Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast LifeSci Continuum with Bill Schick
Plongez dans la liste complète des épisodes de LifeSci Continuum with Bill Schick. Chaque épisode est catalogué accompagné de descriptions détaillées, ce qui facilite la recherche et l'exploration de sujets spécifiques. Suivez tous les épisodes de votre podcast préféré et ne manquez aucun contenu pertinent.
Rows per page:
50
1–39 of 39
Titre
Date
Durée
Get Better Leads at Your Conference | Bill Kenney
09 May 2025
00:49:03
In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I sit down with Bill Kenney, Founder of MEET (My Expo & Event Team), to unpack why most life science and med device trade show strategies fail—and how to fix them.
Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:28 Bill Kenney’s Work in Bio-Tech 02:30 In-Person Inbound Marketing 03:20 How We Met 03:35 How to Get High Quality Leads at Tradeshows and Conferences 07:10 The Best Approach to Messaging at Tradeshow and Conferences 13:36 AIDA Framework 14:35 Communication Anecdote 15:40 Have a Conversation with your Customer 19:27 Identifying Quality Leads 27:26 Customer Density 31:56 Founders are Stretched Thin 35:00 How to Design your Tradeshow Booth 41:26 Positioning & Messaging in Life Science Marketing 44:37 When there is a Lack of Data 47:42 Final Takeaway
Bill works with international life science and medtech companies looking to break into the U.S. market and transform events—both regional and national.
We go deep on: Why casting a wide net leads to “prospect creep” and diluted messaging How to design your booth and message to attract only high-value prospects The importance of problem-first communication (not product features) Using smaller, local events as strategic proving grounds to test and optimize before big national shows.
How customer density drives repeatable sales models—and why most startups ignore this critical early move.
Bill brings a wealth of insight from years of helping companies sharpen their event strategy, align in-person sales and marketing around a shared goal, and stop wasting time chasing the wrong leads.
Some tips on standing out at your conference or show For founders and commercial leads looking to stand out on a crowded trade show floor and drive the right traffic to their booth, the winning combo is: interactive engagement, AI-powered tools, and a splash of unexpected delight. Here are a few expert-level ideas that go beyond the usual tchotchkes and posterboards:
1. AI-Powered Persona Match Quiz Set up a sleek iPad or touchscreen station at your booth where visitors can take a 1-minute interactive quiz:
"What kind of researcher/clinician/investor are you?" Use AI to match their responses to different solutions you offer—then hand them a personalized takeaway (PDF, print card, link to demo) that speaks directly to their use case or pain point.
2. Live ‘Problem Wall’ with Real-Time AI Ideation Dedicate part of your booth to a writable wall or digital board where attendees can post their biggest pain points. Behind the scenes, use GPT-based AI to generate potential ideas or reframed problem statements in real time.
3. Augmented Reality (AR) Demos with Immersive Layers Rather than handing someone a data sheet or trying to explain your tech on a static banner, use AR (through a phone or tablet) to let visitors overlay your product or system into their environment.
4. Post-Event AI Concierge Follow-Up Let booth visitors opt into a concierge-style AI follow-up. For example, after a scan or signup, they receive an email: "Hey, I saw you were interested in XYZ. Over the next 3 days, I’ll send you 3 short insights or case studies that might help."
5. Mini “Voice of the Industry” Video Booth Offer a quick video booth experience where attendees can record their thoughts on a specific industry challenge (30 sec max). Use AI transcription + summarization to compile a post-show “State of the Industry” montage or blog.
For deeper insights on life science and med device growth, check out my linkedin newsletter, Save Yourself. Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7154518390324281344
For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh. https://meshagency.com/
#LifeSciences #HealthcareInn
Tailor Your Pitch for VC | David Iannetta
23 Apr 2025
00:18:29
Connect with Dave Iannetta on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-iannetta/
Interested in getting 18+ Years of Cheat Codes, Perspective, and Tips for Surviving Marketing in Life Sciences and Medical Devices?
