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) […]
In a totally unscientific sample, about half of the doctor marketing business cards in front of me include a physician’s email address. The other half does not; those cards are silent about an email communications channel between the practice and the real world. And, I fear, that's an unfortunate choice these days. Scientifically grounded studies […]
[Series Installment] There’s an important lesson here for healthcare marketing. It seems the retail world is increasingly hungry for consumer feedback. Here’s why doctors, hospitals and medical marketing professionals need, more than ever, to take a page from service industries, brand names and merchandisers. A reliable measure of customer satisfaction—how products or services meet or exceed […]
[SHSMD16 Speaker Podcast Series] Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success, talks with Jennifer Schultz, Vice President of Marketing and Lindsey Meyers, Vice President of Public Relations for Avera Health, about their 2016 SHSMD Connections Conference presentation: Building the Physician’s Practice in a Digital World. Today’s podcast with Lindsey Meyers and Jennifer Schultz sums up everything […]
The “voice of the customer” is a vital hospital marketing tool. And for many facilities, a Family Advisory Council (FAC) provides the patient experience “voice.” Feedback via the FAC can be an amazing resource that drives patient-centered care. Unfortunately, it takes more than a mandate to create culture change and leadership buy-in. [Guest Post by […]
Hospitals, as well as some medical practices, can use public service announcements (PSAs) to communicate “messages in the public interest.” The good new and the bad news about creating a public service announcement is that it’s free. Well…that is to say, it’s nearly free. There’s no charge for any broadcast time or print ad space, which can […]
In the 500-plus years since the Middle Ages, hospital marketing has only recently changed its perspective and community relationship. Back in the day—when nobility wanted to build a castle—they took the high ground above the village. Ancient cathedrals and churches would also pick the elevated or center-city real estate. It was a statement of visibility and authority. […]
[SHSMD16 Speaker Podcast Series] Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success, talks with Scott Linabarger, Vice President of Strategic Accounts and Josh Fieldman, Vice President of Sales for Medicom Health Interactive, about how their software program can turn unknown consumers into known patients. As healthcare marketers, it’s common to hear doctors and hospital executives to […]
[SHSMD16 Speaker Podcast Series] Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success, talks with Tanya Andreadis, Associate Chief Marketing Officer and Robin Ward, Director of Customer Engagement & Marketing Analytics for Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, about their upcoming presentation at the 2016 SHSMD Connections Conference on the topic: Marketing Automation, Oh My! Lessons from […]
[SHSMD16 Speaker Podcast Series] Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success, talks with Alan Shoebridge, Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Tammy Graves, Senior Director of Marketing from Providence Health and Services, about their upcoming presentation at the 2106 SHSMD Connections Conference on the topic: Evolution or Revolution: Your MarCom Department Must Change. Healthcare is changing […]
[SHSMD16 Speaker Podcast Series] Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success talks with Dr. Jeff Cole, Vice President of Ancillary Services at Athens Regional Health System about Dr. Cole’s upcoming presentation at the 2106 SHSMD Connections Conference on the topic: Successfully Engaging Physicians in Value-Based Initiatives: Strategy and Best Practices from the Frontlines of Physician-Hospital Collaboration. […]
In healthcare marketing, video for social media has got to be one of the fastest moving and important trends. Don't miss these recent upgrade moves by three of the biggest social platforms. If the rapid growth and popularity of social media has been amazing, the social video trend is downright explosive. Hospital and healthcare marketing […]
This is not your typical video role model. You may not like it at all. But hospital advertising can steal strategy and creative ideas from this unorthodox (and somewhat rude) marketing gem. This little film blasts through clutter and makes an overly-familiar message standout in an entirely new way. The visual story of Coleman Sweeney—the […]
[Series Installment] Unfortunately, we see too many of them. Website mistakes can be so bad that it’s like a doctor not washing his hands before surgery. A medical practice or doctor marketing website needs a clean, head-to-toe bill of health to do the heavy lifting and to make a meaningful contribution to new business. We […]
[Series Installment] Competition is intense in doctor marketing. First of all, more than three-quarters of the new patients in your practice began their selection process online. An effective LinkedIn Profile is a vital ingredient in a doctor marketing plan. Here’s how to build a stronger LinkedIn profile. A solitary website isn’t sufficient "digital horsepower" these days. […]
The business of physician referrals—that stream of new cases and revenue—depends on maintaining a solid relationship with colleagues. Doctor-to-doctor patient referrals rely on a trust and confidence that goes beyond your CV, clinical skills and professional experience. Your reputation is on the line. I have the good fortune to travel throughout the country working with […]
