B-to-B Marketing for the Japanese Medical Devices Industry

Social Media Marketing For Businesses in JapanCase Study – Domestic Japanese Medical Devices Company

Client is a market leader in diagnostic equipment used for cardiology and ultrasonic applications

The Challenge

• Company wanted to increase its brand awareness through the use of Social Media in Japan.

• Global use of social media for B-to-B transactions not as effective as formal methods of Sales & Marketing, e.g., direct-selling, partner selling, distribution particularly in Japan.

• Needed to think “Out of the Box”, how to create a buzz even in a structured and traditional country.

• How to leverage the Internet and Social Media to accomplish this.

Use of Social Media for B-to-B still nascent, especially in Japan

The Solution

• Blogging• Used blogging from experts, i.e., Physicians, Technicians,

University Professors, to write articles about issues related to their industry.

• Hold blogger event for 50+ bloggers in their industry by introducing the company’s products and/or services.

• Employed 10+ “right” individuals to write 1 to 2 articles per week.– Need to find bloggers who has 500+ page views/day blog, 300+ articles in last

6 months

• “Soft Sell” by writing compelling articles and occasionally mentioning how the company’s products would be used in a given situation.

• Provided informative advice to the community, helpful information that people could use.

• Sync the company’s other marketing communication activities

Solving the Japanese Social Marketing Conundrum

The Results

• Results of implementing this Social Selling methodology were outstanding.

• The product/service page views and unique user visits increased by 1.5 to 2 times versus the average.– 1-2 weeks after starting the campaign.

• New e-mail news subscribers increased by 4 times versus the average.– 45-55% of new subscribers think the blog articles are most trusted

information.

• Increase in monthly B-to-B sales and revenues as a result of blogging strategy accelerate marketing communication activities.

Excellent Results Through Smart Social Media

Joji is a well-known veteran in the gaming, software and interactive media industries in Japan.

He has a long career history of senior positions in strategic PR and marketing communications management, including eight years at Microsoft Japan as Director of their Home Entertainment division, responsible for managing the marketing of Xbox and Games for Windows in Japan.

Twitter = @ubatataEmail = [email protected]

Joji Sakaguchi

Howard is a long time US/Asia Business Development Executive and Consultant to Foreign and Japanese companies on both sides of the globe.

He has a long career history of working on behalf of his clients to achieve remarkable ROI and results and maintains offices in Tokyo and San Francisco.

Twitter = @incredible_csltEmail = [email protected]

Howard Ichiro Lim