• Subscribe to Bill Schick’s Newsletter on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7154518390324281344
Or Connect with Bill directly on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/founderandcdo/
Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:55 Venture Capital Investors 03:09 Challenges of a Venture Investor Partnership 04:11 Building a Business Network to find Investors 05:00 The Key to Venture Investing: Clinical Validation 06:16 How to Build Credibility 07:45 Voice of the Customer 08:25 Major Risk for Life Science Companies 10:26 The Value of Building an Audience Before You Launch 11:49 Brand Building Case Study 13:54 Marketing Opportunities for Life Science Companies
About this Episode:
In part two of my conversation with seasoned marketing executive Dave Iannetta, we explore how life science and medtech companies must evolve their marketing strategy during the venture capital stage of funding. Unlike angel investors who often demand scientific granularity, VCs bring both capital and powerful networks—but expect startups to demonstrate growing market readiness, physician validation, and strategic focus.
Dave shares hard-earned lessons from his work in venture-backed firms, emphasizing that your messaging must shift from scientific promise to clinical credibility and commercial potential. We unpack the importance of engaging advisors early, not just as formal board members but as trusted text-message-level sounding boards. We also get into how continuous, informal feedback from KOLs and physician stakeholders strengthens your credibility with investors and sharpens your product roadmap.
Whether you're building your first advisory board or rethinking your investor pitch, this episode offers a blueprint for transforming market conversations into momentum—before your next funding milestone.
Featured Pro Tips:
One thing I’ve found while working as a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer for life science and medical device manufacturers that doesn’t get talked about enough is just how early you should start building relationships with your future KOLs. And I’m not talking about scheduling six-month advisory board meetings and waiting around for feedback. The smartest companies I’ve worked with treat those advisors more like co-conspirators—looping them in while ideas are still half-baked. Even a casual “Would this even fly in your world?” text can save months of wasted effort. It’s not formal yet, but that low-friction, ongoing cadence is what builds trust.
Another underused tactic? Taking KOLs out of the usual echo chamber. Instead of just showing them a slide deck, have them walk through your onboarding process, or react to messaging in the context of a real clinical workflow. When they experience it in the environment they actually operate in, you get feedback that’s 10x more actionable. And it signals that you care about more than their name—you care about their insight.
And here’s one more that’s deceptively powerful: co-creating early artifacts. Invite your most aligned advisors to help shape a single line of your positioning, a headline, or a product value statement. It doesn’t just make the messaging better—it builds a sense of ownership. When you eventually ask for a quote or support during a launch, they’re already invested. You're not asking them to sign off on your story—you’re asking them to amplify a story they helped shape.
For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh. https://meshagency.com/
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
Follow Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalmktggeek/ About Marc: Marc is a veteran digital marketing and communications professional with a proven record in medical devices, consumer goods, and industries ranging from industrial robotics to liquor and wine. He is shamelessly scientific & unapologetically passionate.
Using Omnichannel Marketing to Launch Your Digital Health Product | Kathleen Mitchell
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
Follow Kathleen Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/canadiankate/ About Kathleen: She is a Strategic marketing executive with 20+ years of experience leading growth and innovation across start-ups, nonprofit associations, mid-market companies, and global enterprises.
In this episode, I sit down with Kathleen Mitchell, a talented senior marketing leader, to explore the launch of a healthcare virtual pharmacy app in the Canadian market. We dive deep into omnichannel marketing strategies, discussing how to be ubiquitous and make an impact using all media channels. From social media to paid media to account-based marketing (ABM), learn how to master marketing in healthcare and maximize visibility in a competitive space.
This episode is particularly valuable for life sciences companies launching new products because it explores how to effectively reach a diverse and specialized audience. The strategies Kathleen shares—are critical for creating impactful, targeted campaigns that drive awareness and adoption. Life sciences companies can learn how to market their products in a highly competitive market, ensuring they're visible across all relevant channels and engaging key decision-makers with precision and relevance.
