by Rob Rosenberg | Jan 23, 2019 | Branding & Identity, Springboard News
As the new year kicks in, there are all sorts of tips and habits to break in order to help improve your personal and professional success. For those in healthcare marketing, here are eight bad habits that need to be broken to help fix your strategies and outcomes. Focusing on marketing and not business building Marketing in many healthcare organizations still lands on the promotional side of the equation. Successful marketers are those who understand the growth goals of their organization and develop strategies, beyond campaigns and clicks, to generate revenue and support new customer acquisition. Developing the wrong dashboards You know you’re too focused on the promotional side of things when your marketing “dashboard” consists of primarily digital terms that leave the C-Suite in the dust. When you include business metrics, too, your dashboard will truly provide a snapshot of your organization’s marketing success in terms of share-of-wallet, customer acquisition, profit margin, and conversion rates. These will be sure to get the attention of your CEO and put your department and initiatives in a new light. Using market research to learn all about yourself Most market research studies ask a lot of questions about the brand, not about the customer. Other than demographics at the end, very few ask consumers, for example, about their interests and passions, what’s important to them, and the issues they’re most interested in. Look at your customer research from their POV and you’ll gain great insights on how to make your marketing strategies much more relevant and engaging. Not having a clearly defined brand position It’s head scratching and nail biting to develop...
by Rob Rosenberg | Dec 18, 2018 | Branding & Identity, Springboard News
When it comes to reaching and motivating consumers, healthcare marketers face a double “whammy.” First, studies show that the average person is exposed to 7,500 brand messages and marketing content every day. The School of Human Sciences and Technology estimates that people switch between screens up to 21 times an hour. As a result of this overload, the average person’s attention span is eight seconds! What makes this even more complicated for healthcare marketers is the second whammy; making healthcare messaging engaging, simple, digestible, and differentiating in less time than it takes to say “multi-disciplinary, comprehensive, continuum of care.” As healthcare systems continue to grow adding new capabilities, physician practices, and other services, messaging becomes more complex – all the while consumers are giving them less time. Here are 8 ideas on how you can manage the “8 Second Rule” for healthcare brands A long-time colleague, copywriter and tagline maestro friend of mine, Jim Morris, developed a great tagline for taglines, “Long story, short.” I’ve always loved the power and simplicity of this idea. A tagline becomes a part of the brand’s lore and legacy. Healthcare brands still sound unimaginably similar. And the development of a unique, crafty tagline is one way to stand out and live on after your eight seconds are up. So much more to say on this, but I’ll keep it short. Consistency of messaging from one medium to next, one screen to the next, is also another important idea. Too many brands have too many different “faces” from one screen to the next. Knowing your time is limited, should limit this practice. Become a...
by Rob Rosenberg | Oct 30, 2018 | Branding & Identity, Springboard News
I had the pleasure to present at the SHSMD Connections conference in Seattle a few weeks ago. My co-presenter, and fellow disruptor, Paul Szablowski and I were thrilled to see a full house for our session. Healthcare marketers were eager to learn business lessons from the hit reality television show “Shark Tank.” Healthcare marketers are under constant scrutiny from their CEO’s to demonstrate value and Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI). Walking into a shark tank each time budgeting and annual planning rolls around is all too much a reality. Here’s a recap of our presentation. If it leaves you swimming with questions or additional thoughts, I look forward to hearing from you. The Waters are Murky for Healthcare Marketers Marketers in all industries are facing intense pressure to perform for their organization. Many studies suggest that there is definitely a realignment needed between the C-Suite and marketing department in terms of expectations, accountability, and responsibilities. Nearly three quarters of CEO’s want their marketing department to focus on growth goals and new customer acquisition. And the same percentage of healthcare marketers believe their jobs are not designed to let them achieve this for their organizations. Perhaps this is why the average tenure of a Chief Marketing Officer is only four years – the shortest length of any position in the C-Suite. Another reason is that healthcare marketers have focused too much on “marketing” and not enough on growth goals. So before walking into your “shark tank,” this mindset has to shift or you’ll be quick to sink in your organization. Lesson 1: Know your role Yes, you’re The Director of...
