What distinguishes a winning communication strategy from a losing one? More than 100 communication research studies across different industries have taught us the 6 golden rules for successful communication. Flip through this presentation to find out or read back what was presented in our webinar at January 19, 2012 by SKIM's experts Karin Lieshout and Benoit Gouhier. Learn what distinguishes a winning communication claim from a losing one.

1. Winning communication strategy
for health foods and clinical nutrition
Benoît Gouhier
Karin Lieshout Margreet Hanemaaijer
Senior Project Manager
Managing Director Today’s webinar host
Consumer Health
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012

2. Who is your target?
Dig into your customers’ mind to define
what really triggers them

3. Who is your target?
At the GPs… At the Pharmacists…
5% would buy
40% are Product X
interested in
Product X
5% would 25% would
recommend recommend
Product X Product X
75% would follow 20% would follow
their recommendations their recommendations
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

4. Sarcopenic consumers: who are they?
Rely a lot on Healthcare
Professionals recommendations
More and more knowledgeable Suffer from loss of skeletal muscle
about health issues and mass and strength associated with
treatment possibilities aging (~0.5-1% loss per year)
Sarcopenic
consumers
Low awareness of medical Decreased mobility leads
nutrition and possibilities to disability
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

5. But do you really know who they are?
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

6. Healthcare professionals: who are they?
High social status Highly educated
Low awareness of
Natural hunger for new
medical nutrition and
knowledge and
possibilities
developments in their field General
Practitioners
Low attention on
Use medical language “sarcopenia”
terms
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

7. But do you really know who they are?
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

8. How to communicate?
Looking across studies to determine
the 6 Golden Rules of winning
communication

9. Golden rule #1
Imagine that you are communicating about a new product designed for sarcopenia
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Help 70+ patients maintain their muscle mass and strength,
improving patients independence and mobility
2. Help 70+ patients maintain their muscle mass and strength,
leading to decreased demand on healthcare services and
associated costs
3. A unique product, specifically designed for a better mobility
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

10. Golden rule #1
Imagine that you are communicating about a new product designed for sarcopenia
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Help 70+ patients maintain their muscle mass and strength,
improving patients independence and mobility
2. Help 70+ patients maintain their muscle mass and strength,
leading to decreased demand on healthcare services and
associated costs
3. A unique product, specifically designed for a better mobility
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

11. Golden rule #1:
Promise value
• Communicate relevant and tangible statements - Avoid
fluffy, unsubstantiated statements
• Put the emphasis on patient benefits (rather than on
potential cost saving benefits)
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

12. Golden rule #2
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

13. Golden rule #2
Imagine that you are communicating about a new product designed for sarcopenia
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Provides 30% more protein than the protein level that can be
met exclusively with a healthy diet
2. Is more effective in increasing protein level than a healthy
diet
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

14. Golden rule #2
Imagine that you are communicating about a new product designed for sarcopenia
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Provides 30% more protein than the protein level that can be
met exclusively with a healthy diet
2. Is more effective in increasing protein level than a healthy
diet
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

15. Golden rule #2:
Set yourself apart
• Carefully assess your competitive environment
• Explain the position of your products next to other therapies
• Show that you are better rather than simply saying it
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

16. Golden rule #3
Imagine that you are communicating about a new product for the management of type II diabetes
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Manage your diabetes with a blend of essential nutrients
2. Delay the progression of diabetes with a blend of essential
nutrients
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

17. Golden rule #3
Imagine that you are communicating about a new product for the management of type II diabetes
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Manage your diabetes with a blend of essential nutrients
2. Delay the progression of diabetes with a blend of essential
nutrients
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

18. Golden rule #3:
Be specific
• Describe precisely what consumers and healthcare
professionals are going to get
• Both words and numbers can contribute in making
your communication specific
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

19. Golden rule #4
Imagine that you are communicating about the role of Leucine in maintaining muscle strength:
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Leucine plays an important role in maintaining a strong body
2. Leucine can promote muscle anabolism
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

20. Golden rule #4
Imagine that you are communicating about the role of Leucine in maintaining muscle strength:
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Leucine plays an important role in maintaining a strong body
2. Leucine can promote muscle anabolism
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

21. Golden rule #4:
Be respectful
• Do not state the obvious to your target audience
• Always use the adequate language: use a medical
language when you talk to physicians
• Do not be condescending, presumptuous or offending
in any way
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

22. Golden rule #5
Imagine that you are communicating a new product designed to help maintain memory:
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Contains amino acids and DHA to help maintain memory
and is easy to use
2. Contains amino acids and DHA and is easy to use
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

23. Golden rule #5
Imagine that you are communicating a new product designed to help maintain memory:
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Contains amino acids and DHA to help maintain memory
and is easy to use
2. Contains amino acids and DHA and is easy to use
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

24. Golden rule #5:
Be cautious with the use of jargon
• Use words that are meaningful to consumers and
healthcare professionals
• Explain unclear terms and relate them to what they
?
mean for your target audience
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

25. Golden rule #6
Imagine that you are communicating about a product designed to help maintain muscle strength:
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Help maintain muscle strength over time
2. Avoid losing muscle strength over time
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

26. Golden rule #6
Imagine that you are communicating about a product designed to help maintain muscle strength:
Which statement is more powerful?
1. Help maintain muscle strength over time
2. Avoid losing muscle strength over time
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

27. Golden rule #6:
Be Positive
• Offer something positive instead of avoiding
something negative
• Avoid the really scary and negative terms,
and even if you have to mention a negative,
always try to give it a positive spin
SKIM Webinar | January 19, 2012 “Winning communication strategy for health foods and clinical nutrition”

28. Make sure you know who your target audience really is
Promise value
Promise value Set yourself Be specific
apart
Be cautious
Be respectful
with jargon
Be positive
Winning
communication

29. Go to www.skimgroup.com/webinar-communication
for today’s presentation slides and more!
Karin Lieshout Benoît Gouhier Margreet Hanemaaijer
k.lieshout@skimgroup.com b.gouhier@skimgroup.com m.hanemaaijer@skimgroup.com
+31 10 282 3535 +31 10 282 3552 +31 10 282 3514
Find out about our next webinars at skimgroup.com/join-our-marketing-webinars.