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How to build a content strategy for a product that won't be complete for years: The healthcare startup conundrum

Jessica Ovadia

The time horizon for revenue generation in health tech is lengthy. For some companies, the delay reflects healthcare’s slow sale cycle. For others, the real time-line extender is the innovation itself. For nearly all companies, the complexity of the market being served means that research, funding and product development evolve throughout the process … demanding patience on the road to revenue.


To illustrate this point, let’s consider the US health system - a major target market amongst startups today. Despite making up nearly 40% of global medical spend, the US healthcare industry is notoriously difficult to penetrate, primarily due to fragmentation and a slow approach to innovation.


And here’s how that impacts a startups time horizon. 


Fragmentation: Diverse payers, providers, clinicians and regulations create silos in care and significant challenges for startups - making it impossible to validate a challenge, identify the best solution and eventually enter the market.

  • Needs vary widely across regions and systems, making it hard to prove the problem is universal

  • Each stakeholder has varying priorities, complicating the development of a broadly effective solution

  • The complex landscape makes it difficult to identify decision-makers and navigate regulations, delaying initial traction and revenue



Slow approach to innovation: The U.S. healthcare system faces significant challenges that make the adoption of new technologies and practices slower than other countries - and certainly other US based industries.

  • The system's complexity and numerous stakeholders create barriers to widespread adoption

  • The U.S. has stringent regulations and approval processes (e.g., FDA approval for new medical devices or treatments) which slows down the introduction of new products and services

  • The high cost of entry into the US healthcare market makes implementation difficult, especially if requiring significant upfront investments or changes in infrastructure

  • The fee-for-service model prevalent in the U.S. can disincentivize solutions prioritizing improved outcomes over high utilization. While many agree the current model doesn't always encourage the best care, a complete overhaul to the system as it stands today goes far beyond the scope of a typical startup.


These hurdles can seem insurmountable, especially for startups trying to gain a foothold in such a challenging environment. Yet, even in these murky waters, success is possible.


All you need is great CONTENT. Well, it's not all you need but it sure helps.


Here’s how a client of mine used word choice and content engineering to exit stealth mode and raise capital—before finalizing a product or knowing which part of the market it would serve.

———————

Challenge: Struggling to clearly communicate their vision without a finalized product or path to revenue, this startup was relying on vague messaging, collateral which lacked market projections, and talking points which failed to connect with industry pain.


In our first call together, I explained that entering the market would take a lot more than a unique innovation. It demanded a crystal-clear message that cut through the noise of other startups, connected directly to the key stakeholders in the space and communicated the potential of the product even before a prototype was in hand.


Approach: Engineer a clear, problem-centered narrative to ensure the founding team could communicate simply, raise funds and gain market traction.

  • Conducted stakeholder interviews to understand core challenges

  • Collaborated with leadership to pinpoint unique differentiators

  • Developed a messaging strategy that balanced growth potential with a clear, relatable vision

  • Guided the creation of brand assets, including logo, website, and investor deck, all aligned with the messaging


When navigating a market as fragmented and slow-moving as the U.S. healthcare system, it’s no surprise that clear, compelling messaging can be elusive. But waiting until your product is finalized or revenue positive is a mistake. The earlier you bring in messaging experts, the sooner you can craft a narrative that resonates with investors, partners, and users, in some cases, years before your product is ready.


If you are struggling to communicate, you are not alone. Grab some time on my calendar and let's chat: https://www.calendly.com/jessicaovadia

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