Digital Coupons: What’s Old is New Again for Chiropractic Marketing & Advertising (and others too)

It's one of the oldest tools in advertising in America. The various forms of a coupon and coupon offers are well-established and often-used tools in chiropractic marketing and other healthcare products and services. Over time, they’ve moved from print ads and free standing inserts to also include distribution via email and taking a bit of […]

TxtMsg to Hospital Marketing & Advertising Execs: Take Two Apps and Call Me in the Morning

The trend for hospital marketing and advertising professionals is increasingly: “think mobile.” It's a message that's reinforced with the introduction next week of an online “app store” by the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA). The first-ever mobile application store by and for healthcare professionals—doctors health care executives, nurses and other medical providers—launches in November […]

The Humble Carrot: Enduring Vegetable Icon of Vision Health and Optometry Marketing

The vision-health benefits of eating carrots have stronger roots in popular folklore than in pure science. (The surprising origin of the carrots-for-better-vision is revealed below.) But the orange-ish root vegetable remains an enduring icon that pops up from time to time in optometry marketing. Here are two creative examples we happened to see recently.

"Fertility Boot Camp" Wellness Retreat - Holistic Ally in Reproductive Endocrinology Marketing

A Chicago medical spa and wellness center that emphasizes integrative health sponsored a one-day retreat earlier this month titled: Fertility Boot Camp: Whip your EGGS into Shape! It’s an idea that may be of interest for reproductive endocrinology marketing. The objective, according to the Tiffani Kim Institute, was for women to learn “how to nurture […]

man in fitness holding heart rate monitor on iPhone

Bodily Email: Internal Organs that Communicate for Themselves Could Differentiate Your Cardiology Marketing

There's another survey out that (again) confirms that physicians are reluctant to connect with patients via email. (More on that in a future post.) You know; concerns about workload, reimbursement, privacy, security, liability, etc. But now some human hearts can start the digital dialog on their own. A new type of wireless body area network […]

EyeBall 2010: Clever Name for a Charitable Cause in Ophthalmology Marketing

The play-on-words name pretty much says it all, and a creative example for ophthalmology marketing. In case you missed last week’s big event in Nashville, EyeBall 2010 was the sixth annual black tie, ballroom dancing event of the Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration. Proceeds from the event support the work of the Foundation, a 501c(3) […]

16 Internet Social Media Gathering Spots for MDs; Listening-posts for Doctor/Physician Marketing

Doctors are talking to doctors—colleague to colleague—just as they always have. But they’re talking online and in a big way. Physician Networking Communities have changed how and where doctors interact, and driven changes in the healthcare and doctor marketing landscape. Virtually all physicians use the Internet for information that’s relevant to their practice. But for […]

How to Drive New Patients to Your Practice Website Tomorrow [Part Two]

Should there be any question about the importance (and the immediacy) of the internet as a dental marketing tool, just ponder the sheer number of online searches: about eight billion — yes, with a b — searches per month. So the real question is: How can my local dental practice Web site capture well-qualified prospective […]

Replace "Feel Good" Activities with Real Marketing to Attract Real Patients

You may be able to fund your marketing plan without spending another dime, simply by slashing waste Good intentions and charitable good deeds are not the same as effective marketing. Giving is good and marketing is business-keep those objectives separate to discover savings that produce results. It was a case of mistaken identity. The catch-all […]

Emerging Health Communities on the Healthcare Marketing & Advertising Radar. Web-savvy Physician's View from Health 2.0

It's safe to think of Doc Gurley as web-and-tech-savvy. She's the only Harvard-trained and Board-certified practicing Internist that we know of who has a website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, blog...and a column at sfgate.com. That's not your every-doc CV, so we thought this was a well-qualified observer who posted an exceptional (and detailed) recap of […]

"And the Winner Is..." SHSMD Conference Follow-up Is an Imaginative Use of Video in Medical & Hospital Marketing

We liked the clever use of video in a post-SHSMD event follow-up. It's an idea that can be adapted to many healthcare, hospital and medical marketing and advertising situations. A link to the video follows, but here's a bit of background for context. The company, eVariant, demonstrated their CRM and marketing analytics product at last […]

Who’d have thought Hand Hygiene could be entertaining? A Dance and Learn Video (Really) for Internal Healthcare Public Relations Audiences.

Since we don’t have a Dancing With the Stars heading, let’s give this creative music video a home in the healthcare public relations & PR category. It’s about hand washing in hospitals, clinics, and similar healthcare locations, with an entertaining and educational message for your internal audiences; physicians, nurses, technicians, etc. The title and description […]

5 Best Practice Concepts to Improve Marketing to Physicians

(This material is adapted from an article that we authored for Becker's Hospital Review, a bimonthly publication providing business and legal news and analysis for hospitals and health systems. Becker's Hospital Review reaches more than 15,000 people, primarily acute care hospital CEOs and CFOs. The marketing concepts discussed in this article apply to many professional, medical and […]

Ophthalmology Marketing: Novelty Contact Lenses Risk Halloween Trick, not Treat.

