Competing for Attention in a Crowded Space

MedTech CEOs know the reality — your device isn’t competing only against other devices. You’re competing against limited hospital budgets, clinician bandwidth, and an avalanche of new products hitting the market every quarter. To win attention and adoption, you can’t just “be better.” You have to launch in a way that people remember.

That’s where consumer tech has something to teach us. No one confuses an Apple keynote with a spec sheet. No one mistakes a Tesla reveal for a generic press release. These companies create an emotional connection, then make adoption frictionless. And that’s exactly what MedTech needs.

Strategy 1: Start with a Human Story
If you open your pitch with technical specs, you’ve already lost half your audience. Start with the “why” — the patient whose life changes, the clinician whose workflow improves, the system that saves resources. Consumer tech makes the user the hero. MedTech can do the same — and in healthcare, the stakes are even higher.

Strategy 2: Build Your “Yes” Infrastructure Early
Consumer tech leaders remove adoption barriers before launch. Tesla’s charging stations and Apple’s App Store are adoption accelerators. In MedTech, that means onboarding programs, service teams, KOL advocacy, and supply chain readiness. When your first sale happens, you should be able to deliver, train, and support immediately — no bottlenecks, no delays.

Strategy 3: Design for Delight
In consumer tech, “delight” means a wow moment in unboxing or first use. In MedTech, it’s when a clinician realizes the device saved them 30 minutes in a procedure. It’s when setup is so intuitive that no manual is needed. These moments create advocates who tell peers about your product without being asked.

Strategy 4: Make Launch Day a Moment
An unforgettable launch isn’t just a date — it’s an event. For MedTech, this could be the first live case at a major conference, a “first patient treated” milestone announcement, or a coordinated wave of KOL testimonials. Use timing, anticipation, and multi-channel presence to amplify the impact.

Consumer tech companies aren’t afraid to make a splash because they know attention is a competitive advantage. In MedTech, that same principle applies — only our “flash” is built on trust, proof, and outcomes.