In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of healthcare marketing, medical device and health tech marketers often face challenges in attaining internal stakeholder alignment, hindering their ability to advance their strategies. While these challenges can stem from various sources, such as regulatory changes, shifting market dynamics, or internal organizational changes, the consequences of not being able to gain alignment can be detrimental to the success of marketing initiatives.
When internal stakeholders are not aligned, it can lead to confusion, delays, and ultimately, missed opportunities. Marketing strategies may not be executed in a timely manner, leaving competitors to gain a competitive edge, and the overall success of product launches may be hindered. For example, medical affairs may have different priorities than sales teams, or regulatory concerns may conflict with marketing initiatives. In such situations, it is essential to employ best practices in change management to gain alignment across internal audiences, including medical affairs, legal, regulatory, sales teams, and executive leadership.
At our team, we have found success in employing three best practices in change management that can help medical device and health tech marketers gain internal stakeholder alignment.
Establish clear communication channels:
Effective communication is crucial to gain stakeholder alignment. It is essential to establish clear communication channels, set expectations, and keep stakeholders informed at every stage of the process. This can help to build trust and foster collaboration, leading to a more unified approach to marketing initiatives.
For example, medical device and health tech marketers can offer regular updates to keep cross- functional stakeholders informed of progress and milestones. They can also use collaborative tools such as project management software or communication platforms such as Monday, Miro, or Smartsheet to facilitate communication and ensure everyone is on the same page.
Involve stakeholders early in the process:
Engaging stakeholders early in the process can help to gain buy-in and ensure that everyone is aligned from the outset. It is essential to involve stakeholders in the planning stages to understand their needs, concerns, and priorities. This can help to avoid conflicts later in the process and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.
We often help facilitate regular brainstorming sessions or workshops that help our medical device and health tech marketing clients gather input and ideas from stakeholders in their organization. They can also use surveys or interviews to gain insights and feedback from stakeholders.
Anticipate and address resistance to change:
Change is often met with resistance, and it is essential to anticipate and address it proactively. Understanding the reasons behind the resistance and addressing them can help to gain stakeholder alignment and ensure that everyone is on board with the marketing initiatives.
For example, medical device and health tech marketers can hold training sessions or workshops to address concerns or misunderstandings about marketing initiatives. They can also work with stakeholders to develop plans to address any potential issues or risks that may arise during the implementation process
By employing these best practices in change management, medical device and health tech marketers can gain internal stakeholder alignment and advance their marketing strategies. They can ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals, avoid delays and missed opportunities, and ultimately, drive success.
Achieving internal stakeholder alignment is critical to the success of medical device and health tech marketing initiatives. However, it can be a challenging task, given the diverse needs and priorities of various stakeholders. By employing best practices in change management, such as establishing clear communication channels, involving stakeholders early in the process, and anticipating and addressing resistance to change, medical device and health tech marketers can overcome these challenges and gain alignment across internal audiences. This can lead to more effective marketing strategies, improved product launches, and ultimately, better patient outcomes.
Need to get your team on the same page? We can help. Talk to our team about our approach to gaining internal alignment and facilitating group decisions that can advance your marketing programs.