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
Follow Russ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russouellette/ Russ's Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@RussOuellette @RussOuellette
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Russ Ouellette, founder of Sojourn Partners, an executive coaching and leadership firm. We explore how to work with highly intelligent individuals, build strong leadership teams, and transform top contributors into effective leaders. With over 10,000 people coached, Dr. Ouellette shares key insights into building a culture of trust and accountability. Whether you're leading a team of bright minds or developing leadership within your organization, this episode offers practical strategies to help you succeed.
Dr. Ouellette offers powerful insights into creating a leadership culture in your organization, especially when working with smart, high-performing individuals. He explains why trust and accountability are the foundation of strong teams and how even the brightest contributors can struggle to transition into leadership roles without the right mentoring.
For life sciences companies, where innovation often depends on collaborative work across diverse teams, these lessons are key and often missed. Whether you're scaling a startup or running a large enterprise, fostering leadership at all levels helps ensure sustainable growth, adaptability, and success in competitive markets. Dr. Ouellette’s practical advice will help life science companies of all sizes build resilient leadership that drives both individual and organizational success.
In this episode, I’m joined by Kate French to explore the critical process of business case development in the life sciences industry. Whether you're conceptualizing a new product, enhancing an existing feature, or considering your next acquisition, developing a solid business case is the first essential step.
Kate, with her wealth of experience, shares insights on how to build business cases from the ground up—both organically for product development and inorganically for acquisitions. This episode is packed with practical tips for product managers and marketers working to secure investment and drive growth.
Kate breaks down the fundamentals of business case development, explaining its importance in securing internal investment for new products, features, or acquisitions. She shares her experiences in navigating the delicate balance between innovation and market needs, including how to justify or challenge ideas from R&D.
This episode offers practical advice for life sciences professionals on how to effectively present a business case that aligns with user demand and business objectives, making it an invaluable guide for driving product and company growth.
Forecasting your Exit (as a Life Science Company) | Dave Iannetta
22 Aug 2024
00:22:27
When it comes to product launches, we tend to hyperfocus on just simply getting everything to launch and we tend to leave the exit strategy to the end. On this episode of LifeSci Continuum, we are joined by David Iannetta as we learn that it is truly never too early to start preparing for your exit.
Preparing for your Life Science Product Launch | Christi Unger
22 Aug 2024
00:30:37
Launching a product is a rollercoaster for product managers and marketers. But jumping in right before the finish line is a different type of ride. In this episode, we are joined by Christi Unger as we discuss her experience launching life-science products and the lessons she learned.
The Keys for Building High Performance Life Science Teams | Kate French
22 Aug 2024
00:22:21
Without two important team traits, your team might be missing their mark. On this week's episode, Kate French joins us to talk about her experience working with engineering and what goes into building effective, high-performing teams in your life sciences company.
Welcome to LifeSci Continuum with Bill Schick | Podcast Introduction
04 Aug 2024
00:02:14
Kicking off the LifeSci Continuum, we are going to cover almost every aspect of Commercialization and product life cycle stage. From Launch to Exit, we go deep with expert interviews, tips, shortcuts, and best practices to help you level up.
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
Go Above & Beyond with Your Next Medical Device Launch (or Exit) | David Iannetta
04 Aug 2024
00:46:56
You might be thinking about highlighting the features and benefits of your medical device. Well, David Iannetta joins us to talk about how looking past the status quo could be the X-Factor for your next Product Launch (or Exit).