[Guest Post by Dr. Paul Rosen] Evidence continues to build that art and music promote healing. Here’s a real-world story about the power of the healing arts and enhanced patient experience. Don't miss the inspiring original song and video. It's from the Nemours Creative Arts Therapy program at Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. A couple […]
In any given week, we objectively review medical advertising and dozens of healthcare websites. And more than a few of them—for doctors, dentists and providers of all sorts—manage to sabotage their medical advertising effectiveness in a single stroke. The poison? Those yucky photos of clinical procedures are a double-barrel emotional turn-off for prospective patients. You’ll never […]
What exactly is "digital healthcare marketing?" Does it mean that your dentist is posting before and after snapshots in an online Smile Gallery on Facebook? In addition, will your orthopedic surgeon share videos of patients that have made a miraculous recovery from a partial knee replacement? Does “online healthcare marketing” describe the newsletter that you received from your primary physician […]
From a five-mile-high perspective, there are two kinds of relationships between a client and a healthcare advertising agency. Let’s label the first type a “vendor” relationship. In this arrangement, the client—a medical practice or hospital, for example—intends to buy specific ad agency services much as they might order and restock surgical masks. Passive. Detached. Truly […]
By Charlie DeNatale, Healthcare Success Media Supervisor Reaching and attracting new patients in the Hispanic audience is a healthcare marketing opportunity that can’t be ignored. But marketing to Hispanic audiences holds challenges for healthcare providers, due to the Affordable Care Act and changing demographics. And regardless of your location, this may be a largely untapped […]
If you’re a doctor—or plan a medical or healthcare marketing career—you can take a seat. There is (or will be) an app for that. If the futurologists are right, technology will eliminate doctors (and the need for physician marketing) in just a couple of decades. Agree or disagree? Let us know what you think about […]
Change can be hard to embrace. The nation’s healthcare delivery system—which has traditionally been slow to adjust—is experiencing unprecedented reform. And with it, one significant consequence is the need for healthcare branding, rebranding or a completely new approach. The Affordable Care Act and other social dynamics have changed the fundamentals of doing business. Maybe you are […]
Your name, or the name of your practice, can be an important asset or an unfortunate liability for providers in doctor or healthcare marketing and advertising. Consider the legendary saga of Edgar “Painless” Parker, a turn of the century street dentist. It seems the ethical standards for dentistry were sometimes cringe-worthy at the time. “After […]
The global obsession with Pokémon GO is an instant healthcare marketing opportunity for many providers and facilities. This timely tool is especially adaptable for healthcare businesses with a retail component including dental, optometry, family practice, pediatricians, orthodontists…even urgent care or LASIK practices. You can also include anyone doing event marketing, such as health fairs, trade…
There are times when medical practices should get help with their doctor marketing and advertising from a specialist. There are appropriate occasions, and valid business reasons to outsource professional support. To illustrate, consider this parallel illustration from the healthcare profession. A friend of mine has the greatest respect for his doctor…and for good reason. It seems the GP—an […]
The secret to “getting it right” in medical marketing and advertising is essentially two-fold. Regardless of size—multi-location health system, hospital, doctor group practice, or individual provider—the challenges involve many, constantly moving business considerations. And in the end, "it ain’t easy” to get it right…and produce measurable marketing results. One side of the coin is the application […]
You know Vine. It’s the micro-video-sharing service that hospitals and medical marketing folks can use for visual spice in social networks including Twitter and Facebook. When Vine first emerged many people wondered if there was a useful marketing purpose when confined to creating little looping video clips of less than six seconds. It’s probably the […]
Google, the Search Engine Goliath, has been relentlessly pushing everyone— including medical marketing websites —toward a more perfect mobile-friendly experience. Google's latest mobile search algorithm update is killing, or rewarding, websites according to “mobile friendliness” factors. Without getting too technical or lost in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) jargon, here’s what you need to know, and why, […]
The Intern is a delightful, Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway comedy/drama. Those of us in healthcare marketing and advertising see some amusing contrasts between old-school business and present day online enterprises and Internet ads. If you’re old enough to remember phonebook advertising, you’ll likely recognize that Internet ads are the new Yellow Pages (print) […]
The concept of consumerism in healthcare delivery is a page from the retail world. Although it predates the Affordable Care Act—a major driver in consumerism—it’s a trend that has gained significant traction with health systems, hospitals and medical practices. And, by most indicators, healthcare consumerism is rapidly becoming a top imperative for marketing professionals. The […]
