Hello jetdiagnostic,
Thank you for your question.
I previously held the post of Director of Marketing for an ophthalmic
digital imaging manufacturer. Our products were manufactured in the US
and sold world wide. As is the case with many similar companies, we
found that the use of local medical equipment representative or
distribution companies proved to be invaluable as they were familiar
with the territory, the customer base and often had personal
relationships with the thought leaders of their countries.
Exposure for the products and introductions to and discussions with
foreign distributors always occurred at international meetings or
conferences (the terms used for trade shows in the medical business).
Exposure to the end user was accomplished from these shows as well,
and we utilized both advertising in medical journals and the Latin
American editions of these journals and direct mail prior to each
major international meeting inviting these potential customers to see
what we had new. We would rent mailing lists from the major medical
organizations prior to each meeting to be sure we had current
information for those attending the conference.
I am more of a marketing specialist than a medical specialist. It
appears that since your camera is swallowed, you may have multiple
modalities that you will choose to explore and exhibit to. These
international meetings are far from inexpensive - my yearly budget for
just my "main" meeting was close to $350,000 including booth,
advertising, travel, etc., though could be done for much less at a
small booth with less people to work the show than the 25 I required.
But the point being, you may do well "testing the waters" and
establishing yourself in the Latin Market by doing regional shows if
you speak the language or in consort with your local regional reps.
Depending on the price and profit margin you offer your regional reps,
they may bear the cost of local shows and meetings themselves where
they will show not only your products, but complimentary products from
other manufacturers as well.
You will have to do financial projections to estimate what you believe
your gross sales will be, what your gross profits will be, what
percentage of gross profit can be allocated to marketing and then
apportion that projected budget over direct mail, international and
regional meetings and print advertising in appropriate journals. Just
as a rough guideline, my company set aside 10% of gross sales for
marketing budget yearly which included advertising, trade shows,
direct mail, demos, booth, rentals and employee salaries. It did not
include travel, hotels, entertainment and meals, cell or auto expenses
- all which were part of the sales budget. Your budgeting may be
similar, or very different depending on your sales, margins and
financial resources.
I began to search for appropriate venues for endoscopy. For example,
searching endoscopy +"international meeting" OR "trade show" , I find:
EndoNurse.com lists the following meeting for Gastroenterology"
http://www.endonurse.com/resource.html
30th Annual Course of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and
Associates
May 16-21, 2003
Atlanta, GA
(312) 527-6658
104th Annual Meeting of the AGA, The American Gastroenterology
Association
May 18-21, 2003
Orlando, FL
membership@gastro.org, www.gastro.org
ASCRS, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Annual Convention
June 22-23, 2003
New Orleans, LA
diannekubis@eai.com
www.fascrs.org
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Annual Convention
June 23-26, 2003
New Orleans, LA
diannekubis@eai.com
www.fascrs.org
American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting
October 24-29, 2003
New York, NY
www.acg.gi.org
31st Annual Course of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and
Associates
May 14-19, 2004
Dallas, Texas
(312) 527-6658
Digestive Disease Week, 105th Annual Meeting of the AGA, The American
Gastroenterology Association
May 15-18, 2004
New Orleans, LA
www.ddw.org
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Annual Meeting
May 16-19, 2004
New Orleans, LA
(978) 526-4018
32nd Annual Course of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and
Associates
May 13-18, 2005
Minneapolis, MN
www.sgna.org
Digestive Disease Week, 106th Annual Meeting of AGA, The American
Gastroenterology Association
May 14-20, 2005
ddwadmin@gastr.org, www.ddw.org
Currently, there is a meeting for the Congress for Endoscopy in
Children in Los Angeles:
http://www.ipeg.org/
A translated page of South American meetings that are pertinent
appears here at Galenored.com:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.galenored.com/profesional/congresos/gastro.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522American%2BSociety%2Bfor%2BGastrointestinal%2BEndoscopy%2BAnnual%2BMeeting%2522%26num%3D50%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8
These are the kinds of small meetings your selected local
representatives should be familiar with and can advise you as to their
value for marketing your products.
