Abstract
Markets are not homogeneous. Life science customers vary on many dimensions and often can be grouped together on one or more characteristics. Suppliers need to identify which of these market segments they can serve effectively. Such decisions require the correct mix of two important elements: insight into consumer behavior and careful strategic planning. In the seventh edition of our best-selling report, Marketing to Life Scientists, we conducted an in-depth examination of the opinions and preferences of life science customers.
For the first time ever, the report features the results of a CHAID analysis (Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector), which is an established statistical technique used for market segmentation analyses. CHAID allows suppliers to identify the key drivers or influences in specific markets. These significant drivers can be any combination of survey variables: demographic, behavioral or attitudinal. The results of these analyses will enable suppliers to determine how best to promote different communications channels to niche markets.
Based on a 49-question survey of over 2,000 life scientists from North America, this report includes answers to the following critical questions:
- 1. How do life scientists typically learn about new products and services?
- 2. Which life science supplier is considered the "best-in-class" in each major promotional channel?
- 3. Where do customers turn to find information on companies and products?
- 4. How do life science customers prefer to receive information in order to make a purchase decision?
- 5. What patterns, trends and discrepancies emerge in how life scientists perceive and react to promotional techniques most commonly used by suppliers?
Table of Contents
Section 1. Analysis and Interpretation of Survey Results
- Overview:
- 1-1 Customizing a Marketing Segmentation Strategy
- 1-2 Increasing the Efficiency of Niche Marketing
- 1-3 Measuring the Effectiveness of Key Marketing Channels
- Marketing Channels:
- 1-5 Vendor Web Sites and Online Registration
- 1-7 Vendor Emails
- 1-11 Printed Catalogs
- 1-15 Scientific Meetings and Exhibit Halls
- 1-19 Print Advertising
- 1-23 Sales Reps
- 1-27 Direct Mail
- Segment Spotlight:
- 1-29 Bridging the Gender Divide
- 1-31 Connecting with Pharmaceutical and Biotech Scientists
- Conclusion:
- 1-33 Integrating Marketing Communications: Looking Toward the Future
Section 2. Study Methodology and Demographics
- 2-1 Methodology
- 2-4 Definition of Terms
- 2-6 Demographics
- 2-8 Questionnaire
Section 3. Presentation of Survey Data
- Learning Ab Learning About New Products and Services out New Products and
Services
- 3-1 Most common ways to learn about vendors and their products and services
- 3-2 Most influential factors in deciding to purchase a new product or service
- 3-3 Importance of obtaining information in the native language
- Printed Catalogs
- 3-5 Most likely action on receiving an unsolicited catalog
- 3-7 Importance of specific features in a print catalog
- 3-9 Importance of receiving a print catalog if the information is available on the Web
- 3-10 Vendor with the most useful print catalog
- Vendor Web Sites
- 3-11 Location of computer used most often in the lab
- 3-12 Average hours per week spent visiting vendor Web sites
- 3-13 Usefulness of specific features of vendor Web sites
- 3-15 Type of email address used when signing up for information at a vendor Web site
- 3-16 Types of personal information often inaccurately reported when signing up for information on a vendor Web site
- 3-17 Reasons of most interest when receiving an email from a vendor
- 3-18 Types of vendors from whom respondents are likely to open unsolicited email
- 3-19 Vendor with the most useful Web site
- Direct Mail--Print
- 3-21 Average number of direct mail pieces received per week
- 3-22 Percent of direct mail opened
- 3-23 Influential factors in deciding to open and read unsolicited mai
- 3-24 Preferred course of action when more information is needed
- 3-25 Importance of printed technical newsletters when the information is available on the vendor's Web site
- Sales Representatives
- 3-27 Activities that contribute to the effectiveness of sales reps
- 3-29 Reasons of most interest when receiving an unsolicited phone call from a sales rep
- 3-30 Number of vendor on-site "mini-shows" attended in the last 12 months
- 3-31 Usefulness of the information provided at the on-site "mini-shows"
- 3-32 Vendor with the best-trained, most effective sales reps
- Print Advertising
- 3-33 Most valuable professional journals or publications
- 3-34 Factors that most often draw attention to a print ad
- 3-35 Frequency of requesting more information from a vendor immediately after seeing a print ad
- 3-36 Most likely reaction to an interesting print ad
- 3-37 Vendor with the best print ads
- Scientific Meetings and Exhibit Halls
- 3-39 Number of major scientific meetings respondents plan to attend in 2006
- 3-40 Percent of time at a scientific meeting spent visiting exhibitor booths
- 3-41 Factor that is most likely to cause a visit to a vendor's booth
- 3-42 Preferred scientific meeting 3-43 "Coolest" vendor booth
- Relative Effectiveness
- 3-45 Preferred method of learning about new products
- Demographics
Section 4. Appendices
- 4-1 Insights and Perspectives
- 4-69 Cross-Tabulations of Survey Data
- 4-97 CHAID Results
- 4-99 Reclassification of Verbatim Responses
- 4-103 Other Recent Publications
- 4-105 About BioInformatics
- 4-107 Our Valued Clients
