Companies operating in the medical-related fields are offering solutions to multiple problems facing individuals around the world. However, before developing such solutions, they must understand the need that people want relieved. The process of need identification is relatively complex and needs critical evaluation, which will prevent a person from making severe mistakes. Here are some of the stages that one can use to understand the needs of individuals.
- Personal Interview
Having a personal interview is most likely what John L. Holahan did to identify that some individuals have swallowing problems due to disease or accidents. This led to the formation of Simply Thick, a product that thickens liquids, hence helping individuals to swallow with ease. A personal interview involves asking one-on-one questions about what individuals would require in the medical industry. It is through interviews that a person will identify a need and later formulate a product to relieve the problem.
- Focus Groups
Focus groups are extended interviews that have a more significant number of respondents answering particular questions from a researcher. The need identification process can be made more efficient by ensuring that some of the questions are rigid and others are open-ended. A group interview is more accurate in need identification as a large number of individuals will be highlighting a particular need that requires immediate attention.
- Observations
Although not the most accurate method of need identification, seeing an individual’s struggle with a particular problem may help a company to come up with a feasible solution. Being an active observer will be more accurate as it will help an individual to understand the problems of a patient through first-hand experience.
Steps in the Production Process
- Product Design Development
After researching and understanding a particular need that patients have, a company is required to develop the product design. This includes coming up with the necessary ingredients, color, shape, and the packaging of the product. It is at this stage that you will have to understand all the costs involved in the manufacturing process so that you can ensure that the company gets profits while at the same time not pushing buyers away with high prices.
- Prototype Testing
It is at this stage that a sample of the product is developed and given to consumers for testing. Many product developers tend to ignore this stage as they think that it is not essential. This is a critical phase of the product development. Manufacturers should be genuine about their products and should listen to the views of the customers as they test the product.
- Commercialization
After testing the product and coming up with the accurate results, the company is expected to produce the products in large scale and distribute them to customers who are based in various regions.
Mandatory Approvals
Ø Food and Drug Administration
This is one of the most critical approvals that all organizations manufacturing medical products should have. The body does not only approve medicine but approves almost everything that individuals in the United States consume. You will be required to seek approvals from this body so that your product can be certified and approved as suitable for human consumption. FDA ensures that all the drugs used to provide treatment to the diseases in the United States are safe, albeit some do have side effects.
Ø Licensing and Permits
Although FDA approval is the most important in drug manufacturing, other vital approvals such as licensing and permits are significant as they give a particular business an opportunity to operate in a specific region.
Marketing Strategies
- Social Media Marketing
One of the best methods of bringing the product to the customer’s eyes is by ensuring that some critical marketing tools have been incorporated in the whole process. Social media marketing is one of the most efficient methods of creating awareness about a particular product. Using Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to market a product is cheap and straightforward, especially if you don’t need promoted posts. These platforms will also enable the company to meet potential customers from different parts of the world.
- Personal Marketing
Although considered as an old strategy, personal marketing still holds some magic, especially for those companies marketing a new product. This strategy will involve training individuals about the product, after which they will be expected to out into the market and explain to the customers about the product.