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
Contact Nara Daubeney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nara-daubeney/ _______________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:31 About Nara Daubeney PhD 04:25 Nara Daubeney’s Motivation 06:35 Demonstrating Value & Phaim Pharma 09:07 Start-up Founders Biggest Mistake 09:44 Nara Daubeney’s Philosophy 09:59 How to Communicate the Value of Your Life Science Company 12:08 How to Empathize with your Customer & Stakeholders 13:53 Identifying Your Target Audience 14:29 Example of Effective Messaging 15:45 Why Websites are Valuable for Life Science Companies 22:25 LinkedIn for Life Science Founders 25:58 Common Life Science Company Positioning and Messaging Mistakes 26:45 Leading with Authenticity in Life Sciences 29:23 Lessons for Life Science Marketing _______________________________
Bringing a brand-new autoimmune therapy to market can feel overwhelmingly complex—especially when you’re juggling scientific rigor, regulatory hurdles, and investor skepticism. Many life science founders struggle to communicate the true value of their innovation, leaving them overlooked in a saturated marketplace.
Imagine finally developing a game-changing treatment only to watch stakeholders shrug because they don’t fully grasp your therapeutic’s transformative potential. Or think about the uphill battle of securing funding when investors can’t see why your product stands out from the rest. Without a clear, compelling brand story and patient-centered messaging, brilliant solutions stay buried.
In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I speak with Dr. Nara Daubeney—CEO & Co-Founder of Phaim Pharma, surgeon, and biotech executive—about her journey in launching a new autoimmune therapy. She reveals how thoughtful storytelling, audience-focused messaging, and transparent value propositions can attract the right partners and propel clinical success.
From leveraging LinkedIn as a personal brand amplifier to crafting a website that educates and captivates, Dr. Daubeney shares actionable tips for life science entrepreneurs aiming to transform great ideas into real-world therapies.
For those tackling this on their own, consider these tips:
1. Many life science founders focus solely on product development during the early stages, neglecting the power of brand co-creation with their earliest customers. Identify a select group of early adopters—clinicians, researchers, or key opinion leaders—who not only test your solution but also help shape your brand’s narrative. By involving them in refining your brand message, you ensure it resonates with the real-world challenges and aspirations of your target audience. Their buy-in becomes a powerful form of social proof, showcasing authentic advocacy that sets you apart in a crowded marketplace.
2. Embed Scientific Rigor into Every Brand Touchpoint Pro Tip: Consistently Translate Complex Data into Clear, Insightful Narratives. In a field where trust hinges on evidence, your brand must radiate credibility at every turn—yet many life science teams only emphasize data in white papers or scientific conferences. Instead, weave simplified but accurate data-driven insights into marketing materials, pitch decks, and website copy.
3. Design Your Brand for Scalability from Day One Pro Tip: Establish a Modular Framework That Adapts to New Markets and Indications.
For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh. https://meshagency.com/
Product Management Basics (for Life Science Companies) | Jim Dembkoski
04 Aug 2024
00:59:37
On this episode, we are joined by Jim Dembkoski who is bringing 15 years of product management advice to the table. Join us as we discuss how Jim got into Product Management and the key lessons he learned along the way.
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
Follow Dave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-iannetta/ _______________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:37 Telling a Story that Resonates with Angel Investors 03:23 Case Study 05:40 How to Pitch to Angel Investors 07:15 What Angel Investors Actually Care About 09:10 Building Confidence in Angel Investors _______________________________ In this episode, I sit down again with seasoned marketing executive Dave Iannetta to explore how life science and med device companies can refine their marketing strategy based on where they stand in the fundraising journey.
We kick off by discussing angel investors—often deeply familiar with niche therapeutic areas—who demand more scientific detail and crave confidence in the path to clinical validation. Dave emphasizes that these early backers aren’t just sources of capital; they frequently bring networks and advisory expertise crucial for guiding pre-clinical or early-phase companies. As startups move toward VC or IPO stages, their narrative must evolve—focusing on broader market appeal, long-term viability, and the step-by-step milestones that validate their technology.
Throughout our conversation, we discuss how winning over different investor audiences hinges on adapting your message, demonstrating credibility through thoughtful planning, and clearly outlining your path to commercialization—even if it’s just a high-level preview in the early rounds.