If you’ve heard this before it’s worth repeating. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is out with its annual warning about the dangers of Halloween theatrical and decorative “contact lenses.” It’s an ophthalmology marketing and advertising message that merits retelling to patients, parents and their children. The over-the-counter, special effect, vampire, color, and glow-in-the-dark lens products […]

doctor's hand holding stethoscope popping out of laptop screen

The Good News & the Bad News about EMR for Medical Practice Marketing & Advertising

The availability of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) is an open opportunity for differentiation in medical practice marketing and advertising. The good news and the bad news is that almost no one is using EMR, according to a Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll. And patients are in the dark about its availability to them. On the plus side, […]

Branding: How to Keep From Being Plain Vanilla

(Editor's Note: This article was adapted from an article in Dental Economics, though the principles apply to all healthcare practitioners.) Let's say a new family moves in a couple of blocks from your office, and the mother holds a gathering for her new neighbors. At the gathering she asks, "I'd like to find a first-rate […]

Signpost for 'Fresh Ideas' against a blue cloudy sky

Physical Therapy Marketing: Anti-gravity Treadmill Brings Space Science Down to Earth

Although anti-gravity treadmill machines were introduced to the market a few years ago, they are not yet commonplace—and they’re an opportunity for differentiation in physical therapy marketing (for facilities that have one). At the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital (Indianapolis), according to an IndyStar news item, the treadmill, by AlterG, is helping some patients recover more quickly. […]

Gastroenterology Marketing to Tell the Tale of Water: Soothing News May Help Colonoscopy Recommendations

Gastroenterologists and colonoscopists may find this clinically interesting. And for gastroenterology marketing, there may be a new message about reducing the unpleasantness of colonoscopy. Please reach for your copy of this month’s GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. It’s a considerable marketing challenge to put a positive spin on unsedated colonoscopy procedures—or even the recommendations to patients—but a […]

7 Misleading Myths of Dental Marketing

How to avoid "conventional wisdom" myths, preserve resources, and boost your ROI Let's put the bottom line right here at the top – Return-on-Investment (ROI) is your primary measuring stick for evaluating marketing efforts. Now, hold that thought. Although ROI is marketing's gold-standard score card, we are often surprised (and a bit disappointed) when we […]

Is "Speed-Networking" Successful for Cardiology Marketing?

It's a clever concept...physicians and prospective patients have three to five minutes to "meet and greet" in a non-clinical, semi-social environment. The "speed dating" format is being used in cardiology marketing by physician groups and hospitals to connect with the public and get acquainted, at least briefly. The atmosphere is casual and friendly; the objective […]

Marketing 101

It’s no secret that dentistry is evolving throughout much of the Middle East. Until recently, the majority of patients failed to understand the value of quality dentistry, the Emirati market was limited to government-subsidised care, and dental marketing was virtually nonexistent. Now the landscape is rapidly changing. Rising numbers of affluent patients are beginning to […]

Alternative to the Dreaded Dentist’s Drill Could Open New (but Narrow) Dental Marketing Gateway

A lot of dental patients—maybe most of us—cringe at the sound of the dentist’s drill. But dental marketing and advertising professionals take note—a new treatment for incipient caries proposes a drill-less approach…at least for some patients and cases. The good news is a “no drill” alternative treatment using an infiltrant—brand name Icon—targets intermediate-stage decay. According […]

Blueprint for Business

In many areas of the Middle East, it’s simply not enough to be a well-trained and skilled dentist. It also means being savvy about business and marketing to grow the practice and to achieve your personal and financial goals. Our previous article discussed how an ethical dental marketing programe is an opportunity to take […]

Marketing Expert Answers Strategy Questions

When it comes to marketing strategies for a practice, one of the most important decisions to make is deciding between external and internal marketing. This according to a recent article, What's on first: internal or external marketing?, authored by Stewart Gandolf, co-founder of Healthcare Success. According to Gandolf, the question is imperative to answer for […]

Marketing's New Landscape: Building for the Long Haul and Gaining Market Share after the Economic Storm

Editor's Note: This material is adapted from an article that we authored for THE Aesthetic Guide, a national publication serving readership in aesthetic medical practices. Many of the marketing concepts discussed in this article apply to other professional, medical and healthcare marketing situations. There are positive signs on the horizon that the nation's economic climate […]

