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It seems that we business-to-business marketers too often get caught up in the details of direct marketing, rather than concentrating on the things that are most important: the list

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

, the offer and the results.

Stop worrying about the unimportant details such as whether it is better to use gray paper or white for your B-to-B direct mailer. It really doesn’t ma

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

Examples of combination products may in

tter what color paper you use—if you’re mailing to the wrong people with the wrong offer, your campaign is going to bomb.

For example, if you’re sending a mailing about graphic des

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

gn software to chief financial officers -- or sending a mailing about financial forecasting software to design professionals, you’re betting against yourself with regard to generati

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

ng sales leads or orders – no matter how good the copy or offers are.

When planning a business-to-business direct mail campaign, first determine your objective.

• Are you

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

Combination pro

rying to generate sales leads?

• Are you trying to move prospects along the buying cycle?

Your copy and offer should be designed specifically to support your objective.

The ne

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

xt step is to consider your list.

When choosing a list for B-to-B direct marketing, focus on the important things—such as results—instead of worrying about less important deta

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

ils such as the percentage of undeliverables on the list.

A client of mine recently told me she was concerned by the high percentage of undeliverables from a business mailing list

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

he rented. She was seriously considering not using the list again because of it. However, when I reviewed the overall results of previous mailings with her, it was clear that the sa

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

me mailing list she was questioning generated more leads and sales than any of the other lists she had tested to date. In fact, that list resulted in the best overall return on inve

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

tment. When considered from that important perspective, the list she was about to not use again was a real winner.

The next step and the best way to boost B-to-B direct mail res

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

Following aspects would a

ponse rates is to create a strong offer—that is, a targeted offer, or “call to action,” that will entice prospects to respond.

In business-to-business direct marketing, educati

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

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

onal offers work well for getting people to “raise their hands” and express interest. These types of offers include how-to guides, buying guides, reports, white papers, articles, ca

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

e studies and invitations to events (e.g., webinars, presentations, seminars).

Also consider boosting your response rates by making multiple offers, each designed to appeal to peop

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

le at different stages of their consideration/buying process.

However, don’t make the mistake of offering something “cool,” like an iPod. Yes, you’ll get a high response rate, but

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

hose responses will be from people who want the iPod, not from people who want your product or service.

The last step is to always make it easy for prospects to respond to your

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

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

call to action.

Your response form should include the various ways people can request the offer (e.g., Web address, e-mail, toll-free number or even fax). Your form could also

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

include a few questions that elicit the information that you need to determine whether the respondent fits your definition of a qualified lead. Don’t ask too many questions, howeve

.

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

, as you risk turning off the prospect.

Successful B-to-B direct marketers understand that most of their campaign’s success relies on the list and the offers. So be sure to determi

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

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

ne the objective of your direct marketing, and then ensure that your list and offers support your objective. Your response rate will be much higher in terms of qualified sales leads

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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Our websites have to engage the customer, entice them, and they must be interactive. Our web businesses are not mechanical slot machines, as much as we might like them to be!

It’s late Friday afternoon and everyone is packaging up to go home for the weekend except Janette. Her desk is still piled high with all those important assignments. Why does Janette still have work when no one else does? She just can't let go. Others have a life, but she's too busy ensuring her importance to the company and working late. If she has her finger in every piece of the pie it will make her more important? The reality is that she does not impress anyone.

Test your ads online (Google, Yahoo), take them to newspapers, funnel the lead to your website, and woo them your emails until they take action.

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Digg It - B-to-B Direct Mail: Don't Get Lost In The Details

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