PR Tips for Medical Device Product Launch

This is a new, trust-based economy. As advertising effectiveness decreases, the value of articles and other quality content increases. Fresh and on-message PR helps your company gain visibility as well as credibility among investors, customers, and industry peers. High-quality, relevant press releases offer:

• Perception of an active and growing company
• Happy investors and bankers due to local visibility
• Keyword opportunities when posted on your website
• Share-worthy stories for social media
• Some linking value for SEO
• An expert resource for journalists

Despite these benefits, we've found that many of the medical device and tech companies we work with don't often (or ever) write press releases. Many of these companies simply don’t realize that what they're doing is newsworthy. They're innovating, inventing, and growing, but they’re not sure what activities to share or how to share them. It's our job to help clients recognize newsworthy stories and tell them in a way that’s informative and compelling. 

Find New Angles

Various activities can merit a press release, from a new website to a strategic hire. For a new product launch, look to promote newsworthy topics and angles besides the launch itself. For example:

• Initial testing or work being done with a prototype
• Quality certification or approval
• Awards or recognition
• New or updated product documentation, website, or other content
• Customer case study
• Political visits or tours
• Emerging applications for your technology
• Key new hires (if they are an entry into new markets or offer customer value)
• Training programs or other educational initiatives
• Expansion or investment
• Milestone units sold (1K, 1M, etc.)

While you likely won't be writing all of these press releases every time you launch a new product, the list should give you a better idea of the different stories you can tell. See the video presentation below for example press release headlines and timing. 

Capitalize on Current Events

Another way to make your news stories more compelling is to tie them into current events. Some timely topics for the medical device industry include:

• Rapid diagnosis and treatment options for COVID and other infectious diseases
• Artificial Intelligence 
• Robotics and automation 
• Wearables
• Point-of-care diagnostics 
• The Internet of Medical Things 
• Personalization through genomic testing 
• Reducing waste and emissions
• Cybersecurity and privacy
• Onshoring and medical supply chain security
• Equity in healthcare  
• 5G technology and remote patient monitoring 
• 3D printing 
• Virtual reality training 

Press releases are a great medium through which to answer: How is your company or product helping to address pressing industry concerns or changes? Just make sure that your "newsjacking" is tactful; don't mention a topic or event unless it truly applies to your story — even if it is a trending topic on social media.