A common theme, and something that is very satisfying with our work, is that through our actions we show biotech and life science companies how they can use tools such as social media to grow as we have. About six months ago at a San Diego Biotechnology Network event, we gave out CDs with a few of our Biotechnology Marketing 101 presentations. Cynthia Davenport, Ph.D., Founder of TigerTox Pharmaceutical Toxicology Services, received one, and actually looked at them and gave us a call (very cool when things work as intended!).

After meeting with Cynthia, we decided that the best way to get started was with a BioStartup™ Marketing Kit, providing her with a logo, branding, and website in one package. We started by gathering TigerTox’s needs through our online Creative Briefs, a process we utilize to assess high-level objectives, tactical details, and to tease out aspects important for positioning companies and products. The Creative Brief process is a mainstay of traditional marketing, and we have made it more accessible to our clients through our online forms and have also tailored them for new tools such as social media.

We received Cynthia’s Creative Briefs and started with her logo. The process went quickly because she knew what she liked (and didn’t!) and we refined the logo in a few rounds. Communication and setting expectations are key in the process. The TigerTox logo is simple, expressive of her company’s name, versatile, and is part of a larger branding of the company as a whole. What we love about the Creative Brief process is that we can always look to it for guidance and keep on track to be sure objectives are met.

Next, we developed a website and ‘ToxInsights’ blog for TigerTox. We leveraged WordPress, great software which provides a framework for professional, dynamic, and easily administered websites (even high-powered blogs like Johnson & Johnson’s JNJBTW use it). We utilized our programming and design skills to created a branded site which is highly customized, allowing for integration with Twitter, RSS feeds, and search engine optimization (SEO).

We also provided in-depth technical and social media training to TigerTox, allowing Cynthia and her associates to hit the ground running–they’ve already got several blog posts done. We even helped TigerTox to easily find resources to help with blogging and Twitter through a customized RSS feed. Our background in life science as well as social media helps us to anticipate our clients’ needs, as we’ve used the tools firsthand to reach scientists. We also help companies develop a Social Media Charter™ to guide you and ensure that objectives are met, you can learn more on our Social Media Capabilities page.

To summarize, we GREATLY enjoyed working with TigerTox and we love the fact that they looked to us for inspiration. We hope that you’ll in turn be inspired by them to develop your business or products, as they truly ‘get it’ and have a great product for drug development. We plan to give more examples and resources at the upcoming Bootstrapping Biotech event with the San Diego Biotechnology Network October 29th. Not in town? We’re videotaping it and will provide links afterward. Also, contact us for a free consultation, perhaps the best way to become inspired!

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In our first Biotechnology Marketing 101 presentation, we discussed using the principles of marketing to help further your career. In our latest presentation, Biotechnology Marketing 101: Your Company (PDF), you’ll learn how promote your small or large company using tactics that all marketers use to promote any ‘product,’ be it a physical product, service, or organization. Learn about every day steps you can take to ensure that your company is positioned for success. The presentation includes strategies to make the most of your budget. Tips for everything from choosing a logo to leveraging PR is included here, and please contact us if you’d like to schedule a free, personalized Biotechnology Marketing 101 presentation and consultation with Comprendia.

When I first made the leap from academia to marketing in the life sciences, branding was a foreign concept to me, and I had a hard time relating it to biotechnology products. Wikipedia defines branding as “a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to a company, product or service . . . which serves to create associations and expectations among products made by a producer.” Translation? The best example I can think of is from one of the world’s leading brands, Coca Cola. You see a can of Coke, with its red imagery and logo, and you know what to expect when you pop the top and take a drink. Can you imagine if tomorrow Coke cans came in yellow? Would you expect the same refreshing beverage as you placed the can to your mouth? Probably not, and that’s because you have “associations and expectations” with the Coca Cola branding, which you wouldn’t have with a new labeling of the product.

Why should you care? Branding can be used in a lot of different ways at any sized biotech or life science company. Most consider Invitrogen to be the first company that brought formalized marketing and branding to the life sciences, with a distinct “look and feel,” which was incorporated into their product packaging, newsletters, catalog, and clever, consistent Ads. All of these materials work together to evoke an overall opinion of the company in the mind of the customer. When a scientist opens a kit from a well-branded company, s/he already has an expectation as to how the product will work, and normally this is a good association, otherwise it would not have been purchased.

Large companies normally have a branding style guide which directs them on which colors and fonts to use, layouts for Ads and all communications with customers, and sometimes even a “voice” which describes the style of the verbiage used. These style guides are done by trained branding professionals, and can be expensive for smaller companies. However, smaller companies can take advantage of branding without this large expenditure, by keeping a few key concepts in mind.

Start with a web/graphic designer to design your logo, website, and brochures–there is no shortcut for this, and doing it yourself can be disastrous. While you are at it, have them design some key items that you know you’ll need in the next 6 months, which may include product inserts, fax cover page/letter head, business cards, email blast template, and newsletter. Getting these items now will save you time later, and may also give you a “head start” with other materials you’ll need. I once heard that there are three things that are needed for effective branding: consistency, consistency, and consistency. This rule may be even more important for a small company, as potential customers are looking for clues as to your company’s reliability in all of their communications with you. With some forethought, you can portray a consistent branding message to your customers. When consistency is paired with high quality products, researchers will associate your marketing materials and communications with your products, leading to increased loyalty and purchases. Here are some tips to help you to remain consistent:

1. Consider product packaging and inserts carefully. All should be consistent in content and with the brand.
2. Utilize a consistent font in all of your advertisements, and communications when it is feasible. This should be part of the package that the designers give you.
3. Ask employees to include a company-wide, consistent signature in emails, with all contact information.
4. Make sure the company letterhead and fax coversheet are easily accessible to everyone in the company, and utilized.
5. Make sure that your voicemail system is user friendly and consistent (you can even suggest a greeting for employees).
6. Consider a short training for all employees on the importance of company image and consistency of the brand. You’ll likely find that employees are proud of your products, and are eager to keep the branding consistent, once they understand the importance.

Do you want to learn more about how you can leverage effective branding for increasing market share for your biotech and life sciences products or services? Comprendia can help, contact us to schedule a free one-on-one or web-based presentation, and ask about our Marketing 101™ workshop. This post is part of Comprendia’s Marketing 101 Blog Series, designed to help you grow your business by developing marketing strategies and tactics that work for biotechnology.