by Natalie Wong | Oct 17, 2018 | Branding & Identity, Social Media, Springboard News
Today, there are over 3 billion worldwide social media users. And almost 9 out of 10 companies in the United States are using social media for their marketing. Social media is no longer a place for friends and family to stay in touch or to connect with others. It’s where people can stay up-to-date with news and current events. Specifically, in the healthcare industry, social media marketing plays a large role. It can help providers engage with patients, connect with other healthcare providers and companies, and create awareness to the public of relevant and timely information in the industry. Engage with Patients via Social Media Marketing According to a recent study by Pew Research Center, 74% of internet users engage on social media. About 80% of those internet users specifically look for health-related information, and nearly half are searching for information about a specific doctor or health professional. Patients want the most reliable information possible when searching for information about their health. Because of a doctor’s knowledge and expertise, about 60% of users say they trust a doctor’s post over a company’s post. Connect with Other Healthcare Providers and Companies Social media connects doctors and physicians to other companies and keeps them up-to-date on the latest medical developments, technology, minimally invasive treatments and more. About 88% of physicians use social media to research pharmaceuticals, biotech and medical devices. Create Awareness to the Public About 32% of internet users post about their friends and family’s health experiences on social media. When it comes to health-decision making, people gravitate towards providers who have treated related or experienced similar situations. Patients care...
by Mike Chapman | Sep 20, 2018 | Branding & Identity, Springboard News
Many years ago, when I was on the client side of B2B healthcare marketing fence, our messaging beat its chest. Mostly about how our product was bigger, better, faster, stronger and could make our customers more money. Years later, after time on the agency side of both B2B and B2C marketing, we’re seeing a massive shift in how B2B buyers at various levels need to be engaged. Sure, there’s a procurement officer that’s all about specs and cost. But we’re also assuming you’d like to move up the chain a bit. Consider this B2B value pyramid from a Bain & Company study earlier this year. This illustrates from the bottom of the pyramid to the tip top: The bottom of the pyramid – where many B2B marketers stop. This is where no one wants to be – it’s commodity-land. Living on specs and price will not keep you in business. Neither will simply addressing your buyer’s economic or performance needs with features and functions. As someone recently told us, don’t talk to me about the horsepower and the convertible top – tell me how cool I look driving that car… The middle of the pyramid – where sustainable and valuable relationships begin. Here, your messaging is centered around benefits that are important to the buyer. These benefits also enhance their subjective judgments about your product or service. Therefore, attributes like decreasing hassles and your expertise help you form this relationship. The top of the pyramid – deepen your relationship by engaging with a heartbeat message that speaks to personal and career related priorities. Your work here...
by Cori Albrecht | Sep 19, 2018 | Branding & Identity, Springboard News
The best healthcare marketing strategies, offline, online, traditional and new media all have to work together. They must reach, motivate, and engage healthcare consumers. In order reach and motivate your target audiences to choose you over another practice, your brand needs a “heartbeat.” A heartbeat creates an emotional statement about your organization. A promise to the marketplace that focuses on the benefits consumers will gain by becoming a patient of your practice. Whether yours is a large medical practice or small physician office, it’s important to ask yourself the following on a regular basis: Do your marketing strategies deliver on your customers’ expectations? Is your brand’s messaging delivering on that strategy? Is your creative really breaking through? What’s the competition up to? Working to develop your brand’s heartbeat, and marketing strategies to address all of these things is crucial to creating a creative and compelling message that will engage your specific target audiences. The next goal of your brand should be to meet your key audiences’ interests, needs and passions, and creating and executing a tactical plan to reach those audiences. Below are some marketing strategies for taking this next step – 1. Offline/Traditional Offline marketing, also known as traditional marketing, includes radio, television, billboards, print collateral and direct mail, among others. These can be considered antiquated and ineffective but should still be considered as part of an overall, integrated marketing plan. There’s a reason you see so many healthcare/pharmaceutical ads on TV and receive so many special offers via the mail. For the right demographics and with the right strategy behind them, they still work. Especially when combined...