Hospitals, group medical practices and other healthcare professionals have embraced digital and social media for marketing. The standard toolbox begins a robust website, plus a Facebook page, and sometimes, a blog. Deeper plans may also include a YouTube channel, Twitter and/or LinkedIn and others. Relatively new on the scene is Instagram, which is a powerhouse picture […]
[Series Installment] There’s a line of thinking quietly at work among a few healthcare practices that says: “Simply being a good doctor will guarantee success.” A few satisfied patients will fuel “word-of- mouth,” and that’s all you need in business. There’s a lot of appeal to the idea of attracting new patients with near-no-cost marketing […]
[Guest Post by Dr. Paul Rosen] For the past two months, I have been taking Uber cars around Delaware when I go to the train or to the airport. I have taken about 10 rides and every one has been a pleasurable experience. The drivers are friendly, the cars are clean, the car arrives in […]
What happens when your carefully crafted healthcare marketing plan causes your phone to ring? Prospective patients are calling your office. I can hear the phone ringing now. Well all-right! Good job! Whoot. Fist pump! But wait. There’s a big problem. People are calling, but nobody is answering the phone. Oops. The designated “care coordinator” is busy, […]
At first, I really couldn’t believe what I was reading: “The decline of medicine as a profession began,” according to the blog post, “when it became legal for doctors and hospitals to advertise.” Really? Now that’s an effective, attention-getting lead sentence, especially for a seasoned healthcare marketing professional like myself. Evidently, the demise of modern […]
Early in his journalism career, a professional colleague worked as a field reporter for a top-rated radio station. On any given day, his assignments could range from (boring) City Council sessions to catastrophic five-alarm fires. Some of the most interesting and challenging journalism sprang from the opportunity to report on issues and candidates in the […]
Healthcare marketing professionals have embraced video as a compelling communications power tool. Hospitals, medical practices and individual providers have invented dozens of purposes and places to present their marketing story via a video format. As a quick reference point, take a minute to review our previous article titled: 36 Uses for Video: Magnify Your Healthcare […]
There’s something addictive about Facebook. At least some people I know will dip into the social stream several times a day. Not everyone, of course, but with over 150-million monthly active users in the US alone, that’s better than half the adult population. And, as you’re probably aware, Facebook has more than 1.6 billion monthly […]
A close friend of mine shared a personal story that’s worth re-telling. It illustrates a real-world patient experience that moved the measure of satisfaction from “simply satisfied” to “raving fan” status. Although this story comes from the dental profession, the core concept will easily transfer to other healthcare specialties. Consider how you can apply this […]
The doctor's comment was a bit startling, but it was entirely believable. A physician-friend tells us that 75 percent of doctors forget to introduce themselves properly when meeting patients. OK…it’s a hectic day in the office. Behind schedule…again. The usual stuff. But without a proper introduction—quick, simple, sincere—everything that follows in the encounter is slightly off-center […]
Healthcare consumers—the audiences that hospital and medical marketing professionals target—are increasingly difficult to reach effectively with video content. Some of the trends in this techno-mash-up include cable television subscriptions, where the programming bundle includes a zillion channels…including dozens that you pay for, but seldom watch. Homes with Internet and wi-fi service are streaming Netflix and other digital […]
An ophthalmologist approached us for marketing help with his well-established vision care practice. It’s a story we’ve heard from time to time in the past, and perhaps you can relate. It seems that the return on marketing ophthalmology services has, somewhat to his surprise, quietly slipped downhill. He believed that he, personally, was a recognized […]
Real-world marketing stories come to my attention with increasing regularity. And, frequently, they reinforce the strategic importance and positive benefits of online reviews by patients. Prospective patients are doing their homework. As many as 85 percent of patients are choosing doctors based on, or assisted by, online reviews, according to the frequently cited study by […]
Depending on what you read, statistics say that today’s ophthalmology market is either up or down. But the business of optometric surgery and related medical eye care is definitely changing. On one hand, the big-picture numbers peg ophthalmology growth at four to five percent, due in part to a large and aging population evidencing cataracts, […]
Competition among plastic surgery practices has always been tough. But the scale has reset to an even higher marker—from “tough” to “really intense”—as individual providers and medical groups are serious about winning new patients. Consider how prospective, self-referred patients are now informed consumers, vigorously researching and comparing physician/provider options for plastic, cosmetic and aesthetic procedures, services and […]
