The name of the (nearly) new player is FACEBOOK LOCAL, which is blending the lines between social media and online local search. The introduction of Facebook Local Search could become a battle for digital turf —between search engine giant Google and social media giant Facebook—and it may morph into an important new trend. In time, […]
A major hallmark of delivering patient-centered care is convenience. Today’s hospital and medical practice patient has become a sophisticated consumer. This is someone ready and willing to select a hospital or provider based on the quality and ease of service that truly puts the patient first. Millennials—the largest of the demographic groups—want and expect health […]
[Series Installment] Nearly all health systems, hospitals, medical groups and professional practices have two fundamental considerations in common. And the professional groups that are becoming breakaway successful have leveraged the new consumerism marketing. The first is dynamic—one that virtually everyone struggles with—is the tough competitive landscape. The quiet days of old-school healthcare are gone. The fast-pace […]
Most doctors are well respected, even beloved, by the vast majority of patients. In the broad spectrum of patient-provider relationships, physicians have a positive head start. As the widely held and generally correct stereotype goes, skilled and experienced professionals in the healing arts are intelligent, well educated who do good for patients and the community […]
More than a few physicians have gone into practice with the expectation, wish or hope, that marketing or advertising was mostly unnecessary. They believed that they would inspire a word-of-mouth-only (WOM) practice, and patient and professional referrals would do it all. Related: 9 Essential Steps to Improve Doctor Ratings Online That concept was popular, but […]
The concept of "If you build it, they will come,” doesn’t always work in business. There are no “set-and-forget” benefits from just posting a website. And simply being the good (the best, maybe even great) healthcare provider in town is no assurance that consumers will know it and lineup at the office door. Worse, we’ve seen a […]
[Part One in a Series] Right up front, it’s fair to say that there are some exceptions to this overview lesson about digital marketing. In fact, a full-service, integrated healthcare agency brings marketing and advertising savvy and experience to direct a comprehensive, digital-driven plan that attracts and retains new patients. That said, digital is (almost) […]
For several consecutive years, all of us have heard the same prediction: “This is the year of the video!” We don’t know the exact moment of launch, but compelling video is now a powerful marketing tool for hospitals, medical groups and professional practitioners. And the performance stats and results are stronger each year. Let’s credit […]
[Second of two parts.] Healthcare continues to reinvent itself with near-constant changes in delivery systems as well as in the ongoing competitive battles in marketing and advertising. Here are more of the forward-looking trends, strategies and tactics that hospitals and medical practices need to consider for 2018 planning and beyond. Many of the trends and […]
Resolved: 2018 will be a time for thoughtful positive planning to achieve greater business success. The best or the worst of every marketing year is the fourth and final quarter. For some hospitals and medical groups, unfortunately, this is a red flag danger zone. It’s hard to say what caused the year-end period to become a […]
Nearly 100 percent of the hospitals and medical practices that we meet in the course of a year want their business to expand. These are the marketing savvy doctors and communications professionals who recognize that medicine is a profession, but healthcare is a business. They usually represent the premier providers in a region—already holding a […]
[First of two parts. For 2018 planning and beyond.] It’s downright tough, but to consistently attract new patients, hospital executives, doctors and marketing professionals contend with a changing landscape. Tracking with the latest trends and visions in healthcare marketing is a future-think exercise in planning. When you have the time for a high-altitude view, a […]
First, a short disclaimer: The purpose of this post is not to toot our own horn. This is about your benefits when you work with a Google Premier Partner. (OK…it’s good to know that Healthcare Success is a Premier-level Google Partner.) You can work with any firm you chose. But the big-picture message is that […]
[Community Manager Series Installment] The care and feeding of all social media issues fall squarely in the lap of the community manager. All the good, the bad and the “everything else” from online physician reviews and feedback demands constant attention. The trouble is, nobody enjoys handling a hot potato, negative physician review or feedback. Related: […]
[Healthcare Success Industry Leadership Podcast] In this installment of our continuing educational series, Healthcare Success CEO Stewart Gandolf talks with Rob Klein, founder and CEO of healthcare marketing research firm Klein & Partners. From large hospitals and medical group to individual practices, the marketing research step is a vital foundation to achieving campaign success and business […]
It’s tough attracting new patients. And just when you thought you only had to worry about ransomware, phishing scams, phony charities and the desperate email from a Nigerian prince…along comes a big-time advertiser swindle. “Zombie websites” amount to a rapid-fire digital fraud that has picked the pockets of some of the nation’s biggest brands. Hershey’s, […]
Every savvy marketing executive knows the John Wanamaker (1838-1922) quote: “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.” Somewhere in his distinguished career, John must have found the answer. More than 150 years later, it turns out he was exceptionally successful in retail merchandising, and to […]
