“I don’t care how it works. What matters is that it does work.”
You’ve probably heard that one many, many times. In fact maybe you tend to agree.
But then you also hear this: “I can see that it works, but I need to know how and why or I won’t buy.”
Cue the barely suppressed groan.
Truth is, not many people—marketers included—can explain how things work because a) we don’t feel we need to know, or b) it’s complex, and who’s got time to dig in and understand this stuff anyway.
Still, given the logical nature of the audiences involved, this Mechanism of Action (MOA) avoidance in medtech marketing is counterintuitive.
In medtech, MOA matters.
It always does, in varying degrees:
- There are times when the results you achieve are clearly differentiating, and less technical justification is needed
- More often, the razor-thin difference of underlying science or structure is what ultimately moves the adoption needle in a competitive environment
- In some cases, the MOA is the categorical difference, and becomes the hero of the story
The problem is, MOA stories are inherently technical and difficult to explain or demonstrate. That can lead sales and marketing on a metaphorical journey in search of apt comparisons, which may be helpful but often add more confusion. “It’s like a washing machine on spin cycle combined with a heater that dries the clothes while they are being washed…”
In this industry, innovation arrives in the form of scientific and engineering breakthrough. That can be a drug formulation, an algorithm, a mechanical solution rooted in physics, a soundwave frequency, or a molecular modification…just for example. This is the underlying technology prowess that makes this industry so compelling and remarkable – “How did someone figure out that if you did X, it could affect Y, and then how were they able to create Z?”)
Introworks has a long history of shining a light on this differentiated brilliance and simplifying it so people can clearly understand its value.
In many ways, it’s the ultimate translation. And, sure, metaphors are in play, but more often, it’s the hard work of distillation and determining where it all fits into your story. A few examples:
A complex critical care device has a strikingly simple user interface—simple enough to raise questions among potential users. Can something that’s so elementary on the surface really perform the vital job it needs to do? By exposing the ingenious engineering inside, making its advanced mechanism of action the center of the story, we were able to put doubts to rest.
Sometimes it’s the littlest things that matter. The unique engineering in an occlusion device is virtually invisible to the naked eye. But the novel manner in which its mesh material is braided makes all the difference in its clotting performance inside the body.
What sets a product apart in a crowded market space? How can one drug-coated balloon deliver 3 times longer patency performance than its competitors? A unique combination of cellular matrix and drug formulation combine to deliver unrivalled longterm performance.
It’s not always easy to unpack or understand for the layperson. But MOA is always there and it always matters.
Make sure it’s not MIA. Make it matter to customers.
