Spreading awareness of specialized products with social

Jude and his Otteroo

When a close family friend gave birth to an adorable, precious boy with Down's Syndrome about a year ago, I became attuned to the market for specialized products catered to his needs. How could it be so difficult to find a bottle nipple which made it easier for him to feed? Developmental aids for children with disabilities are a niche market, so spreading awareness of your offerings requires creativity. In an expanding digital world, marketing purely to medical professionals and educational magazines isn't sufficient. Otteroo (http://otteroo.com/), a manufacturer of bath floaties which improve muscle tone development, implements a digital marketing strategy which is an excellent case study. 

I began following Otteroo after their images showed up with other ABC Kids Expo 2014 posts on Instagram. Keys to Otteroo's success include:

1. Networking at expos and via social media, increasing following and awareness. Otteroo has been featured on blogs such as Wee Love and Red Tricycle.
2. Regular social media posts of consumers (happy babies!) using the product. Otteroo has an Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 
3. An accessible, informative website. Because Otteroo is an unusual product, prospective customers need to easily find information after their interest is piqued by a social media post. The website is rich with video content and testimonials, further encouraging a purchase decision.

Companies like Otteroo have truly valuable product offerings which deserve to be shared, and social media provides great potential for increasing awareness of such offerings.

For parents interested in developmental products, Jude's mom offers these recommendations.

Top: Aid with tongue retraction and oral stimulation. Bottom: Tri chew and grabber for speech, available in different scents and textures; Maroon Spoon, which has a flatter bowl to aid tongue placement and mouth closure. For more information, visit http://www.arktherapeutic.com/.

Jude with his halo cap to hold in hearing aid and peanut ball for physical therapy (various manufacturers).