The Doctor's Guide, International Edition lists these meetings for
gastroenterology:
http://www.docguide.com/crc.nsf/web-bySpecDisp?OpenForm&spec=Gastroenterology
Another list of meetings in the Americas can be found here:
http://www.omge.org/cgi-bin/events.pl?mode=list®ion=AME
And another at OMED - the World Organization for Digestive Endoscopy
with these that pertain to your needs:
http://www.omed.org/gi-mee.htm
February 3-7, 2003
Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
Mayo Foundation Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2003
Mayo School of Continuing Medical Education
200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905
Tel 800-323-2688 or 507-284-2509, FAX 507-284-0532
cme@mayo.edu
February 16-21, 2003
Cancun Mexico
Abdominal Radiology Postgradute Course 2003
Karen Schmitt
Phone: 713-965-0566
Fax: 713-960-0488
E-Mail: arc@meetingmanagers.com
February 27, March 2, 2003
Miami, USA
4th Americas Congress of the American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary
Association
Hannah Wilson
Phone: 1-615-343-2735
Fax: 1-615-343-5365
E-Mail: Hannah.Wilson@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
March 7-9, 2003
San Juan, Portorico
Digestive Diseases at the Caribbean: XIII- Review on Liver diseases
Dr.Rafael A. Mosquera
Phone: 787-850-1244
Fax: 787-285-1634
E-Mail: mosquera@caribe.net
March 20--23, 2003
Hollywood, FL, USA
Hepatobiliary Disease in Clinical Practice: Update XV
Contact: Division of Continuing Medical Education
University of Miami School of Medicine
PO Box 016960 (D23-3)
Miami, FL. 33101
Phone: 305-243-6716 or call toll free: 1-800-U-OF-M-CME
Fax: 305-243-5613 (800-863-6263)
Email: oreyes@med.miami.edu umcme@med.miami.edu
April 24, 2003 - April 27, 2003
Fort de France Martinique
2003 Annual Meeting of the Association of West Indian
Gastroenterologists
Association of West Indian Gastroenterologists Tel 1-603-388-3738
obarrow@awig.org
May 14-19, 2003 - May 21, 2003
Dallas United States
31st Annual Course of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and
Associates
Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc,
401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-4267
Phone: 800-245-7462 / 312/321-5165
Fax: 312-527-6658
May 16, 2003 - May 21, 2003
Atlanta GA United States
30th Annual Course of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and
Associates
Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc, 401 North
Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-4267
Tel 800-245-7462 / 312-321-5165 Fax 312-527-6658
May 18, 2003 - May 21, 2003
Orlando FL United States
Digestive Disease Week 2003
DDW Administration, Tel 301-272-0022 Fax 301-654-3978
ddwadmin@gastro.org
May 22, 2003 - May 23, 2003
Orlando FL United States
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Postgraduate Course
ASGE, Thirteen Elm Street, Manchester, MA 01944-1314 Tel978-526-8330
Fax 978-526-4018
October 24, 2003 - October 29, 2003
New York NY United States
2003 Annual Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology
American College of Gastroenterology Tel 703-820-7400 Fax 703-931-4520
2004 meetings are also listed at this page.
As you can see, there are a number of meetings just for
gastroenterology. I had to pick only one to exhibit at and seek to
sign on reps for Latin America, it would be the American Society for
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Annual Meeting.
http://www.asge.org/
Under their frequently asked questions page:
http://www.asge.org/gui/about/asge_fact.asp
"Scientific and Medical Meetings
The ASGE hosts two major meetings annually:
Annual and Interim Postgraduate Courses
These meetings present state-of-the-art advances in endoscopy through
high quality presentations that focus on current practices and
standards of care in gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Digestive Disease Week
This annual meeting is the premier international conference devoted to
the science and practice of gastroenterology and hepatology. It
involves more than 12,000 practitioners, researchers and educators
from all over the world, and focuses on the latest advances in the
clinical and basic science of gastroenterology and hepatology, as well
as the use of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The meeting is
organized by the DDW Council, whose member societies include the
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American
Gastroenterological Association, the ASGE, and the Society for Surgery
of the Alimentary Tract. ASGE contributions to DDW, including clinical
symposia, topic fora and the plenary session, take place on Tuesday
and Wednesday.
[back to top]
Publications and Education Aides
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
The ASGE's monthly scientific journal and the leading international
publication in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy.
