Making Biotech Advances Known
Biotech may seem highly technical to everyone outside of the field, and in fact, it may be exactly that. But even highly technical things can become understandable when discussed in the right way. Advances in biotech often happen in minute adjustments, so it seems pointless to keep the public informed about every little thing. But when the big stuff happens, it’s important that it is shared openly and in a way that is easily understood by the average person.
You cannot assume that people know what your product is and what it does, or that they won’t care just because they aren’t in the industry. Biotech and medical advances can impact the lives of millions of people, and if your product addresses a specific illness or problem, then making people aware of what you are doing – successes and failures – can advance your cause.
What you do
Sharing what your company does and where your efforts are focused should be public knowledge – or at least easily accessible. Make your website easy to find and understand. Make it mobile-friendly too. Blog about what you know and what others concerned about that medical issue need to know and understand. You might want to sit down with your researchers and staff every couple of months to plan topics – 500ish words is a good length – not too long that people skip it entirely, but also not so short that they can’t gain some information.
Set up a schedule for 1 or 2 blog posts per week and once you have your topics, let people who work at your office take the more technical ones to at least write a first draft. If none of your people are comfortable with writing the finished product, let them sketch out the topic and hand it over to a service that does that kind of work. After each blog is published, share it on your social media sites – at the very least that should be Facebook and LinkedIn.
Find groups who are interested
Whether your research and development is about a new treatment for Diabetes or something much more uncommon like progeria or microcephaly, you can most likely find a Facebook group or other websites centered on topics relating to those disorders. Join those groups and find out what they need to understand better or what related services are important to them. Interact in helpful ways when possible as a service to the group. You’ll probably gain as much insight and information from them as what you share in return.
Be honest
We all have failures on the road to success. Openly discuss the failures and what you gained. On those wonderful days when there are tiny or major moments of success, share those as well. It’s not about looking good or bragging. But, it can give hope to those who have very few glimpses of light. Share the rays of sunshine offering them hope for the future.
