It was only a year or two ago that the trendy marketing watchword was "personalization." It seems like everyone was using the P-word in email marketing. Everyone’s ambition was to take email (and other content) to the high-impact, “next level.” Internet and computer sophistication provides the ability to deliver relevant content to the right reader. […]
Customer testimonials offer great benefits to your marketing and business health for very little cost and effort. In the dictionary, marketing is defined as the action or business of promoting and selling products or services. That’s as simple as it gets; too simple, really. Marketing is communication for a particular goal or set of goals, […]
All too often a healthcare practice will wait to ask for my help until the “eleventh hour.” That was the case when a medical group (belatedly) discovered their growth curve had become a flat line. It turned out that their once-robust stream of professional referrals was vanishing. A rival practice was attracting this group’s lifeblood of […]
A confounding notion in our industry is that medicine is a profession, but healthcare is a business. Think of these as opposite sides of the same business coin. The medicine/profession side leaves little time for the healthcare/business side. But, it turns out that a marketing outsource strategy can achieve critical objectives for both. Most of the time, a […]
One of the unique dynamics and challenges in devising a healthcare marketing plan is to properly anticipate why people buy. A health and medical services plan considers the future needs of an ever-present audience. As the familiar expression reminds us, the challenge is to engage consumers today for solutions they may need tomorrow. […]
The only constant in today’s healthcare marketplace is rapid change. Competition is increasingly intense. Group practices are the product of mergers, rollups and acquisitions. And prospective patients are confused without a strong brand message. When dynamics scramble the consumer message, consider these branding tips to differentiate your group practice. One white coat looks the same as […]
There’s a connection between busy practices and doctors who embrace selling. Marketing savvy doctors understand how healthcare marketing builds their business. The breakthrough business doctors understand how salesmanship is a key to success. The dreaded “S-word” isn’t in the vocabulary of many doctors. Sales gets relabeled as business development or case acceptance. In many practices, cost factors […]
There’s an immensely useful and effective technique in creating healthcare content that we see all the time. You might recognize it as a “cliffhanger” or a “page turner.” But by any label, experienced as well as freshman writers can use this suspenseful social media secret to keep their audience connected, interested and reading more. Everyone […]
Recently, it happened again. We discovered one website that published a content match of a competitive website. We see this nearly every day, but this particular incident was extraordinary. The two websites used exactly the same words, content and design. Is this similar or “overlapping” content, or is one of these websites guilty of plagiarism in […]
The super-grand-prize for online healthcare content is when it “goes viral.” Something you created—a video, news clip, photo or whatever—is seen or shared by everyone in the known digital universe and beyond. As a result, your hospital, medical group or provider practice—for one, bright-and-shiny moment—has the compelling content that everyone is talking about. Unfortunately, it […]
More than a few doctors have become marketing warriors among our circle of friends and professional peers. It seems like they recognize that medicine is their profession, but healthcare is a business. They had resolved to become recognized thought leaders in their profession. Hence, swimming against the current of provider competition, they have a business-ninja […]
From a marketing view, Facebook statistics are staggering. Half of the American population uses Facebook at least once a month. Better than 40 percent of small businesses in the US use Facebook. That makes it the undisputed champion. It's an absolute “must have,” for your social media marketing strategy. A FB page is vital to hospitals, […]
To be candid, few people make a bucket of money from being a public speaker. Still, developing your presentation skills definitely belongs in your doctor marketing plan. Healthcare practitioners who take to the stage find a significant—usually indirect—payback for their invested time and effort. Countless venues, both large and small, are commonly available. It’s easy to find […]
It turns out that “missed appointments” aren't the core problem for specialty practices. At first glance, it seems like it would top the list. Almost every office has some “no shows.” But what cripples business the most is when a doctor referral never happens at all. Therefore consider the net effect of these three shocking […]
Throughout his campaign, president-elect Donald Trump promised an early demise of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA). Today, “repealing and replacing” Obamacare remains a priority. However, details remain elusive. Consequently what that means for healthcare marketing plans, strategy, and tactics in coming months isn't clear. In fact, surveys reveal that segments of the general public didn't understand the […]
Medical practices, groups and provider organizations often invite me to be a “mystery shopper.” That’s where the principals of the business ask Healthcare Success to call the practice posing as a prospective patient. The technique is most effective when a healthcare marketing agency provides an independent—and unbiased—third-party assessment of the quality of service. Recently, we discovered a […]
The inspiration for this article came from my favorite grocery store, Publix. I was raised in the southeast, and developed a strong attachment for the chain. If you haven’t visited a Publix before, it’s hard to image what makes this grocery store different from others. Every time I walk in, I feel a sense of […]