Protips for our viewers:
1. Preemptive Future Staging
Pro Tip: Anticipate the Next Investor’s Questions Before You Even Land the Current Round. Seasoned founders don’t just satisfy the immediate audience; they also layer in hints of what VCs or public-market investors will want to see next—like clinical milestones or commercial frameworks. This helps you stay one step ahead, especially when angels (often experts in your space) start quizzing you on longer-term feasibility.
2. Convert Early Investors into Credibility Amplifiers Pro Tip: Leverage Angel Backers’ Expertise and Networks to Strengthen Your VC or IPO Pitch. The most experienced entrepreneurs recognize that angel investors—many of whom are industry veterans—can serve as potent evangelists to higher-level funders. Make them feel like partners in your success by actively soliciting their input and showcasing how their technical insights informed critical decisions.
3. Craft a Layered Pitch Deck Pro Tip: Design Multiple Versions of Your Deck, Each Calibrated to a Different Fundraising Stage. While angels crave deep scientific detail, VCs favor a clearer path to market, and IPO investors need a simplified “why invest now” narrative. Instead of one-size-fits-all materials, create layered versions that pivot on the fly. This agility signals to prospective investors that you deeply understand what they need to make a confident bet on your company.
For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh. https://meshagency.com/
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
How to Tailor Your Messaging to Each Awareness Stage and Accelerate Your Life Science Sales:
“Marketing doesn’t work for us.” Yeah, I hear that all the time.
Honestly though, half the time you’re delivering the wrong message to your buyer at the wrong time.
Impossible you say?
If you’re not delivering the right message at the right stage of your buyers’ awareness, you’re not just missing a sale—you’re actually actively turning prospects off.
With irrelevant messaging, your once-promising leads disengage, trust erodes, and your marketing dollars go to waste.
Don’t tell me… you’ve been pouring months of effort (and dollars) into campaigns, only to see prospects slip away because they either don’t recognize their own problem yet or feel bombarded with brand pitches before understanding why your solution matters.
Each misaligned message is a huge missed opportunity and a step closer to losing market share. In this episode, I break down the five stages of awareness, showing you how to pinpoint exactly where your prospects stand and adjust your messaging so it resonates.
Backed by real-life examples from the life sciences space, these insights will help you deliver precisely what your audience needs, when they need it—turning cold leads into engaged prospects and ultimately driving more conversions.
3 Buyer Awareness Insights for Life Sciences: If you’re serious about growing your company, you really need to be firing on all cylinders (or energy cells?):
Pro Tip #1: Beyond Prospect Personas, Identify Secondary Influencers.
You probably assume the decision-maker is the person in your marketing database, but in life sciences, there’s often a hidden web of KOLs, purchasing committees, or department heads influencing the sale.
By mapping these secondary stakeholders and understanding their unique needs and awareness levels, you can create content paths that reach and resonate with all parties involved—well before a formal buying decision is even on the table.
Pro Tip #2: Use Specific Engagement Cues to Pinpoint Awareness Stage.
Instead of categorizing prospects by broad funnel stages, look for granular behavioral signals—like the types of research papers they download, the complexity of webinar content they consume, or the specificity of their search queries on your site.
These micro-signals can reveal whether they’re just waking up to the problem or already deep in solution exploration. Aligning your messaging based on these nuanced cues helps you deliver precisely the level of technical detail, proof, and urgency they need at that moment.
Better yet, rather than create any and all types of content, focus your limited content creation resources to developing specific content that maps this journey.
Pro Tip #3: Educate the Market Months Before They Know They Have a Problem.
Too many companies focus solely on late-stage branding or solution pitches.
Instead, seed your market months in advance with educational content on emerging challenges and subtle shifts in clinical practice or research methodology.
By the time your prospects realize they have a problem, they’re more than likely to recall your educational content and brand as the one who first put it on their radar. This “pre-awareness” cultivation strategy dramatically shortens the gap between their initial recognition of a problem and seeing your company as a trusted authority with the solution.
