Digg It - Business

If a nonexistent man can change the world and millions of people with a message of joy then his marketing plan surely works. Right? Then what has Santa been doing right all these years that we can learn from?

Santa’s message is short--joy. His target market-- children and the young at heart. When you think of name Santa, you automatically associate it with giving, kindness, thoughtfulness, joy, magic,

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

and usually a lighter heart.

Yet, his campaign began long ago in another country with a different brand. There have been songs about him, plays, movies, and more TV shows than any other brand.

Let’s examine how Santa markets. Afterwards, let take a few minutes and see how it compares to you. It is natural to feel intimidated being compared to Santa, everyone feels that way at first. First, kick the

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

Examples of combination products may in

intimidation in the "ass"ets. You can't compete and you don't want to.

Be inspired. Santa’s given you proof it can be done. Santa looks invisible until you see the children’s eyes and smiles. Even as adults, we set aside our worries and allow joy in. And Santa does this without saying a word -- proves the power of nonverbal communication. And let’s not forget his profitability!

Santa uses a solid

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

yet standard psychological system that has stood the test of time and distance. His first main marketing principle is consistency. For hundreds of years he’s delivered one brand, one message and a powerful visual image. It works for him, thus, it will work for you. Consistency includes the ripple effect. Every one of your contacts ripples the world. The tree that falls in the quiet forest is heard.

You

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

r message needs to be consistent everywhere in your business -- voice service, web site, you're your shopping, or sitting waiting for a bus. This means being consistent 24/7 and being whom you want to attract. It is walking our talk. Consistency makes bank accounts ring jingle bells.

Take another moment, think of where you are or want to be consistent in your business. Make a list of three each day and

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

Combination pro

the go make the changes. Check your e-mail signature and tone, business card, and web site. Is it consistently saying the one word that you want people to remember? One uncomplicated word. People remember simple. KISS it -- keep it short and simple.

Like Santa’s "joy," what one word do you want people to walk away with every time they connect with you or your business? Mine is "inspired." It is the o

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

ne word that I want everyone to receive whenever they connect with me. What is your word? This is a word that tickles your Twinkie and you want it to ring bells whatever roof top it lands.

The word will have derivatives, like inspirational. If you look up "joy" in the "Flip Dictionary" (Barbara Ann Kipfer), its derivatives are: amusement, beatitude, bliss, cheerfulness, delight, ecstasy, elation, enjoy

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

ment, excitement, exhilaration, felicity, festivity, gaiety, gladness, glee, happiness, jubilation, mirth, pleasure, rapture, satisfaction, and solace.

Santa’s second marketing principle is his ability to leverage resources and spread his message. He provides the message, doesn't wait until we figure out what to say, and tell you exactly what he wants you to say to others. Give others the tools to smooth

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

ly give your message away. People appreciate having the "right" words.

Third, when you connect the word with positive energy it becomes a trend. If you focus on the negative aspects then it is a fad. Words connect feelings and energy and can be rocky or smooth. Smooth is easier to share. Fads are still important because they help with short-term revenue and keep the trend alive and moving. Many toys

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

are fads placed inside the Christmas trend.

Let’s take a look at Santa’s hat, furry red suit and boots. Do you know anyone who delivers their product on a sleigh, with reindeer, and gifts in the middle of the night? Yet, it’s made one heck of an impact in nonverbal communications, hasn't it? The fourth Santa principle creating a difference. Santa, like FEDEX, stands out with his delivery system. The U

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

S mail carrier comes close but still misses the mark. Yet, their uniforms don't compare, do they?

Okay, another "thinking" break. What do you that is different or makes a difference? Do you where a uniform or deliver your products in some different way? What can you do that would be simple, effective, and make a difference? Create a list of small and large. How about your phone or e-mail response rate

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

Following aspects would a

? Maybe you only want to deliver one way, by FEDEX or by hand.

Make a list of your customer contact points. What difference can you make at those points that would make a difference in quality to your customer? Sell ebooks, offer a printed by mail version. How does your business card show your difference?