A marketing website doesn’t have an end-date or use-by date. Instead, the effectiveness quietly fades away. Without an obvious signal, how do you know that it’s time for a new design? Here’s a healthcare website checklist of the things that top ranked sites have in common. Healthcare Website Checklist: Characteristics Most of all, if you miss the mark […]
The annual Google Partner Summit is a pretty big deal in the agency business. Visiting the “Googleplex” headquarters in Mountain View is an experience. Plus, this is one of several continuing education sessions that Healthcare Success attends throughout the year. Moreover, attending a Summit session is an educational pathway for a healthcare advertising agency to improve […]
[Series installment.] Hospital marketing professionals tend to think about content delivery as information sharing. That's good, but to be effective, the process goes deeper. The most useful creative secret in hospital marketing however, is the ability to tap emotional storytelling. Author and marketing professor Jonah Berger frames the idea this way: “People don't think in terms of information," he […]
Can you tell me—exactly—how much you are really spending on marketing? It seems like many medical groups and healthcare institutions are not aware that their budgets are out of control. Often, it takes an independent marketing audit and plan to expose the problem. First of all, these healthcare providers simply do not know how much they are […]
The most enduring and successful client-agency relationships work as a partnership. The trouble is, a solid working relationship isn’t easy to achieve. Selecting a healthcare marketing agency for a hospital or group practice shouldn't be "easier-said-than-done." Here are some important issues to consider. Performance is a specific measure of results, not the portfolio. Every agency has a gallery […]
Doctors aren’t the only people concerned about their online reputation. It is every brand, business and service provider with an Internet presence. But there are higher standards of quality with healthcare reputation management. Health care delivery in America is more intimate than an Amazon shopping experience. Consequently, patient experience has become a significant driver of success. Among […]
A Guest Post by Dr. Paul Rosen about hasslenomics and patient satisfaction, and improving patient care. One day when I was out of town, our refrigerator started making a loud humming noise. It sounded like the motor was about to break. My wife called our regular appliance company for help. We wanted them to send someone right away--to […]
Did you know that cheap medical websites may be upsetting Google and other search engines? A low-cost, template or D-I-Y website isn't a bargain. It costs money and lost opportunity. Google (the biggest search engine on the planet) can spot duplicate content, and it doesn’t like plagiarism. A bottom-dollar website puts your search listing in the crapper. Here’s a […]
Facebook’s organic reach is becoming obsolete at an alarming pace. Over the last few years, and even the last few months, we’ve noticed a striking loss in Facebook’s organic reach for our own clients.
[SERIES INSTALLMENT] Facebook (FB) is the world’s largest social media platform for good reason. For one thing, it’s smart about marketing and advertising for business. Company pages are for brands, hospitals and healthcare where doctor marketing strategies shine. The nearly two billion monthly active Facebook users love the social interaction. But business—including hospitals and practitioners—love the audience connectivity […]
SEO is a critical marketing-related factor. And the guidance of a healthcare advertising agency is highly recommended. It’s far too easy for well-intended individuals to create search engine optimization blunders. One reason you need professional SEO help is that the big search engines have us all outnumbered. They use dozens of uber-smart people to create […]
It's likely that your health system, hospital or practice will soon be the victim of a cyber crime. Your medical public relations disaster is not “if,” but “when.” The actual victims include patients and the loss of personal data. Compromised health record information is a medical public relations emergency waiting to happen. Your brand and marketing […]
[GUEST POST BY PAUL ROSEN, MD] When I graduated medical school almost 20 years ago, the majority of my classmates were planning to work in a private practice environment after residency training. Now, the opposite is true. Ninety percent of medical students plan to work for a health system. Most will skip private practice work. […]
Geisinger Health System (GHS) made the news a year ago with a ground breaking commitment to patient experience. GHS was the first hospital group to offer money-back refunds on their care...and with no questions asked. The retail world provides patient experience lessons. The program is for “patients whose experiences and expectations were not met with kindness and compassion.” […]
The nation’s healthcare delivery system continues to evolve. A curious thing about trend-watching is not that trends suddenly appear. Sometimes that’s true, but not always. In fact, marketing professionals are aware of the healthcare marketing trends on our list. What is important--the significant dynamic at work here--is change. It is the degree of change that marks a […]
Podcasts enjoy a heritage of online content that can be compelling and engaging. Podcasting is relatively inexpensive, easy to produce and often underutilized in healthcare digital marketing. And when they are done properly, creating online audio podcasts is an effective content connection between you and your audience. Related: 5 Best Healthcare Podcasts 2018 Podcasts begin […]
The Internet is now the well-established new business front door for health information, healthcare practices and hospitals. Nearly 90 percent of the billions of healthcare searches are online. But what you may not appreciate is that pay-per-click (PPC) advertising delivers answers to consumers’ needs via one billion search ad clicks. PPC Campaigns for Addiction Treatment […]
