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For most of the small business owners I work with, marketing has become the equivalent of a four-letter word. Inevitably, when I ask the question, "Do you have a marketing plan?" or "What marketing activities do you engage in?" I get the full gamut of responses from the proverbial deer in the headlights stare, to a vociferous, "I hate ma

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

rketing, it's the least favorite part of my business!"

After years of witnessing this reaction, and learning a bit about modern marketing, I'm starting to understand why traditional marketing is perceived and experienced as a necessary evil and avoided like a root canal.

It's been true since the beginning of commerce that every busines

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

needs to promote itself to stay alive and compete in an ever-changing marketplace. How great would it be if you, as a savvy business owner, could begin to make a shift from seeing marketing, and its associated tasks, as a necessary evil to a rich and rewarding opportunity to express your passion about your business? It would be pretty g

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

reat, wouldn't it?

While I don't mean to reduce a vibrant and ever evolving profession to any-one-can-do-it status, the mystique around marketing can certainly use some lightening up. I do believe anyone can become an effective and enthusiastic marketer.

Let's start to explore by dispelling some of the common mystique around marketing.

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

I used to believe that marketing was a complex practice for which you had to pay a lot of money to a professional to "do it right". I used to think I had to convince people using tactics that were high pressure or not in alignment with my values. No wonder marketing fell to the bottom of my list. Is it at the bottom of yours?

Here's wha

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

t I've learned, and here's what works for me. In its simplest form, marketing is about building relationships and networks. It offers an opportunity to communicate to people (your customers) what you do and introduce or expose them to your product again and again. As Michael Pollock, my marketing guru taught me, "Forget marketing, think

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

onversations". That's easy, now all I have to do is position myself and create opportunities to engage people about that which I love. I can do that. Shift accomplished!

Here are The 5 Marketing Musts that transformed me from an Avoider to an Engager:

1. Define your customers. With whom do you want to build relationships? Start by spec

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

ifically identifying who will buy your products and focus on them. In "marketing speak" this is called your target market. It is critically important to identify your target market so you don’t spend time and money haphazardly conveying your message and building relationships with non-buyers.

Here's some criteria you can use to identify

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

your ideal customers: Age, profession, gender, level of education, income, ethnicity, location, psychological needs (feels frustrated, wants security, wants to feel challenged, etc.) personal interests (committed to personal development, reads avidly, spiritually inclined, etc.) and what are their psychographics (how do they think, what

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

is their world view, their values, etc.). Create a profile of your perfect customer.

2. Promote yourself. In real estate it's location, location, location. In marketing it's promote, promote, promote. Find ways to get yourself in front of your customers regularly and repeatedly. Visibility creates opportunity. You need to be in front of

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

your customer at least seven times for your message to stick. Visibility also creates credibility. Relationships are built on trust. The more opportunities you have to demonstrate your credibility, the more likely a customer will buy from you. 3. Position yourself. What do you stand for in the mind of your customer? Positioning is abou

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

"owning" the groove in your customers mind when it comes to your product. The Dollar Store, for example, is positioned so when you need to purchase a product inexpensively, you think Dollar Store. Your marketing message should be clear, targeted, consistent and designed to position you in the forefront of your customers mind.

4. Become

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

known as a recognized expert in your field. There are many other businesses out there vying for your customers' attention. Become the first business that pops into your customers' minds. Make sure the reason you pop into your customers' minds is because you've built positive and credible relationships. Here are a few ways to develop you

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

self as an expert:

Publishing. Write and submit quality articles to local and Internet publications (Just like the one you're reading now!) Or, you can self publish a monthly newsletter to keep yourself in front of your customers. Even if you think you can't write (like I did when I started my business) find ways to communicate. Hire an

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

editor if you have to.

Public Speaking. A great way to position yourself in front of an audience of potential customers. The options might be civic organizations, local associations, or community events. Public speaking can often inspire terror when suggested, it certainly did in me. Practice built my confidence and the benefits I've r

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

ceived from moving out of my comfort zone has paid off in many ways. Start small, be you, connect with the passion of your message.

Join networking groups. This is a great way to connect with many people on a regular basis. Most network groups are filled with participants in the same boat as you. Not only do they provide an opportunity

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

to be in front of people, they can be a tremendous source of support. If you want to really go for it, volunteer for a leadership position. It will quickly increase your visibility as well as boost your credibility.

5. Evaluate what's working, what's not working, and adapt accordingly. Clearly it takes time and consistency for any marke

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

ing effort to pay off. Don't give up too soon. At the same time, marketing is a process of learning what works for you and your particular business. Don't let your marketing plan get stale. Remember, marketing is about building relationships, and creating opportunities for you to express the passion you feel about your product or service

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

.

Make a plan and stick to it. Developing a simple marketing plan can be as straight forward as deciding what people you want your message to reach and determining the best vehicles to use. If you work with these Marketing Musts, you're well on your way to establishing a marketing plan. It can be that easy.

I'll leave you with these qu

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

stions: Why are you in business? What do you love about your product or service? Do you feel inspired when you're at the top of your game and offering the best of what you do to the world? If so, go out there and create opportunities to do more of that. That's all marketing is. Can you feel the shift?

It's YOUR life...live it completely

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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Often our planning - at best - is done because of a crisis facing us. But one of the outcomes of good planning is that it actually reduces crises. By making planning a primary activity, it's possible to bring calm out of the chaos in our lives or businesses.

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In a growing market, new competitors can make a business owner lose his focus. Think more about how to make the pie bigger while maintaining your costs and increasing your profits. When you do your piece of the pie will become bigger.

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