How To Use Voice of Customer to Differentiate Your Medical Device | Glenn Hanner

LifeSci Continuum with Bill Schick

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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.
#LifeSciences #HealthcareInnovation #ProductMarketing