ASGE News
A bi-monthly member newsletter which reports on ASGE and Federation
activities, as well as other issues of concern to the GI endoscopy
community..."
Though, you know your product better than I and may decide that the
American Gastroenterology Society is a more appropriate venue for you.
Unfortunately, their server was down and I could not evaluate their
pages for you.
http://www.gastro.org/
Thieme Medical Publishers has information on their endoscopy journal
here:
http://www.thieme.com/SID2083256240413/journals/pubid1464112796.html
"Here is the premier journal on international developments in
gastrointestinal endoscopy, essential for helping clinicians stay
current on worldwide advances. From top quality review articles and
original contributions...to fast, in-depth coverage of the most
important national and international meetings...to valuable surveys of
diagnostic and therapeutic advances, Endoscopy covers the field in
nine information-packed issues per year. Plus, every two years,
Endoscopy publishes a complete review of the literature in diagnostic
and therapeutic endoscopy published in the previous two-year period, a
unique feature that is alone worth the price of a subscription! ...
...Extensive international congress calendar...
All individual print subscribers are eligible for free online access
to the journal at www.thieme-connect.com.
Institutional subscribers should contact the following for rates and
license fees:
In the Americas:
Alexandra Williams, Sales Manager, Thieme New York
(212) 584-4711
awilliams@thieme.com"
Gastroenterology and Endoscopy News can be found here:
http://www.gastroendonews.com/advertise/2003/1-intro.htm
"The Only Newspaper for Gastroenterologists
Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News is a monthly newspaper that provides
up-to-date, objective and comprehensive clinical news reporting from
international, national and regional Gastroenterology meetings. It
also features in-depth original articles, educational reviews, CME
monographs and monthly commentary from leaders in Gastroenterology.
Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News reaches every gastroenterologist and
colon and rectal surgeon, as well as more than 300 pediatric
gastroenterologists in the United States (total circulation 12,000+),
and has been doing so every month for the past 25 years..."
Searching further for journals and periodicals, I found the following
for you:
Official Journal of the American Society
for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?action=searchDB&searchDBfor=home&id=ge
Advertising queries, including media kit and rate card requests,
should be directed to:
Randi Fischer
Cunningham Associates
180 Old Tappan Road
Old Tappan, NJ 07675
Phone: (201) 767-4170
Fax: (201) 767-8065
MedWebPlus
http://www.medwebplus.com/subject/Periodicals/Endoscopy
Periodicals : Endoscopy :
International Scientific Journals on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
http://web.tiscali.it/no-redirect-tiscali/Endoscopia/1Riviste%20internazionali.htm
MedBioWorld - Gastroenterology & Hepatology Journals
http://www.medbioworld.com/cgi-bin/displaycontents.cgi?table=med&type=Journals&filecode=(M)%20Gastroenterology
This is a quite extensive listing!
Google Web Directory - Health > Medicine > Medical Specialties >
Gastroenterology > Journals
http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Medicine/Medical_Specialties/Gastroenterology/Journals/
And finally, searching for other resources for you, I developed this
list:
Resources:
EndoNurse.com
http://www.endonurse.com/resource.html
EndoscopyMD
http://www.endoscopy.md/links.html
Tufts-New England Medical Center
Division of Gastroenterology
http://www.nemc.org/medicine/gastro/gastrolinks.htm
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy
Useful Links
http://www.brighamandwomens.org/gastroenterology/links.asp
This is another excellent resource for you.
GastroHep.com - International Links
http://www.gastrohep.com/intlinks/
Borland Groover Links
http://www.borland-groover.com/links.htm
And, the Endoscopy Center
http://www.endo-world.com/gilinks.htm
Search Strategy:
endoscopy +"trade shows" OR meetings +international
endoscopy +journals OR magazines OR periodicals
endoscopy +links OR directories
I trust my research has provided you with a good start at evaluating
your marketing for this new product. I realize that this is a very
broad subject and have done my best to provide the links you require.
However if a link above should fail to work or anything require
further explanation or research, please do post a Request for
Clarification prior to rating the answer and closing the question and
I will be pleased to assist further.
Regards,
-=clouseau=- |
,
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