Skype from Maternity Ward: A Winning Concept for Healthcare and Hospital Public Relations

If this is a trend, we like it. Bringing Skype—or other video chat—into the hospital delivery room is a hospital public relations opportunity that’s likely to win friends and goodwill in the community. The “internet birth” news that caught our attention last week told the story of a baby being born at the Signature Healthcare […]

Mental Illness Stigma Still a Challenging Work-in-Progress for Psychology & Psychiatric Marketing

The problem is as old as the diagnosis, but more “anti-stigma” psychology and psychiatric marketing medicine is still needed. The American public still regards mental illness—schizophrenia, depression, and alcohol dependence—as shameful, according to research published recently in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Public and patient “understanding” has improved, but prejudice remains. Conclusions: “More of […]

Veterinary Marketing Opportunity with Mobile Dog Heart Checks

Here’s something you don’t see every day: free heart health examinations for dogs provided by veterinarians and veterinary cardiologists. Pet lovers love the idea. And you might have seen the special mobile exam room at a park, community center or animal shelter, as part of a local special event in locations throughout the country. The […]

“We’re all in the family, so why are we feuding?” Physician Relations Secrets Revealed.

The business of physician relations can be a bit bumpy sometimes, but the marketing and communications folks at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis use a systematic approach that’s shaping expectations and smoothing the road between hospital and physicians. Of course, you’ve got to observe all the rules of the road…and “regulatory guidance” means […]

Boston Physician Wants CME Independence from Pharmaceutical Marketing & Advertising

No so long ago really—1773, as I recall—when some folks in Boston expressed their displeasure with then-mother Britain’s Tea Tax and dumped a boat load of the stuff into the harbor. The now-famous tea party was a historical moment of independence. That spirit of independence lives on in Boston, with a personal revolt of sorts […]

Promoting ER Wait Times: The Hospital Marketing & Advertising Bandwagon

We’ve seen a few questioning comments about promoting ER Wait Times, but they haven’t slowed down the hospital marketing & advertising bandwagon. It seems like everyone’s doing it, planning for it, or wishing they could. Roll it out and local media coverage and hospital publicity and PR flows forth in torrents. There are obvious benefits […]

Clear-Speak Needed: Call to Duty for Healthcare Public Relations and Communications Professionals to Improve Health Literacy

Here’s a worthwhile idea that we can all get behind. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. It’s aimed at making health information and services easier to understand and use. The plan calls for improving the jargon-filled language, dense writing, and complex explanations that […]

Clever Orthodontic Marketing Contest Keeps Kids and Parents Connected to the Practice During Vacation Months

Could it be that orthodontic practices have more fun? Seems that way with things like this simply fun orthodontic marketing idea at Pashley & Baum in Irvine, CA. They’re an orthodontic practice, and it's a kid's contest, but this concept would fly with other professions as well; pediatrics, adolescent medicine, family practice or maybe others […]

Community Hospitals Are Disappearing. Economic and Competitive Headwinds Challenge Independence and Survival.

Community hospitals are scrambling, according to a recent article in USA Today, to survive and remain independent. But “scrambling” doesn't seem like an adequate description if you also read the article in Becker’s Hospital Review a few days earlier: Challenges Facing Community Hospitals. Both publications present authoritative industry voices. “Over the past decade, the number […]

How To Start Getting Patients From Your Healthcare Website TOMORROW

Advertise your website on Google, Yahoo and other platforms to target local patients looking for your services. Editor's note: This article is the first of a series about how to drive traffic to your healthcare practice website. U.S. Internet users conduct 5 billion searches every month directly on major search sites. Furthermore, a recent Harris […]

Patient Education and OB/GYN Marketing Opportunity Suggested in Latest CDC Breastfeeding Report Card

New mothers may not be getting the breastfeeding support they need. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that that less than half of the nation’s moms are breastfeeding enough, and they’re calling on healthcare professionals and others to do more in the way of education and support. It opens the door for […]

Twin Cities Candy Buy Back: A Civic-Minded Promotion for Orthodontic Marketing & Publicity Gets Everyone Involved.

As Halloween approaches, Cosmopolitan Orthodontics is generating publicity for their second annual Candy Buy Back program in suburban Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN. They are one of several dental and orthodontic practices around the country that use this attention-getting concept. It’s a novel orthodontic marketing idea that involves patients, parents, staff and the community, and it […]

Texting Tales: Message Technology Increasing in Hospital Marketing & PR -- and (Surprise!) Wellness & Compliance

It’s my impression that everyone in the nation has at least one mobile phone. But mobile phones are handling more text messages than phone calls. And the folks at The Pew Internet & American Life Project who keep track of such things say that’s correct…for both adults and adolescents. On average, adults make and receive […]

Will Medical Group Practice Marketing Be Simplified to One, Two, or Three Consumer Reports Stars?

