Websites show their age quickly in our digital world. A healthcare website that is three or more years old is probably doing more harm than good and it needs a fresh start. Here’s how an old site works against you and what to do about it. This came up again the other day where a […]
[Part of a continuing series] A colleague told the real-world story about seeing a group of senior citizens talking about their grandchildren. To our observer, the curious part was that each of the 70-plus-year-old grandparents had their smartphone in hand, complete with proud-moment pictures and videos. This snapshot is a micro-moment reminder of how personal […]
[Part of a continuing education series.] Simply mention learning Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and more than a few professionals will roll their eyes upwards. Virtually all marketing-smart individuals truly appreciate the vital importance of SEO. But they also know that it’s a specialized skill set and vocabulary that they would rather leave to the tech-smart […]
About the only big thing that these little marketing maneuvers have in common is that they all boost results. Take them. Use them. These tips come from a collection of “short-but-effective” marketing tricks that professionals will use often (but rarely reveal). The power of personalization marketing tricks… One of the least appreciated marketing concepts that […]
There are times when healthcare providers—even health systems and hospitals—dive into content publishing with only a general idea about where they’re going or how to get there. Right from the start, creating and publishing authoritative material is challenging. But the initial creative step just gets the ball rolling. We all know that regular postings and […]
At the risk of sounding like a loveable-but-annoying coach, it’s midyear and time to check your healthcare marketing plan. What's the score? Are you attracting more patients? Six calendar pages are missing, so climb above the daily grind and take the 35-thousand foot perspective. Have you achieved half of your planned objectives…or are you stalled? Check-in […]
[Part Two of a two-part article about long waiting times in accessing care and healthcare service delivery the doctor’s office. Read how to identify the problem and what to do about it. The first post is available here: Rethink Reception and Reduce Patient Waiting in Healthcare.] The nearly universal patient frustration (over 90 percent) tracks […]
[Healthcare Success 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. A prospective name change, branding or rebranding, will dramatically impact every aspect of a hospital system…image, operation and culture. Here’s how research can provide […]
Recently, I had a unique experience at a local IHOP restaurant. I’d like to share this real-world, simple-but-effective marketing idea that everyone can use. Here’s how asking for referrals can be an immediate boost for business. I was enjoying Father’s Day breakfast with the family. About halfway through our meal, an employee —wearing the name […]
[Part One of a two-part article about one of the top patient satisfaction complaints: long waiting times in accessing care and healthcare service delivery the doctor’s office. Here’s how to identify the problem and what to do about it.] There’s a well-considered reason that the healthcare industry is doing its best to banish the term […]
Perhaps the single, best practice advice about hiring a healthcare advertising agency is to start the process right now. Sooner is better than later. Super-smart management rule number one is to invoke the power of foresight—jump to the front of the growth curve. What’s more, it doesn’t take a visionary to know that the selection […]
Frequently, we teach the value of micro planning—using precision, personalized online marketing means and methods that zero in on the single-person at a point of need. Increasingly, technology enables this fine level of timely, local and immediate messages. But you also need to consider the macro view—the holistic perspective that doesn’t lose sight of the micro touches. […]
The ideal practice enjoys a steady flow of new patients. It’s a vital step in achieving steady practice growth. But, unfortunately, that’s where we often find a painful gap in the practice or hospital marketing plan. The time, effort and external budget—the source of new business and new patients—somehow disconnects from the internal marketing effort. […]
[Emerging consumerism series article] Healthcare’s traditional delivery systems and marketing means and methods are changing rapidly. Hospitals, providers and forward-thinking professionals are tracking the online shift to consumerism. Hyperbole is a headline attention-getter. In this instance, a nanosecond doesn’t mean an actual one-billionth of a second…but it’s close. Hopefully, in the minute or so that […]
Unless you diligently track this topic closely, what you thought you knew about doctor and hospital reputation management has probably changed. In fact, this is one tech-savvy, computer-centric landscape that is constantly evolving. If you might have skipped a beat—and that’s easy to do—here’s a brief update about change, the importance of online reputation and […]
[Emerging consumerism series article] Forward-thinking hospitals and progressive providers recognize that nearly every aspect of healthcare marketing and traditional delivery systems have changed. Some of this transformation process is for the better. While other elements—maybe not so much. Fundamentally, however, consumers expect to see a tired-and-traditional industry delivering a new level of consumerism. The predictable […]
OK – here it is: Successfully marketing to Millennials—appealing to and attracting this major audience group—requires a totally new approach. For the most part, the customary ways-and-means of reaching this target audience completely misses the mark. As a result, they are the most difficult segment to market to effectively. Leave the challenges of an old-school perspective and […]
There’s probably a good reason that the Fed discontinued high-denomination currency nearly 50 years ago. It may be because some well-intended healthcare practices are actually throwing money out the window. What’s worse, their budget is modest in the first place, and they can ill-afford a marketing budget squander of $1,000 in exchange for…nothing really. Here’s […]
Your website is healthcare’s new front door, and nearly everyone has a website. Good, bad or mediocre, hospitals, health systems and doctors’ offices have some degree of Internet presence. But better than half the time, the all-important website metrics—the numbers that monitor performance—are neglected or ignored. The plus side of an effective website is that […]
Here’s a simple, easy and nearly automatic way to generate online reviews via the wildly popular Facebook. This useful tip is completely free to use, plus it’s nicely suited to many—although not all—healthcare offices and facilities. “Facebook,” declares the recent CNNtech headline, “is closing in on 2 billion users.” And just to be perfectly clear, […]
By now you've heard about another big ransomware highjack in the news recently. A nasty computer virus targeted hundreds of thousands of devices in 150 countries. Although healthcare and hospitals were not specifically in the crosshairs, nearly 50 medical facilities in the United Kingdom were infected. As you can imagine, online marketing and communications channels are […]
The quick backstory here started on LinkedIn and turned out to be an amazing little coincidence. Although I was busy preparing for (yet another) business trip, I happened to notice the name of a business acquaintance that popped up via LinkedIn. Our West Coast offices are close to each other, but we both travel a […]
A fundamental requirement that comes with owning a blog is to constantly—insatiably—create fresh content. And frankly, it’s a steady challenge for a writer to keep the process moving—and to keep readers engaged and reading. Your audience deserves and expects it, so here are a few helpful blog writer tips you can use: Know what your […]
A small but familiar drama plays out in a doctor’s office. It seems that people—mainly prospective patients—are phoning the office. But, somehow, there’s a feeling that there aren’t enough new patients coming through the door. What’s wrong here? The promotional messages are doing their job…prospective patients are interested. And the front desk is armed with […]
“Yeh..I know that you probably know all this, but… sometimes it’s good to refresh your connection with valuable reminders. This is about one of those small-but-vital ideas that help when you use them routinely.” SG For doctors, clinical skills are presumed. By definition, doctors are smart people. OK, maybe some are a bit smarter or […]
For some time, the big thing about mobile devices has been the urgent warnings that responsive web design is an absolute must. Google was one of the main voices behind that message, and we agree. If your website did not recognize and respond to the user’s device—hint, especially a mobile device—it will not show well […]
It’s not clear who coined the label “explainer videos.” But in healthcare marketing, there’s a three-minute visual fastball just about everywhere these days. The term might have become “A/V CliffsNotes,” or “Visual Elevator Pitch,” or “Video Demo.” Regardless of the name, this is a quick communications tool that presents a short-and-sweet informational or educational snapshot. […]
The buying public has moved...from indoors to online. And healthcare is not far behind. Retail business has shifted from familiar big-name brands to online-based providers. Some of the biggest names in retail merchandising aren’t nearly as big anymore. Sears, JCPenney, Macy’s and many other department store chains have downsized and properties have closed. We’ve lost […]
There’s a serious gender gap in healthcare marketing. So, in advance of National Men’s Health Week (CDC, June 12-18, 2017), here are some marketing idea-starters—to reach, motivate and encourage men to make health a priority. But be forewarned, men are a tough audience—they are underserved and highly reluctant to see the inside of a doctor’s […]
In the retail world, it’s easy to find free or low-cost samples of goods, services, and the ever-popular taste-test of (a new flavor) bacon-infused crispy chip. Beyond the wall of healthcare marketing, reciprocity and the psychology of samples, test bits and trial models have a long and successful history. Retailers know that giving away a […]
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of ranking among the top organic or natural search results. I would like to think that virtually everyone in the known digital universe is aware of the vital importance of SEO. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. So even if you're not a programming whiz, or don't fully understand Google's […]
Now and then someone raises their hand and asks for a generous infusion of marketing automation. They’ve heard the popular buzzword, but the definition isn’t exactly clear. Their well-intended (but mistaken) objective is to realize all the rewards of marketing—generating new business—powered by a semi-magical, set-and-forget software. This description is a bit of an exaggeration. […]
“Bounce rate” might be the single most frustrating metric in online marketing. Here’s how to combat bounce rate—single page visits. It’s maddening to realize that someone has invested considerable time, effort and money in creating a website that statistically repels visitors. They leave as soon as they have arrived, without browsing further. They’re gone. There […]
The new business opportunity for healthcare email marketing is real, and better than ever. Here's why: More than a few people I know have at least one smartphone in hand or close by…constantly. They never travel far without it. And the ebb and flow of email via their mobile device has become an indispensable business […]
[Series Installment] Here’s how to inspire advertising action. Look back at last week’s installment in this series titled, Social Proof Primer: How to Use Marketing’s Psychological Secret Sauce. Previously, we labeled the concept as “marketing’s psychological secret sauce.” As a device to boost response, a dash of this power-packed juice belongs in every advertising message. […]
Poke around online briefly and this prediction appears. It heralds the need for doctors to change and accept healthcare consumerism: “The medical world expects ‘patients’ to bear up patiently. But the medical world needs to learn to live with ‘consumers.’” What’s most surprising is that this quote is more than three decades old. It’s from […]
It’s no secret that the Internet has become the new front door for healthcare providers and hospitals. And Google searches are primary pathways for that lead to health-related information, medical practices and professional care. They dictate being lost or found online. Without a strong online presence, providers and practices simply disappear from view. Three-quarters (75 percent) […]
[Series Installment] Think of it as marketing’s psychological secret sauce. A serious dash of social proof is often the most compelling and motivating ingredient in the applied science of marketing. Success—with clear and measurable results—follows when you put predictable human reactions and behavior to work. You can kick start your effectiveness by incorporating at least […]
We’ve been looking for a good springboard opportunity to present the creative advertising images that are included with this post. It’s difficult to characterize all the ways how-and-why reasons that good visuals turn your head, tell a story and/or bend your mind. And frankly, that’s an important secret sauce ingredient. There aren’t many ad messages […]
What do you do when the news media suddenly knocks on your door regarding a hot news item? What if one or more members of the press wants a media interview? Without much notice they're seeking your expert medical opinion or professional point of view. It’s useful for the media to know that you're available. And […]
If this blog post had sound effects, you would hear a painful and protracted “Arrrrrghhhh!” It would represent the classic mistake of a neophyte healthcare advertiser who is murdering their advertising budget and their new business opportunity. So, exactly what’s wrong here? Blame is heaped on the ad campaign—which, by the way, is actually working. […]
Here’s where a rational marketing mind might wonder: “Exactly WHY should I care that Google has—yet again—changed the “Ad label" at the top of search results?” To the casual observer, it seems to be a subtle change—from yellow versions to a solid green background, to (now) a green outline with a white background. Is this […]
This is a brief article about a small-makes-big concept. It goes like this: When someone agrees to something small, they are likely to be consistent and go along with a bigger idea later. For the sake of a label, let’s call this the Cialdini Commitment Concept, and credit the marketing genius of Dr. Robert Cialdini. […]
[Second of Two Parts - Series Installment: Current Marketing Trends] The first of these two installments, 4 Top Hospital Marketing Trends to Watch Right Now, examined Customer Relationship Management, and Precision Marketing Audience Segments. Our list of top hospital marketing trends continues… The nation’s healthcare delivery system continues to change rapidly. And to keep pace, […]
[Series Installment: First of Two Parts - Current Marketing Trends] Here are some important but easily overlooked facts about trends in general, and hospital marketing trends specifically. Trends don’t suddenly explode onto the scene (usually). Allowing for some rare exceptions, healthcare and hospital trends tend to emerge over time. The best observers—professionals who keep ahead […]
A significant majority of prospective patients look online to research hospitals, doctors and medical practices before they select a provider…and long before they meet you in person. The digital pallet of online reputation management paints an image and shapes expectations in the consumer’s mind. Nearly everyone—customers, buyers, and patients—envisions who you are based on the strength […]
More than 30 percent of email recipients open the email based on the subject line alone. Unfortunately, the folks that study those things seem to be silent about what happens to the other 70 percent. But we have a pretty good guess. Everyone’s INBOX is the target of tons of digital missiles each day, and […]
Eight out of ten well-intended content marketing efforts are at risk of going astray. It happens when potentially good results are pulled off target with the mistaken belief that “content (alone) is king.” Creating healthcare marketing content for your blog, website and online presence require more than quantity. You also need measures of quality, credibility […]
Creating and maintaining an online wellspring of useful and interesting information is a positive step in healthcare marketing. Presenting authoritative information—on your blog, your website and elsewhere—is a foundation for connections and relationships. But the first secret of content marketing—with the rich rewards of attracting and engaging prospective patients—is inspiring shareability through your audience. Shareability, […]
[Part of a continuing series] Consider how these important marketing touchpoints intersect: Video content now accounts for well over half of the traffic online Well over half of health and healthcare searches begin with an Internet search Positive reviews and testimonials strongly influence purchase decisions So this formula—video-plus-Internet-plus-testimonials—is a powerful combination for effective healthcare marketing. […]