For more information on marketing your life sciences brand, check out this blog post: Life Science Marketing: A Comprehensive
How (and Why) to Maintain a Customer-Centric Focus When Planning Your Exit | Glenn Hanner
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I'm thrilled to reconnect with Glenn Hanner as we dig into a critical challenge that many life science leaders face: the danger of tunnel vision when planning for an exit. Often, the excitement of an exit strategy can overshadow the need to establish a strong foundation and deliver on the promised value to customers. Glenn and I pull from our experiences to discuss how companies can balance long-term strategic goals with immediate customer-centric needs to avoid costly oversights.
Glenn and I explore how companies can get so fixated on the endgame that they neglect the foundational work necessary for sustainable growth, from quality assurance to customer satisfaction. Glenn shares examples from his career, illustrating how failing to invest in fundamentals can derail even the best-laid plans for an IPO or acquisition. This episode is a must-listen for life science professionals aiming to build lasting value, not just chase short-term wins.
For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh. https://meshagency.com/
00:00 Intro 01:45 Examples of Investors Affecting a Life Science Company’s Exit Strategy 04:40 Mistakes Caused By Rushing an Exit 06:37 Regulatory Oversight in Med Tech 08:25 Example of a Med Tech Product that was Rushed to Market 09:58 Lessons & Regrets from a Med Tech Marketing Associate 12:34 The Most Important Asset for a Med Tech Start Up Company 13:52 Delivering on the Value Proposition 14:14 Life Science Career Mistakes & Regrets 15:20 Examples of a Good Exit Strategy 17:00 The Ins & Outs of Life Science Regulation 18:56 The Value of Good Leadership 20:35 Why Marketing Function is Different in Every Industry 22:05 Alignment Between Marketing & Business Goals 24:42 A Book that Every Marker Should Read - Positioning by Al Ries & Jack Trout 25:24 Psychology & Bad Landing Pages 26:07 Storytelling 26:55 Your Customer’s Needs
Life Science Marketing Agencies Exposed: Top Secrets Revealed | Marc Frechette
This is the chat life science marketing agencies don’t want clients to watch.
In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I'm joined again by Marc Frechette.
In this episode, Marc and I pull back the curtain on life science digital marketing agencies. Both of us have been on both sides: we've hired agencies as clients and worked inside them, so we know the dirt.
We dig deep into common pitfalls agencies face, and by extension, their clients, like lack of actionable insights in reports, misunderstood keyword strategies that drive clicks but not leads, and vague campaign objectives. We reveal how agencies often focus on vanity metrics instead of meaningful results, and why their hundreds-page reports are often impossible to act on.
Our conversation goes beyond the surface, addressing how agencies miss the mark on critical analysis, how SEO and ads are often poorly executed, and the frustrations clients face with vague, hollow campaign promises. But we don’t just stop there. We also discuss what companies can do to get big wins, what to demand from your agency, and how to actually turn your digital marketing investment into tangible growth.
This is a candid, no-holds-barred conversation about the real issues that plague life sciences marketing, and it’s packed with practical advice you can start using today. If you’ve ever felt like your agency was missing the mark or wondered how to drive real ROI from your marketing campaigns, this episode is for you.
Establishing metrics and KPIs right from the start is critical because they provide a clear framework for measuring success and guiding strategy. For life science startups, these metrics ensure that every decision—whether it’s marketing, product development, or customer engagement—is data-driven, allowing you to assess what’s working and pivot quickly if needed.
For life science founders, the most important awareness metrics should directly impact your company's strategic goals and align with the complexity of the industry. Here’s a deep dive into critical metrics:
Number of Cold Prospects Warmed Up for Retargeting: Measure how many cold social media prospects you’ve engaged through educational or entertaining content and can now target with remarketing efforts.
Qualified Leads Generated: Track high-quality leads from key life science decision-makers, not just volume.
Referral Sources from Scientific Communities: Assess awareness driven by reputable scientific publications and communities.
Content Engagement by Key Decision-Makers: Monitor downloads of technical resources by your target audience.
