December 16, 2008

10 Best Tips for Healthcare Marketing Now

Wayne Glowac

Listened to a healthcare marketing webinar from SPM advertising in Chicago last week. We’ve listed some fast facts that we ourselves agree with and have been finding with clients. Hope you find them helpful!

#1: Have a plan to increase volume
Look at your to-do list and see what will most effectively impact revenue and provide measurable results. Then show your success.

#2: Show how to spend smarter
Move toward recession-proof services (heart disease) and away from elective services, increase targeting and PR/earned media efforts.

#3: Use current customers to your advantage
Data! Cross sell a “well-being” message.

#4: Turn consumer feedback into offerings
Find out how consumers are changing and why, use internal staff to help (nurses), then tailor products and services to their needs during these times.

#5: Reinforce marketing’s role
Reinforce recruitment, physician relations, employee relations, and the patient experience.

#6: Manage recession-specific PR
Be ready to answer questions about things like CEO compensation, construation, layoffs. Have a crisis management plan and train the staff.

#7: Promote the community benefit
Hospitals are still there to benefit the community, remind consumers of that point.

#8: Turn in your insights
Tell senior leadership what you find out.

#9: Reinforce strategy internally
Let staff/employees/physicians know you’re working hard to save money, be smart and strategic, and thrive through the recession.

#10: Influence current and future strategy with what you know
Take your learnings from these times and apply them into the future.

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