We don’t want to step on anyone’s toes with this post. But marketing savvy doctors and skilled physician liaison people will agree about these common and costly mistakes. Nothing personal here—but we discover this business blunder all too often. There’s about a million dollars in revenue on the line with a practice representative or physician […]
I didn’t mean for this to sneak up—but surprise—it’s that time of year! Right now—meaning today—is the best time to take care of the holiday gift-giving and doctor-recognition-marketing routine. There’s got to be a shorter name, but traditionally, it’s when everyone wants to thank the various referral sources among doctors. The most common referral channels […]
[Healthcare Success Podcast Series] This is Stewart Gandolf. As you know we like to provide our audience with interesting podcast topics and new perspectives about the things we teach everyday. Our guest today is Cheryl Janis, principal designer and owner of Cheryl Janis Designs. Today, we're talking about podcast is about interior design that benefits […]
Earlier this year, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg was justifiably proud in announcing that the popular social media platform “is now officially 2 billion people. We’re making progress connecting the world…” He’s talking monthly active users, and by far, the most popular social networking site with YouTube registering second: The large, worldwide user count is impressive. But […]
This is the time of year when a well-considered hospital marketing budget is in the final-finish stages. It’s nearly ready for rollout with the launch of a new calendar year. But getting it done isn’t the same as getting it right. Here are four thought-leader concepts to help optimize your budget—and your marketing results—as never […]
Even casual Internet users are understandably fearful of online risks. This is a digital age of malware threats, identity theft and ransomware attacks. So there’s a good chance that any of us might instantly back away from a website with a Google Chrome “Not Secure” Warning. Google’s alert is cause for concern for some hospitals […]
Recently I returned from a client photo shoot and drafted this list of helpful creative director secrets to help you produce professional and effective results. It's about details because the camera sees it all. Every photo shoot—from a big screen major motion picture, to images for your hospital or office—deserves careful attention. It’s fun to […]
Many marketing executives and communications professionals recognize this headline is a bit of trick. The answer, of course, is that hospital reputation management (HRM) matters constantly. Reputation is the core component of nearly everything. This post provides a few of the most meaningful moments when hospital reputation management matters the most. Plus we include five […]
A service line—and hospital service line marketing—are hard workers. These doorways into the facility serve several distinct purposes. Among these, in the big picture of things, is the task of communicating the organization’s branding message. In addition, there is the need to spotlight specific services and capabilities to the general public. It’s always a challenge […]
We meet many successful doctors in our travels. You probably recognize the leaders among professional colleagues who have significantly grown their business. These are the principals of an expanding group, a multi-doctor/multi-location or multi-specialty practice, or leaders at a hospital. The important distinction—unlike many other providers—is that they are constantly moving forward. They are growing […]
A fundamental element of marketing and advertising tells us that, before you can persuade or convince an audience, it's imperative that you command their attention. And, when you can effectively and instantly grab the viewer/audience by the eyeballs, their curious mind is bound to follow. It's simply the way that we're wired. The physiology of […]
As the Internet-age-old saying goes: The best place to hide a dead body is Page 2 of Google Search Results. This rule of thumb came to mind recently when someone questioned the purpose and value of Search Engine Optimization. Admittedly, SEO is challenging to understand, and even more difficult to do consistently…but as a starting […]
As a kid, it's likely you spent many Saturday mornings stuffing yourself on popular children's cereal while watching the cartoons and the animated ads that touted them. As adults, consumers are still responsive to animation. And healthcare animation is a popular and beneficial tool in hospital and medical group communications plans. A consumer’s earliest decision-making is […]
It is a remarkable and often painful mistake for doctors to assume that prospective patients know how to judge clinical quality in healthcare. Specifically, many doctors mistakenly believe that any prospective patient clearly recognizes that the competitive hospital or medical office down the street is lacking in quality of care. Thus, they believe, the other […]
If you picture the marketing and advertising process as a circle, success is when you close the loop. Getting the phone to ring is a good start and an important part of the loop. But an inquiry call—to a hospital, service line office or provider—doesn’t complete the loop. The ringing that you hear signals an […]
Communications professionals know the name Ivy Lee, considered the father of modern public relations. Few people appreciate that he also invented—and wrote—the first press release. That was a hundred years ago (1906). It traveled by regular mail and the common name “press release” probably came later. Many things about this time-honored publicity channel are still […]
[Community Manager Series Installment] The single most destructive force in reputation management and social media is neglect. Maybe it’s a misguided idea that says web stuff is a simple set-and-forget proposition. Perhaps every medical office is a super-kinetic challenge of being super-busy. Whatever reason—real or imagined…intentional or accidental—a critical community manager responsibility is to proactively […]