Organic Search Traffic from High-Intent Keywords: Ensure you rank for specific, high-intent scientific keywords relevant to your products.
Scientific Citations/Backlinks from Reputable Journals: Measure authority-building citations and backlinks from trusted journals.
As a fractional CMO in the life sciences, I can help you establish, track, and optimize the right metrics and KPIs that align with your business objectives. This includes defining what success looks like for your specific stage of growth, whether it's early lead generation, nurturing prospects, or moving toward commercialization. I'll ensure that your marketing efforts are measured using data-driven insights, helping to identify opportunities, optimize campaigns, and make informed decisions to accelerate growth and ROI while minimizing wasteful efforts.
For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh. https://meshagency.com/
Get More Leads with Customer Value Journey Mapping | Kathleen Mitchell
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I'm joined again by Kathleen Mitchell as we dive into B2B content mapping and how to align your content strategy with overall business objectives. We explore the importance of customer-centric campaigns, from creating content that resonates with target audiences to nurturing leads through content refreshes and retargeting efforts.
Kathleen also shares insights on understanding your customer’s value journey, and how this knowledge can enhance content marketing, ensuring your efforts are continuously engaging and relevant.
Are you struggling to make your content marketing efforts truly impactful? Maybe you've been creating tons of blog posts, white papers, or emails but still aren’t seeing the engagement or conversions you expected. Chances are, you're missing a critical step—connecting your content with your customer's actual journey. Without a clear strategy, even great content can fall flat, failing to move your prospects through the sales funnel. That’s where content mapping comes in.
Content mapping aligns your content with the stages of your customer value journey, ensuring that your messaging not only attracts attention but also nurtures leads and builds trust along the way. See, you might be producing relevant content, but is it reaching your audience at the right time? Are you providing the answers they need when they are looking for them? That’s where the real magic happens—targeted, timely content.
Today, content quickly becomes stale. A white paper from a year ago, no matter how in-depth or well-researched, may no longer hold the attention of your audience. Trends evolve, new competitors emerge, and what was once a high-performing blog post may now struggle to rank in search results. With content mapping, you continuously refresh it, optimizing keywords and repurposing it for different stages of your buyer's journey, ensuring it stays relevant and engaging.
Your content strategy should guide prospects toward a purchasing decision. With a well-constructed content map, you can plan specific assets for the awareness stage—where your audience first realizes they have a problem—through to the consideration stage, where they evaluate different solutions, and finally, the decision stage, where you help them feel confident in choosing your product or service.
More importantly, content mapping allows for retargeting. It ensures that if a potential customer leaves your site after consuming a piece of content, you can continue to engage with them across platforms, pulling them back in with tailored follow-ups that address their evolving needs.
The benefits go beyond better engagement. When you align content with business goals, you’re creating a system that not only nurtures leads but moves them forward through the pipeline with precision. Whether you're educating potential customers, addressing their pain points, or reinforcing your solution’s value, content mapping provides structure and clarity to your strategy.
Stop wasting time on random acts of content creation. Get strategic with content mapping and start turning your content into a powerful lead-nurturing machine.
For more specialized help with growth, check out my firm, Mesh. https://meshagency.com/
How to Start a Life Science Company: Busting 3 New Founder Misconceptions | Karthik Ramachandran
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I'm joined by Karthik Ramachandran, a Biotech Executive and Co-Founder of Likarda, to tackle three major misconceptions that new life science founders face.
We examine critical challenges like customer acquisition, the “build it and they will come” fallacy, and understanding the information customers need to make high-stakes purchasing decisions. Karthik shares insights from his journey as a scientist turned entrepreneur, offering valuable advice on business planning, product development, and navigating the complex world of biotech startups.
The "Build It and They Will Come" Fallacy
The "build it and they will come" fallacy is the mistaken belief that simply creating a great product will automatically attract customers. Many life science startups fall into this trap because they focus heavily on product development and assume that their innovative solution will naturally generate interest and sales.