Does anyone remember the old catchphrase: “Who loves Ya?” From TV to pop music to healthcare delivery, the challenge of effective reputation management is to quantify the patient experience. We’re all familiar with fundamental survey questions. It is the most common technique to assign a number value to a human experience. Surveys vary, but there are five […]
The first lesson about healthcare branding has to do with setting expectations. All too often, the misguided concept of branding for a medical practice, hospital or individual provider is an overnight magic trick. The practical reality is that healthcare branding is a high-level and long-term marketing strategy. (Emphasis: long-term.) The principal investment is time—years, in fact—to […]
In somewhat random order, here are nearly two dozen timely social media tips and techniques to grow your online audience, community and influence. The marketing benefits of social media for doctors, medical practices and hospitals are significant. It seems as if nearly everyone with a smartphone is addicted to one or more social media connections. […]
Marketing professionals recognize the potential benefits of email as an online physician marketing tool. Patients prefer digital health communications. It’s fast. Email is convenient. And it's affordable and cost effective. But there are simple-but-essential secrets to doing it right. How to get online physician marketing right... Here are some of the email marketing tips and techniques […]
For the sake of this doctor marketing discussion, I think we can agree on two things. First, that “the US health industry is undergoing seismic change.” PwC’s respected Health Research Institute (HRI) observes that newly empowered patient/consumers “are playing a critical role in this transformation.” The second point of agreement is that the speed of […]
Only a few segments of the medical marketing industry have embraced the “big data” advantages. Some health systems, hospitals and the larger provider practices are now willing and able to collect and use data-smart information for marketing. There was a time when only the biggest industry organizations could draw down on healthcare data. That, however, […]
The adoption curve for virtual healthcare and telehealth has been mighty steep. In the real world, a large slice of the American public expects everyday living to be “digitally-enabled”...faster, quicker and easier. But healthcare delivery has been a sluggish exception. This picture is changing, and with it, your healthcare marketing and advertising plans may be […]
Sometimes ideas emerge on the Internet without a final name. There’s a fresh design technique that you’ve probably seen recently on healthcare website design of home pages and landing pages. And, if you didn’t know the label, the various names include “long-scrolling,” “infinity scrolling” or "single-page" sites. There are some technical differences among the various […]
Every industry has its share of truly moronic comments, witless ideas and brainless advice. And healthcare advertising is certainly no exception. Over time, it becomes a bit easier to identify silly comments for what they are. Providers have an excuse, after all healthcare marketing isn't their profession. However, healthcare advertising agency people should know better. Extremely […]
We’ve long been a fan of LinkedIn for physicians, healthcare professionals and hospital executives. Facebook features friends and family. Twitter is fast and furious. But LinkedIn is the business-serious social media. Until now, that is. LinkedIn is unveiling a major facelift. The redesign aims to make LinkedIn users more social, informed, connected and engaged. (While […]
Before you do anything else, a healthcare website design must plan for Search Engine Optimization. All too often, SEO is a neglected afterthought. And just as often, a poorly performing website will need major repair work or a complete re-build. Surprisingly, it comes up often. Just the other day, a practitioner proudly asked us, “What […]
The formula for creating highly effective healthcare advertising is never simple. But the chemistry works best when you can answer several critical questions before you begin. It is a simple acid test to evaluate your intended advertising message and/or website. With the target audience clearly defined, the first two questions are marketing’s Problem—Solution fundamentals. Problem: […]
The business world of marketing for doctors is fiercely competitive, and the environment is getting worse. The not-so-obvious part is that your friends and colleagues are often the primary sources of competition for new patients and market share. Medical doctors, generally, tend to be competitive-minded in many ways. That’s no surprise. There’s competition throughout medical school […]
[Series Installment] As the US healthcare delivery system becomes increasingly consumer-driven, patient satisfaction is more important than ever. Forward thinking medical practices routinely put the patient/consumer at the center of their progressive planning. Hospitals and medical systems have the standardized HCAHPS instruments. Increasingly providers and marketing professionals want to hear the voice of the customer through […]
[Healthcare Success Leadership Podcast Series] What does it take to upset longstanding “tradition” in healthcare delivery and to provide patients with quick, convenient access to care via same day appointments and other innovative approaches. Cleveland Clinic’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Paul Matsen, and Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success discuss the process of change, top-tier […]
Breaking through the noise and promotional clutter at an important business conference of hospital marketing professionals was a stiff creative challenge. But here’s a brief success story—how a creative approach by Healthcare Success was a big winner at the SHSMD16 conference…without spending a fortune. Attendees at national SHSMD16 conference (the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development) […]