Here is a KEY point to the difference principle never mention. Shh...it’s our secret. The di

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

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

fference must also be customer-oriented.

Let’s brainstorm together. A professional organizer removes clutter. They could choose the words: clutter remover. Chuckle, similar to a trash remover. A coach could use Rudolph as an inspiration. Like the red-nose reindeer, they both provide a beacon for clearer navigation. Then isn't a life coach a "life navigator". Both Rudolph and a life coach also "light

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

s the way for others." Chuckle, love to brainstorm.

Fifth, Santa checks his list to see who has been naughty and nice. Do you have a nice list? What puts them on your good list or moves them to the naughty list? What are the "gifts" for the people on the "nice" list? Create a possible gift list, let your brainstorming powers jump all over the place. How do you treat your list? Is it in a shoe box o

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

r on the computer but not backed up? Do you stay in contact with your list? How often?

Sixth, Santa gives first and then receives his cookies and milk. Are you asking for the cookies and milk first? Psychologically, people like people who first give their time, money or knowledge. It sends the message, "Here I am, let me show you why you want to trust me." Give and then be a gracious receiver. Tell t

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

hem whether you like chocolate, 2% milk or a Diet Coke with your cookies.

Know where the boundary is on how much you give so that your energy doesn't change to anger. Even Santa has boundaries. Stop now and create a list of gift possibilities. "What can you give?" Give with an unchained heart, clear boundaries, no attached expectations, and success will connect with you.

The seventh Santa principle i

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

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

s his loyal and life long customers. Even though the relationship changes with his customer’s age, his message of joy and good cheer remains generation after generation. Santa ties you into a solid loyalty program that people want to keep. His technique is "customer create customer." Quite different from other marketing messages of "advertising creates customers."

Deep breath, we coming to the close, h

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

ow do your customers create other customers? Leverage this resource. It’s cheaper too. What happened to the customers that bought from you this past year? What are your loyalty building policies and procedures? None, then you need to focus in and create one. Don't let customers fall of your sleigh. Go strap them in with seat belts. Yes, Santa’s sleight has seat belts now.

Okay, you're sold. You wa

.

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

nt to market like Santa. Did you stop in-between each one, take notes, and know how you currently stand on each of Santa’s principles? Are you willing to play full out, as Santa does? Borrow Rudolph’s nose and get some support to help light your way. Or borrow one of the other reindeer and create a new direction?

Okay, find your Santa hat, sit down with milk and cookies, spread your notes out and make

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

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

your priority list and make one decision. Which one do you want to tackle first? Which one will make the biggest difference? Make a list of messages with your one word that you want others to share.

Let my inspiration jump from my heart to yours. Then pass it along to someone else to inspire again -- "customer to customer" or in this case "reader to reader." Good tidings to all and to all a good night

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

HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.diggit.org.ua/article/30200/diggit-Marketing-Lessons-from-Santa.html">Marketing Lessons from Santa</a>

BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.diggit.org.ua/article/30200/diggit-Marketing-Lessons-from-Santa.html]Marketing Lessons from Santa[/url]

The rapid rise of email has left many people unsure of the correct protocol when writing a business letter. In fact there are a number of formats that can be used for professional business letters. One format is detailed here.

Business forms are used by everybody for some reason or other, in offices as well as personal dealings. It could be an employment form, a contract, sale deed, agreement, insurance policy, rent form, bank form, medical form, human resources form, and so on. They are used to collect or provide information. In office setups, they are used every second. For individual purposes, they may not be used very frequently. In both cases, writing business forms may seem to be a boring, repetitive, and time-consuming task. After all, it should look neat, good, and politically correct, and communicate the message well.

The biggest mistake businesses make is to focus all their marketing effort and budget on getting new customers. Research has shown that it costs up to 6 times more to get a new customer than to retain or sell to an existing one. And this is the key. Concentrate on selling more to your existing clients. We explore the steps you can take to tease more profit from your client base.

Tags

Links

Digg It - Marketing Lessons from Santa

Related Articles: