Life sciences messaging: do’s + don’ts | a practical guide for marketers selling SaaS to pharma, biotech, CROs + lab decision-makers

Life sciences messaging: do’s + don’ts: a practical guide for marketers selling SaaS to pharma, biotech, CROs + lab decision-makers

By Beth Cooper, JD / MBA

Life sciences buyers are deeply analytical. They’re trained to question claims, verify data, and look past buzzwords. If you want to earn their trust—and their business—your messaging needs to match their mindset.

Here’s how to do that.

	DON’T: talk about how great you are
	DO: have others say it for you

• Use testimonials from pharma clients, principal investigators (PIs), and advisory board members
• Co-author technical content with KOLs or respected MD / PhD experts
• Cite third-party validation: peer-reviewed journals, top-tier conferences (DIA, ASCO), FDA pilot collaborations, or EMEA submissions

Whether you’re selling into biotech hubs in Boston, Basel, or Bangalore—outcomes win budgets.

	DON’T: lead with features + tech specs
	DO: lead with outcomes + clinical relevance

• Position your platform in terms of benefits like faster trial enrollment, cleaner ePRO data, or better pharmacovigilance signals
• Explain how you improve existing workflows—like EDC to CTMS integrations or eConsent completion rates
• Use phrases like "reduces protocol deviations" or "accelerates regulatory document exchange" instead of generic automation claims

Whether you’re selling into biotech hubs in Boston, Basel, or Bangalore—outcomes win budgets.

	DON’T: use generic marketing lingo ("revolutionary", "cutting-edge")
	DO: use precise, context-specific language

• Say “validated against CDISC SDTM standards” instead of “data-ready”
• Use "21 CFR Part 11 compliant" or "ISO 13485 aligned" when referencing compliance
• Avoid buzzwords—get specific: "improves adverse event reconciliation workflows" is stronger than "optimizes trial efficiency"

This audience can spot fluff. Precision earns respect in pharma, especially among regulatory affairs and R+D stakeholders.

	DON’T: rely solely on brand-created content
	DO: earn visibility in trusted trade media

• Aim for outlets like Fierce Biotech, Clinical Leader, PharmaVOICE, or Applied Clinical Trials
• Leverage thought leadership aligned to therapeutic areas (oncology, neurology, rare disease) and regions (e.g., NHS for UK buyers, EMA for EU
• Pitch data-driven stories, not marketing fluff—reviewers and editors want substance

Trade media remains the currency of credibility in biotech and pharma. If it’s in Endpoints or BioCentury, people notice.

	DON’T: push one-size-fits-all messaging
	DO: customize by persona + decision stage

• Segment messaging by function: medical affairs, clinical operations, RWE/data science, or procurement
• Tailor by role: a clinical trial manager in the UK needs different details than a biostatistician in Cambridge, MA
• Align to stage: early awareness? Highlight the unmet need. In procurement? Provide security architecture, compliance docs, and integration specs

Complex deals have multiple stakeholders. Speak to each role—because scientists, IT leads, and commercial VPs all weigh in.

	DON’T: overemphasize brand over substance
	DO: make your science the hero

• Highlight validation studies, pilot outcomes, and real-world use cases with CROs or sponsor sites
• Let the data carry your brand—clean, restrained design with scientific gravitas is stronger than loud creativity
• Favor journal-like design conventions over splashy B2C formats

In markets like Switzerland, Germany, or Singapore, restraint = credibility. Flashiness can undermine technical trust.

	DON’T: assume your audience will fill in the blanks
	DO: spell out your clinical + business value clearly

• Don’t make your internal champion do the work—arm them with clear ROI, security profiles, and integration summaries
• Explain workflow fit: does it slot into RBQM strategies? Decentralized trial models? Lab automation systems?
• Provide "champion ammo": executive summaries, slide decks, and metrics they can bring to the purse-holders

In this field, the user (e.g., head of data quality) is rarely the buyer. Help your champions win internal buy-in with precision tools.

KNB Communications helps life sciences SaaS brands earn credibility with the world’s most skeptical—and most important—buyers.

Let us take something off your plate.