Medical lab equipment may be the most expensive lab equipment to keep on hand. Laboratory rules and state laws strictly govern the handling, storage, and disposal of biological materials. Most scalpels, vials, and other tools for taking samples can only be used once, and must be properly disposed of after coming into contact with blood or other bodily fluids.
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Equipment in a medical lab can be divided into two categories: one-use items, and larger machines. The one-use items are syringes, scalpels, vials, and anything else that cannot be used on more than one person, or even for more than one sample. While these items are functional after one use, they pose great risk of cross-contamination. This could result in tests giving a wrong result, or in the worst scenario, infecting another patient.
While most sterilization processes do kill upwards of 99 percent of micro-organisms, there is always a chance--however slim--that a re-used item could be contaminated. In the interest of malpractice costs and professional ethics, anything that touches a patient will usually be thrown out. Medical labs minimize waste from this practice by making parts interchangeable. For example, only a scalpel blade is tossed, while the handle is kept for a new blade.
The remainder of hospital lab equipment is larger machines that do not actually come into contact with body tissue or fluids. This includes centrifuges, spectrophotometers, and other devices necessary for the analysis of microbiological agents. Machines of this nature must be regularly cleaned and sterilized, but do not pose any risk of contaminating other samples with re-use.
Lab suppliers have historically had a relatively easy time bringing their products to market and getting the attention of their target consumers. There were a fairly small number of trade publications which suppliers could count on to reach most of their prospective buyers. This is how it used to be, but the internet came along and changed things for companies marketing lab supplies just as it transformed the way that any other company reaches out to consumers. Now, the buyers for laboratories, hospitals and manufacturers have any number of different channels through which they may learn about new products and contact lab suppliers.
There have always been trade shows and expositions, but there are more of these events every year and all of these buyers cannot possibly attend them all. There are more websites than ever dedicated to the subject of laboratory products and the markets suppliers need to reach are increasingly fragmented into micro and nano markets; and the competition over these buyers becomes more intense all the time.
The way forward for laboratory suppliers is to identify new channels to reach prospective buyers. Naturally, companies must continue to exhibit at industry events; but it now comes down to a question of which of these events will be attended by the most likely buyers of their wares. Lab suppliers can utilize target marketing techniques even in this, the most traditionally generalized avenue of promoting their products. The promoters
of these industry events are generally more than pleased to provide such information on the attendees as they can in the interests of luring exhibitors; no supplier of laboratory equipment should neglect to gather and apply this information.
Getting back to the web, there are numerous ways to leverage the potential of new media to reach buyers. Other than simply having a properly optimized website to make it easy for buyers to find their business using Google and other search engines, lab suppliers can avail themselves of the opportunities afforded by online advertising.
Banner advertising placed on industry-specific sites, pay-per click advertising and listings on websites with appeal to laboratory equipment buyers all provide novel and effective ways to reach the market for lab supplies. Suppliers have other, even more exciting ways to get their message across to buyers using the new communication technologies of the World Wide Web. Creating a regular podcast helps suppliers to reach consumers in two ways - it provides a direct way to speak to buyers while at the same time adding value to your website. A podcast can be delivered via RSS feed, so once a prospective buyer subscribes to a lab supplier's podcast; they'll receive periodic exposure to their marketing message without even having to visit the site! Online video is also making inroads into the laboratory market just as it has in other economic sectors.
Video advertising on the web is still new enough that it captures the attention of consumers; and the potential reach of video advertising placed on community video sites like YouTube cannot be overstated. Many forward-thinking suppliers already have videos on the site - lab supplies all it takes is an informative video about laboratory applications which your product is designed for, a link to your website and you have a powerful tool for getting your message across. It may not be as simple as it once was for lab suppliers to get their products into the consciousness of buyers, but with every challenge presented by new communications technologies also comes new opportunities. Take advantage of these opportunities and you'll be able to position your company at the forefront of the laboratory supplies market.