However, without a well-thought-out marketing, sales, and customer acquisition strategy, even groundbreaking products struggle to gain traction. In life sciences, this is particularly problematic because the markets are niche, highly competitive, and require deep customer education and engagement for success.
To learn more about the Build it and They Will Come fallacy or myth, what contributes to it, and how you can overcome it, check out my blog: https://meshagency.com/life-sciences-misconceptions-the-build-it-and-they-will-come-fallacy-a-myth-busted/
Scientists, clinicians, and engineers often fall prey to the "build it and they will come" fallacy because they are trained to focus on solving technical problems and developing innovative solutions. They assume that if the product is scientifically sound or technically advanced, it will naturally attract interest.
However, they may underestimate the importance of customer education, marketing, and the complexities of market adoption. Additionally, their expertise in research and development can lead to a bias toward the product’s capabilities rather than the customer’s needs or market readiness.
Here are three things life science founders can do to avoid or overcome the "build it and they will come" fallacy: 1. Develop a Customer-Centric Strategy Early: Engage potential customers from the start through interviews, focus groups, or surveys to understand their needs and ensure product-market fit. 2. Create a Go-to-Market Plan: Build a marketing and sales strategy that includes how to reach customers, educate them, and create demand for the product. 3. Prioritize Partnerships and Networking: Collaborate with key opinion leaders (KOLs), healthcare institutions, and industry influencers to build credibility and accelerate adoption.
For more specialized help with growing your life science company, check out my firm, Mesh Agency. https://meshagency.com/
Video Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BillSchickFCMO Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2380430
In this episode of LifeSci Continuum, I’m joined by Glenn Hanner, FCMO and experienced marketing leader in the industry to explore how life sciences companies can tap into the power of storytelling and the voice of the customer to create product differentiation and develop new market niches.
Glenn shares his insights on turning customer feedback into compelling marketing messages, building strong product positioning, and crafting stories that resonate emotionally with end-users. From copywriting to crafting a go-to-market strategy, this episode covers critical aspects of successful life sciences marketing.
He discusses how leveraging the voice of the customer is pivotal in driving product differentiation and creating new market opportunities in life sciences. By deeply understanding customer pain points and needs, companies can tailor their marketing strategies to solve specific problems, offering unique value.
Glenn also emphasizes the importance of using emotionally engaging storytelling and clear, concise copywriting to communicate this value, ensuring your product resonates with both technical and non-technical audiences. Additionally, we dive into the process of carving out new niches by listening to customers and creating solutions that fill unmet needs. This episode offers practical guidance on how to stand out in a crowded market while keeping the customer at the center of your strategy.
Why are we focusing on voice of customer?
Technical and science-based founders in life sciences often overlook the voice of customer because they tend to approach product development from a problem-solving mindset. They assume that the issues they perceive will be equally apparent and valued by the market. This leads them to believe that customers will automatically recognize the value of their innovation, especially when it solves a technical or scientific challenge. However, customers may not always share the same priorities, and without direct feedback, founders risk creating products that don’t align with real-world needs or user preferences. Additionally, these founders often undervalue the importance of marketing and customer insight, assuming that the superior functionality of their solution will drive demand on its own.
This disconnect stems from a belief that a product’s technical brilliance will lead to adoption, but in reality, the customer’s experience and perceived value often dictate success. Listening to customers helps align product features, messaging, and benefits with what matters most to the market, ensuring the solution is seen as essential and not just an interesting innovation.
Here are three quick tips to work around the tendency of technical founders to overlook the voice of the customer: 1. Engage Early with End Users: Involve potential customers from the product ideation stage through user surveys, interviews, or focus groups. Their input will reveal whether the perceived problem and solution resonate with them. 2. Create Customer Personas: Develop detailed customer personas based on real data to ensure the product and messaging align with the actual needs and priorities of the target audience. 3. Iterate Based on Feedback: Implement feedback loops to regularly refine product features, positioning, and messaging based on customer reactions and market demand.