned with the fiscal year, these characteristics have to be embraced and assimilated by vendors in the industry.

The process of attracting medical prospects and maintaining their interest until they are ready to make a purchase can, as we have seen, span an entire year or more. You will need to establish procedures that ensure continuous nurturing and follow-up at every stage of the journey.

6. Buying By Committee

Since, as we have already established, healthcare is risk-averse, getting the final word on a purchase will usually require a decision-making unit (DMU) that is comprised of more than one member. 

Some larger institutions will even take it further and rely on a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO), to get them the purchase they need. 

All of this sounds frustratingly bureaucratic to you, the vendor, but working this way saves the industry $34.1 billion annually, so it’s unlikely to change! 

Overcoming this challenge will mean taking a multilateral approach to lead nurturing, and everybody that’s part of the DMU/GPO should be well-informed and nurtured in the pipeline.

Overcoming these challenges

It all comes back to trust. 

You need to demonstrate that you have an intricate understanding of the unique environment you want to sell into. You need your prospects to know you’re involved in the process the whole way along, that you get the fundamental importance of the vital work they engage in every day, and that it’s not all about closing the deal and then moving on for you.

And how do you establish trust? You need to communicate your expertise and value appropriately. And this needs to start from day one by using the best lead generation and nurturing service.

Choosing the Right Healthcare Lead Generation Partner

1. Define Your Goals and Objectives

Start by defining your specific goals and objectives for lead generation. Are you looking to increase sales for a particular medical product, expand your network of healthcare providers, or launch a new service? Understanding your goals will help you find a lead generation agency that aligns with your business needs.

2. Comprehensive Database

One of the most crucial factors when choosing a lead generation service is access to a comprehensive and up-to-date database of potential prospects. Ensure that the company you choose has an extensive reach across various healthcare segments, including hospitals, clinics, research firms, and more. A robust database will save you time and effort in finding the right decision-makers.

3. Targeted Lead Generation Strategies

An effective lead generation strategy in healthcare requires a tailored and targeted approach. Use a service provider that employs personalized techniques based on your unique offerings and the preferences of your target audience. This may include hyper-targeted content syndication, email marketing campaigns, and social media outreach. 

4. Experience and Expertise

Experience matters in lead generation, especially in the healthcare industry. Choose a company with a proven track record of success in generating leads for healthcare clients. Check for testimonials, case studies, and references to gauge their expertise and reliability.

5. Understanding HIPAA

The healthcare industry is heavily regulated, and any lead generation activities must comply with relevant laws and regulations. Ensure that the lead generation service you select is well-versed in healthcare compliance to avoid legal consequences down the line.

6. Integration with Your Sales and Marketing Processes

A seamless integration between the lead generation service and your existing sales and marketing processes is essential for success. Choose a company that can work with your team and align their efforts with your overall strategy.

7. Analytics and Reporting

Data-driven decision-making is vital in lead generation. Look for a service provider that offers comprehensive analytics and reporting to track the performance of your campaigns. Clear and actionable insights will help you optimize your strategies for better results.

What Your Lead Generation Company Should Look Like

You need to work with a specialist healthcare lead generation company that offers all of the above and goes beyond expectations to provide exceptional services. You need assistance that will connect you with decision-makers across all your target segments. A service that will ensure you get a seat at the table for one-on-one interactions with the key stakeholders in the industry.

How Revnew Helped ViTel Net Connect with the Right Prospects

Your service needs to offer a range of tailored solutions to meet your specific lead generation goals. Whether it's appointment setting, content syndication, or email marketing, you must work with a provider that works with you to understand your customers and prospects better.

It All Sounds Like A Tough Search, Right?

Well, yes and no. Choosing the right medical sales lead generation company is a critical step toward driving success in the healthcare industry. With the complexity and diversity of the healthcare market, a specialized lead generation company must be able to make all the difference in reaching the right decision-makers and securing valuable prospects.

As you know, you’re entering an industry that doesn’t make life easy for vendors. There is no quick buck here. And choosing the wrong lead generation service can set you back years, and deliver untold costs, both in up-front expenditure and lost opportunities.

So that’s the tough part. The easy part? 

The lead generation service you need is right here waiting for you. Taking the first step towards unlocking the potential of your healthcare lead generation operation couldn’t be more simple. Get in touch today and watch your business flourish and fly in this dynamic, rewarding, and vital industry – with a partner you can trust.