“The Medical groups that perform heart bypass surgery are now being rated alongside cars and toaster ovens in Consumer Reports,” quipped the New York Times article. Personally, a toaster oven seems preferable to cardiothoracic surgery, but anyone who handles group practice marketing will want to watch this idea unfold. It’s seems to be inspiring lively […]

Medical Scribes – A Viable Model for Increasing Adoption of Electronic Medical Records Systems?

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times highlighted the use of pre-med students and other college students who want to pursue careers in medicine or nursing as “medical scribes” to accompany physicians during patient appointments. These scribes carry laptop computers to enter treatment plans into electronic medical records software programs as well as follow […]

Sleep Medicine Marketing Finds an Ally in the Spa Industry; Promoting Sleep Health Education

Sleep Medicine Marketing Finds an Ally in the Spa Industry; Promoting Sleep Health Education Day spas seem to be evolving. Once a pure “pampering palace,” some locations are increasingly embracing holistic wellness themes, including sleep health issues. It’s a growing opportunity for sleep medicine marketing—both physician practices and hospital programs—to get involved and reach a […]

Alternative Care Marketing Meets the Retail Pharmacy Industry

Absolutely nothing about the Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy location in La Jolla, CA reminds us of a classic retail “drug store.” But then, that’s exactly what they were going for; excellent differentiation. To our marketing eye, it’s a unique blend of traditional pharmacy services and alternative care products. They appeal to an upscale, primarily female, target […]

Healthcare Reform: Smooth Transition or Shotgun Wedding for Private Practices?

To all in the U.S. healthcare community who have been either too busy or too discouraged to really pay attention to the most fundamental implications of the new healthcare reform law (officially titled “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”), most of the prevailing opinion, including direct comments from White House officials and other government […]

Beware The Common Mistakes Doctors Make When Searching For A Medical Ad Agency

7 Criteria You MUST Consider When Looking For Health Care Marketing Talent (And how to avoid falling victim to "Marketing Malpractice") Doctors often tell us about their difficulties with finding and evaluating healthcare marketing talent. So we thought we'd give you a "cheat sheet" to help you. Before we do that, however, let's set the […]

Signs of the Future for Healthcare Marketing and Advertising? This Billboard is Looking at You, Mrs. Jones

The iconic, Spielberg science fiction film Minority Report set us up for this one nearly a decade ago. But right now, a new billboard technology is being tested in Japan that recognizes who’s looking at it and delivers a personalized message that’s suitable to the reader. OK, it’s not the film’s iris recognition of year […]

Stethoscope with Commercials Could Open a New Medical Device Marketing & Advertising Channel

It seems there’s an iPhone app for everything. (As of today, at least 250,000 apps, and 6.5 billion downloads. But that’s a moving target). Now there’s an app that falls into the category of medical device marketing & advertising. The iStethoscope turns an iPhone or iPod Touch into (surprise) a stethoscope, to hear a heartbeat […]

Men’s Cosmetics: A Growing Gateway for Medical Group Marketing & Advertising?

Appearance-conscious men are buying skin-care products big time. There’s a boom in cosmetic products for men. Not just deodorant and aftershave stuff, we’re talking about eye gel, concealer, and an anti-shine powder that comes in a compact…it’s a bull market, according to the New York Times. Cosmetic products for men are not new, of course. […]

More Men May Be Singing Your Song. Shifting Demographics in Healthcare Marketing & Advertising?

Steve Smith, Healthcare Success Senior Consultant, Writer & Account Manager Singer James Brown sang, “It’s a Man’s World,” but he could also have written a song titled, “It’s a Man’s World Except for Healthcare Decisions.” Women still make approximately 80% of the health care decisions for their families, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, […]

Interactive Tools for Pedodontic / Pediatric Dentistry Marketing: Maintaining the Competitive Edge in Columbus, Mississippi

We think Pediatric Dentist David Curtis is tuned-in to his community. His website is more than an online brochure—it also provides interactive advantages for patients and their parents. In Columbus, MS (population 23,818), “everything is digital.” What caught our eye was an article by Seth Putnam in the Columbus Dispatch titled: More local businesses […]

Look Closely. Is Online Pharmaceutical Marketing & Advertising Really Increasing?

Sometimes it’s tough to know who has the best crystal ball. When the final numbers are in for this year, US healthcare and pharmaceutical online advertising spending is expected to top $1 billion—up 10.6% from last year—according to a mid-year report from eMarketer, a respected analytics firm. This, they say, is “despite shifting regulatory hurdles […]

< 1 … 37 38 39 40 41 >

Search results for: