May 30, 2002
Communicating with clarity by Karen Greenwall - e-News in you InBox 

Pop culture is going through an interesting change. Strict division lines seem to be blurring. Take for instance the country music industry. There is an obvious struggle between purists and those that desire a broader appeal (think LeAnn, Shania, Faith). What about the consumer market? Are there goods initially intended for one community that end up being offered to the general buying public? In this article, we will examine the challenges faced by Audex® , Inc. as it prepares to launch a product in two streams of commerce.

Headquartered in Longview, Texas, Audex®, Inc., (formerly Audiometrics, Inc.), is a progressive assistive listening device manufacturer. Since 1974, the Audex® objective has been two-pronged: to provide solutions for ADA compliance, and to sell products and services that improve the quality of communication for those experiencing hearing loss.

Historically, the wireless corridor has largely overlooked people with hearing loss, often leaving them with a market consisting of modified products from unrelated applications. Understanding the needs of this community enables Audex® to design products with revolutionary ease of use and functionality. Worlds of interaction are opened up through the creativity and inventiveness of this southern enterprise.

One secret to this success story comes from the core belief that ensuring communication with clarity is a campaign and not just a job. Audex® has extended its efforts beyond creation or development to support a wide range of hearing impaired equal access advocacy groups. President Charles Beatty Jr. calls his company's relationship with the hearing loss community, one of the most rewarding aspects of the business. He adds that, "through the fifteen plus years we have been attending [advocacy and association] conventions and providing equipment… we have developed close and lasting friendships with many of their members." This strong commitment was highlighted in 2001, when Audex® was awarded the "Special Friend of Hard of Hearing People" award at the 2001 Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) National Convention.

Now comes the challenge. Audex® has created a module that will ameliorate many of the problems that people with hearing loss face when using cellular devices, but its utility does not end there. The invention also has vast appeal for the general cell-phone using population. How does Audex® access this vast market while still maintaining focus on their base?

In preparing to enter a new market, one must exert a great deal of effort at the beginning of the process. Defining product launch objectives is imperative. Are you looking for intense, instant results or can a long-term, slower plan benefit you more? A key to understanding the options is research. Do not undervalue the power of example. It is essential to be aware of other like-minded products that already exist. If no related tools exist, determine the most popular alternative. Then, use this information to better strategize product positioning.

In the case of Audex®, the company's mission has been to create and develop devices that assist people with hearing loss. In most cases, alternatives to enjoying new technology have been inefficient, if available at all. According to Beatty, "The cellular telephone revolution has changed communication forever. People with hearing loss have, in many ways, been excluded because they cannot easily and effectively use cell phones."

The CHAAMP™, Audex®'s newest response to the wireless industry, is an unobtrusive device that slides behind any Nokia 5100/6100/7100 series cell phone. Among its benefits for people with hearing loss is the fact that annoying background noise caused by hearing aids disappears. Users enjoy increased wireless clarity and volume. "We are excited that the CHAAMP™ will allow [people with hearing loss] to plug into the freedom and safety cellular phones provide for the rest of the population," Beatty said.

Understanding the primary purpose of the CHAAMP™ and its role in the traditional Audex® marketplace makes it easy to conjure up ideas for a product launch and ensuing public relations campaign. What is more exciting than an invention that revolutionizes the way that people with hearing loss communicate? As mentioned in last month's article, "Message In A Flash," companies can achieve a great deal in a short amount of time, if they wax creative. For example, a four-minute Flash movie delineates a corporate biography more passionately and memorably than any twenty-minute PowerPoint presentation. Add on to that the impact the CHAAMP™ will have on the hearing loss community, and marketing this device will be an enjoyable final step in the process.

What about reaching the wider group that this invention will affect? Beatty believes that, "The difficulty experienced by people with physical hearing loss is obvious, but those with normal hearing or mild impairments also experience the same difficulty using their cellular phone[s] in high background noise environments. The features of the CHAAMP™ improve cell phone communication for both groups." However, merely highlighting the CHAAMP™'s benefits in collateral, Flash movies, and advertising that is geared towards the hearing loss community is insufficient in achieving the goal of mass appeal. What about people who find themselves in harsh environments, such as construction and transportation workers who require increased, clear speaker and ringer volume? The CHAAMP™ would offer them a safety tool previously unavailable.

As Beatty states, "…the transformation of our markets from people with hearing loss to the normal hearing population is less dramatic than it seems. Features of the CHAAMP™ provide solutions to problems that hinder effective communication with cell phones." The difficulty comes in getting this message across clearly. Therefore, there needs to be a dual focus. On one level, the traditional Audex® customer base needs to be targeted in the standard way, via the usual channels. Associations and advocacy groups are excellent resources to help introduce advances in technology. Word of mouth travels far and wide. Asking members of these groups to test the CHAAMP™ keeps the leaders actively involved in advancements.

The second but equally important approach to marketing the CHAAMP™ deals with highlighting the general usefulness of the product. Today's marketplace is flooded with individual products that have a multitude of purposes. We see that the consolidation of tasks into a single unit is a definite selling point. Thus, this angle should be use-oriented rather than community-based. Advertising, brochures, and related documents created to market the CHAAMP™ need to demonstrate its functionality and flexibility.

Instead of focusing on the difficulties presented by standard cell phones, Audex® will want to point out enticing elements such as the CHAAMP™'s signature recording device. Essentially, this approach tells all users how the device can give them clear, high-volume cell connections, and how it becomes an indispensable business and social tool. The CHAAMP™'s appeal will be shown to include business travelers, concert-goers, and anyone else who finds the need for a little extra volume in their life.

There are great challenges in marketing products to new groups. Audex® has created something bold, new, and revolutionary, and their usual niche market may finally have been given something that the larger macro-market will want. The challenge of a two-tiered marketing strategy is unique and ever changing, just like our culture. No matter where the division lines are drawn, there is one thing we can be certain of: communication with clarity is invaluable.

Karen Greenwald is the Communications Director and Design Team Branding Strategist for Cylix Communications. Cylix provides organizations with strategic marketing, public relations, media relations, and investor relations counsel. Cylix retains a seasoned staff of senior-level only professionals with knowledge of the technology, telecommunications, Internet telephony, e-commerce, and contact center industries.