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The dental industry is addicted to print like America is addicted to oil
High commodity prices got me to thinking about the media industry, and specifically the addiction to expensive and environmentally harmful commodities. Here's my proposition:
The dental industry is addicted to print like America is addicted to oil.
Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good things about magazines and I am a subscriber to a few--but in the dental industry and many b2b markets you don't even have to subscribe to get these dead trees delivered to your door. No. Companies actually buy your name and waste money trying to get your attention for ads purchased on a circulation statement backed up by...you guessed it...names purchased from 3rd parties. In fact, for magazines like Dentaltown (according to Decmber 2007 BPA numbers Paragraph 3b. Section V) over 49% of their circulation is derived from "other" including the "AMI General Dentist List" When you visit the AMI website, the URL reads www.esalesleads.com. Translation: these people did not personally request to have the magazine delivered. In fact, it's much like all the junk mail we get on a daily basis. I don't know about everyone else, but rarely am I inclined to have a trusting relationship with the people who send me junk mail and spam. Just thinking out loud here.
Not to mention the environmental impact of creating and shipping all these issues across the country.
This could be one of the reasons why analysts and media watchers are discussing a flight to measurable media--because when someone visits a website searching for a product or article, they are qualified by their presence and continued visits to the website. It is a voluntary action rather than involuntary (getting junk mail I never requested). This will be an important topic for manufacturers as budgets tighten in the coming months and will force some hard decisions and hopefully some hard analysis.
The dental industry is addicted to print like America is addicted to oil.
Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good things about magazines and I am a subscriber to a few--but in the dental industry and many b2b markets you don't even have to subscribe to get these dead trees delivered to your door. No. Companies actually buy your name and waste money trying to get your attention for ads purchased on a circulation statement backed up by...you guessed it...names purchased from 3rd parties. In fact, for magazines like Dentaltown (according to Decmber 2007 BPA numbers Paragraph 3b. Section V) over 49% of their circulation is derived from "other" including the "AMI General Dentist List" When you visit the AMI website, the URL reads www.esalesleads.com. Translation: these people did not personally request to have the magazine delivered. In fact, it's much like all the junk mail we get on a daily basis. I don't know about everyone else, but rarely am I inclined to have a trusting relationship with the people who send me junk mail and spam. Just thinking out loud here.
Not to mention the environmental impact of creating and shipping all these issues across the country.
This could be one of the reasons why analysts and media watchers are discussing a flight to measurable media--because when someone visits a website searching for a product or article, they are qualified by their presence and continued visits to the website. It is a voluntary action rather than involuntary (getting junk mail I never requested). This will be an important topic for manufacturers as budgets tighten in the coming months and will force some hard decisions and hopefully some hard analysis.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by James Galt on -
Given your position, you clearly have a vested interest in web vs. mail - but many independent suppliers find it effective to use a multichannel approach. In order to prevent oligopolies in this market (its already close enough to one w/ Benco, HSIC and PDCO), we must remember that limiting any method of communication with customers inherently harms the smaller independent and empowers the large supply houses (which already force vendors to terminate relationships with independents), discouraging competition. This is not good for anyone, save the shareholders.
If you are worried about the environmental impact, there are better places to invest your time. Lands End mails out 425 million catalogs a year, Victoria's Secret (395mm, also more than 1mm a day), and countless other retailers.
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Permalink Reply by John Schwartz on -
I couldn't agree with you more--there need to be multiple, quality touchpoints with the dentist. I guess my main point is that we need to really assess the quality of those touchpoints. Certainly I will be an advocate for online, but much of my background is in print and I believe in having several strong trade publications that are truly influential. Further, I have no issues with direct mail--it delivers a predictable return rate.
However, I am interested in how we all become more efficient and how we can leverage the internet to get better at the marketing we do. I will use this forum we are on as an example: what if manufacturers and dealers leveraged the web to generate more useful dialog with their clients in a setting like this? What could they learn from their clients that they are not learning by sending them another catalog or 2 for 1 offer? I could be naive about this, but I think it would help them innovate and serve the dentist in a new way and involve the sales professional in this process. Unfortunately we have a system where meaningful discussion of these issues is balkanized among a few factions that operate their own message boards. Could the manufacturers and dealers lead the way instead? Just thinking out loud and would love some feedback.
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Permalink Reply by Nancy Sakaduski on -
For those who are truly concerned about the environmental impact of excessive printed materials, here's a great resource: catalogchoice.org. It's a nonprofit organization that allows you to opt out of mailed catalogs such as Lands End and Victoria's Secret (and a few thousand others). It's very simple, and it really works. We have cut our mailbox load by at least 2/3 (it works for catalogs only, not magazines).
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Permalink Reply by Dental Sales Rep on -
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Permalink Reply by Dental Sales Rep on
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The main stream media seem to have figured out that they need to have a web based presence to offset the declining readership on the print side. Print will survive, but it may turn out to be an adjunct to a web based service instead of the other way around. The nice thing about the web is the user created feedback and the ability to access breaking news as it happens.
DSP
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Permalink Reply by Greg Books on -
It isn't possible to make a market for an innovative product over the web alone. Consumers will look for what they know...and any innovation is inherintly an unknown. If your product requires learning, it has to be sold proactively. Print is one of the few ways to get information in front of potential users who have never heard of your technology. Web sales are reactive and passive, and depend on people coming to you.
The connundrum in innovation in dentistry is this: dentists stop looking for new technology after finishing school. New technology is always disruptive. Disruption is never sought out...and if a manufacturer depends on word of mouth to drive people to a website, they can be assured that what the dentists think they know about the new technology is absolutely wrong...which dooms the sale.
So in short, mail, face to face, and print ads are always going to be among us. For those who sell the myriad of "me too" products on price alone, the web is wonderful. For anyone who is truly innovating, the web won't work.
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Created by Dental Sales Rep May 14, 2008 at 7:30pm. Last updated by Dental Sales Rep Dec 9, 2010.
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