There are dozens of compelling reasons to include community marketing ideas, activities and outreach events in your plan. For any hospital or provider practice, working with the local public—down home at the grassroots level—is engaging, rewarding…and usually, a lot of fun. Community marketing engages and attracts prospective customers on a local level through their cities […]
[Healthcare Success Leadership Podcast] In this installment of our continuing educational series, Healthcare Success CEO Stewart Gandolf, [@StewartGandolf ] talks with Lee Aase, [@LeeAase], Director of the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network. #MCSMN The seventh Mayo Clinic Social Media Network Annual Conference will be held at the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale campus, December 11-12, 2017. In today’s podcast, […]
Healthcare reform has been a topic of public discussion for many years. It’s a debate continues today. It seems that hospitals and providers constantly struggle to find ways to beat the competition. While various initiatives continue to search for an effective blueprint for change, competition is fierce. The health industry and the competitive landscape for […]
If you haven’t visited the Coca-Cola website, take a quick look sometime. Your hospital or medical practice does not have to be a global business icon for you to recognize why Coke’s website produces measurable results…and your website does not. Stick with me on this. There’s an insightful backstory to the comparison challenge, so I’ll […]
Over the years, our free library of marketing reference materials has grown steadily. And, among these resources, is an impressive collection of several dozen healthcare podcasts with recognized industry leaders. It was tough to spotlight only 10 articles from this leadership podcasts series. Stewart Gandolf, Healthcare Success CEO, leads these insightful and inspiring discussions from […]
There’s a good chance that you navigated your way to this article with the help of our newsletter, Healthcare Success INSIGHT. For nearly a decade, our free marketing newsletter and blog have helped subscribers learn how to boost their marketing effectiveness. We thought this was a good opportunity to share some of how this works, […]
Here’s an insightful management and business reminder called “moving the needle.” It’s a useful metaphor for inspiring employees and achieving personal goals and recognition. It’s also about achieving greater success for the company. Recently, a business colleague told a story about an employee who was feeling under appreciated in the work they were doing for […]
[Series Installment] It looks like the majority of hospitals throughout the US want to be gearing up for major advances in consumerism. From a marketing and business development perspective, the institutions that make aggressive consumer moves will differentiate themselves from the other 92 percent of the industry. A mere eight percent of hospitals and health […]
File this under “If You’re Happy and You Know It” power tactics. This is a handful of highly effective little ideas anyone can put to work on short notice—at little or no cost—for greater mileage. #1: Publish, publish and republish. Consumer comments on review sites, as well as the direct testimonials of patients, are highly […]
Who needs Dr. Leonard McCoy’s classic (but fictional) Medical Tricorder when iPhone health is already in your pocket? (Some of it anyway.) There are various configurations of the Tricorder on the Star Trek TV show. By today’s standards, the devices were bulky, but they enabled: Instant diagnosis ailments/disease Track general metrics/vital signs Monitor ongoing health […]
[SHSMD17 Speaker Podcast Series] Our guest for this podcast is Jenise Celestin, Director of Community Relations at Swedish Covenant Hospital. Jenise talks with Healthcare Success Marketing Strategist Peter Do as a preview of the SHSMD 2017 presentation: From Hospital Employee to Brand Ambassador: Building Bridges in the Community and Enhancing Your Brand. In today’s conversation, […]
[SHSMD17 Speaker Podcast Series] Healthcare Success Marketing Strategist Peter Do talks with Keith Whitworth, Director of Marketing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. This podcast will preview Keith’s presentation at the 2017 SHSMD marketing conference titled: Rollout a Winning Video Content Strategy with No Budget. Everyone—patients, audience, search engines, and leadership—loves good video […]
[Community Manager Series Installment] The successful implementation of social media is the responsibility — and the credit — of your community manager. Every healthcare marketing situation requires a custom plan that artfully blends each of many strategies and tactics. There is no one-size-fits-all list of how-to steps. Successfully achieving the goals and objectives in marketing […]
The way we do video conference calls in our office at Healthcare Success is several measures of professional quality ahead of most everyone else. We’re proud of our video conferencing setup. It conveys a million-dollar setup, but the cost is low and the benefits are high. We’re often asked how we do it…and we’re pleased […]
[SHSMD17 Speaker Podcast Series] In this segment of our 2017 continuing series, Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success talks with Brent Westra, Marketing Segment Manager, and Andrew Tofilon, Marketing Segment Manager at Mayo Medical Laboratories. The topic of this podcast is Brent and Andrew’s presentation at the SHSMD marketing conference on their topic titled: Designing […]
[SHSMD17 Speaker Podcast Series] Our interview today is with Scot Singpiel, Communications Manager at University of Utah Health regarding the upcoming presentation at SHSMD 2017 hospital and healthcare marketing conference. Scott, and his co-presenter Kathy Wilets, Director of Media Relations, will be talking about the unique uses of audio in their content marketing strategy. TheScopeRadio.com […]
