marketing a startup biotech?

[Jeswin]

Hey guys,
I've been working at startup biotech company since the beginning of
the year named Reniguard Life Sciences. Our core piece of tech is
real-time PCR. After much troubleshooting and optimizing, we are able
to get some kits (a set of BRaF and KRas mutant gene detection PCR
reagents) together. We also provide a bunch of services like
mutagenesis and detecting counterfeit natural fabrics (or any other
material that we can develop an assay for).

Now I got to try to figure out how to market our services and kits.
The way we get business now is through personal connections and
word-of-mouth. We want to reach more people. I know some people here
probably have start-ups. Any tips on this?

Thanks,
Jeswin

[Cory Geesaman]

You might try finding regional sales reps that work for a cut of the sales (never deal with sales reps using flat fees) and take out ads in any relevant publications and journals you can afford.  If you use online advertising make sure you use your own tracking mechanisms that will trace leads/sales generated from any particular advertisement directly (no sense in paying for ad campaigns that don't produce leads/sales).

[Nathan McCorkle]

Seems like fabric boutique importers would be a good area to think
about advertising (emailing). Can you test and verify silk?

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--
Nathan McCorkle
Rochester Institute of Technology
College of Science, Biotechnology/Bioinformatics

[Jeswin]

On Sat, Aug 25, 2012 at 5:09 PM, Nathan McCorkle <nmz...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Seems like fabric boutique importers would be a good area to think
> about advertising (emailing). Can you test and verify silk?
>

Not sure about silk; isn't that a secretion? Is there DNA in it? Maybe
if the substitute material is DNA testable.

Anyway, our target leads are in a narrow area i.e. bio-labs, viral
labs, and specialty testing of DNA. We don't want to buy an ad
somewhere and not have the target audience see it.

I doubt people appreciate cold-emails (spam?). Maybe if I can figure
out how to use Linkedin properly.

[Meow-Ludo]

I have found phone calls work really well. After that send a follow-up email recounting the main points discussed over the phone and a message saying you are looking forward to working with them if the opportunity arises. This way they have your details in their email, and can find it easily via search functionality. It also turns you from an ad wanting to sell them stuff,  into a human being with a voice.

Sometimes the suppliers of your reagents can give you leads too. This is especially helpful in niche industry as they contact a lot of people that you might not even be aware about. If you can organise to have a coffee with your sales rep, you might find this to be really beneficial. I have helped out my rep by giving her contacts inside the uni and smoothed contact between them, and she has helped by introducing clients. This is reasonably common from my understanding.

Hope that helps!