There's one vital step in shaping a positive patient experience that is often forgotten or neglected. In healthcare marketing terms, it's the one step that can make or break everything else you do to put the patient first and grow your brand and reputation. The nature of healthcare delivery is, more than ever before, focused […]
One of the secrets to creating a successful healthcare marketing program is to simply identify and use the strategies and tactics that work. There's less risk in knowing and using the right “proven” strategies. All you need to do is to collect many years of direct knowledge, practical experience and documented resullts from doctor and […]
Our Big Book of All Things Marketing has a page devoted to the symbiotic relationship between content marketing and healthcare. Few strategies and tactics in healthcare marketing combine as easily and appropriately. Here’s why “content” and “healthcare” are natural marketing partners. And why Content should be a key ingredient in the marketing plan for hospitals, […]
In our marketing consultations with doctors and hospitals throughout the nation, there’s usually a moment when we talk about the need to work from a marketing plan. While this seems like a fundamental concept to many, it’s surprisingly common for some people to ask us: “Do I really need a plan? Can’t I just market?” […]
The Patient's Champion helps work all the options that bring services within financial reach Nearly all of our highly successful professional practice clients have at least 1 person on staff whose singular mission is to find ways to make elective procedures affordable. The staff member (often more than 1 person) takes the role of counselor […]
We don’t want anyone to miss this insightful “best practices” marketing resource. And, for a short time, it’s free for the asking. Presented by HSS founding partners Lonnie Hirsch and Stewart Gandolf, this new seven video series for doctors and hospital executives is titled, How to Profitably and Ethically Attract The Patients You Want.
We do it all the time…often without thinking much about it. To convince, collaborate, entice or persuade, everyone is “selling” something. It can be as casual as nominating a place for lunch, or presenting an idea. And doctors, dentists and virtually all healthcare providers regularly seek agreement and compliance from patients about a course of […]
Who says marketing can’t be fun. Here’s a brief post about two lighter-side ideas from dental marketing that you can steal. Look at these little case studies as idea starters for many other healthcare marketing situations. In each, take your inspiration mainly from the exceptional execution. Dr. Rich’s Patient Picnic: Western Pennsylvania orthodontist Richard Ribarevski […]
The dues you pay to become a doctor are high. After investing ump-teen grueling years in education and training—not to mention a fortune in expense—one would hope that the average young physician would be happy with their chosen profession. But it doesn’t look like that’s the case. And the provider business model and physician marketing […]
As we write this, several million people (and counting) have already seen the compelling and compassionate video on YouTube. The larger story here is that this is also a case example and healthcare marketing and public relations lesson for a range of healthcare providers. Watch the video and let us know what you think.
There aren’t many healthcare providers who are unaffected or unaware of challenges all around them. The parade includes reform requirements, the “soft economy” with rising costs and shrinking margins, shifting medical marketing goals and demographics…and the overarching stretch of resources to maintain and improve quality of patient care. “Innovation is the ability to see change […]
Editor's Note: Nationally recognized physician, speaker and author Neil Baum, MD, talks doctor-to-doctor about successfully generating income from ancillary services in a doctor's office, beginning with internal marketing.
File this one under “doctor/physician competition.” It’s no surprise that, for most providers, the competitive landscape has shifted. But what’s unusual here is the emerging trend of online medical advice—live, immediate and direct from doctor—for a fee. This relatively new healthcare delivery channel has not only taken root, but it’s likely to continue to grow […]
This is definitely not good news for the 40-plus crowd. As the population ages, the number of Americans with eye disease has increased dramatically. (USA Today says it’s “skyrocketing.”) By whatever label, these are alarming trends, and a signal to ophthalmologists, optometrists, healthcare providers and vision care marketing professionals to communicate a stronger message for […]
Consider this a brief continuing education exercise. Take a three-minute break from your work today and step into the not-too-distant future. Healthcare and medical marketing professionals…ask yourself, “How would I devise a marketing plan for any of theses five innovations in health?” You may not have heard about these ideas, but The New York Times […]
The new numbers make it official: “As of April 2012, 53 percent of American adults age 65 and older use the internet or email,” according to Pew Internet & American Life Project. “Overall, 82 percent of all American adults ages 18 and older say they use the internet or email, at least occasionally, and 67 […]
The general public, the news media and hundreds of primary care and pediatric medical practices are sifting through the Consumer Reports ratings that were widely circulated this month in Massachusetts. From a healthcare marketing perspective, the Boston Business Journal was quick to point out that some of the numbers aren’t flattering. Reading between the lines, we […]
Here's how to produce amazing results from tiny territory and precision creative. By Lonnie Hirsch Postcards–the unpretentious little urchins of the direct mail game–can be a heavy hitter in your marketing mix. But for as unassuming as a postcard may appear, there are a lot of significant rules to this game that can make the […]
Arrrgggh! There’s a staff position in your medical practice that needs to be filled pronto. It doesn’t matter if the vacant chair is for a medical assistant, practice representative, healthcare marketing assistant, Physician Assistant or for clerical/reception duties...there’s a big difference between “hiring” and “talent acquisition.” In our experience, the former is usually a bit […]
Picture the concentric rings on a paper target. The “bull’s-eye” center is primary, but "hits" within the other circles contribute to the total score. In medical practice marketing, it’s easy to overlook the fact that for each “ideal new patient,” there are several others around him or her. For accuracy (and marketing effectiveness) the complete […]
Lessons Learned: Falling into marketing is fine-just don't fall off a one-trick pony. Sometimes clients seem to back into marketing, nearly by accident or perhaps good fortune. And that's OK... we don't care how you get there...just get there. To see what we mean, here are a couple snapshot case histories about professional practitioners who […]
Exactly when is it a sound business decision to outsource all or part of your healthcare or dental marketing or advertising?
If the word “gamification” is new to your medical marketing vocabulary, you might want to take note. Admittedly it’s an invented word, and an umbrella term for many aspects of games and game playing. But many authoritative thought leaders see the use of educational and online games as a significant influence in society that’s fast […]
Everything you need to know about healthcare marketing jingles but were too busy singing to ask. Healthcare marketing and advertising gets a boost in effectiveness and greater response using broadcast commercials that include musical jingles. And they're more affordable than in the past. Here are the four basic components and six ways to use healthcare […]
Medical practice and hospital marketing professionals have an extremely challenging job on the forward facing frontline of healthcare communications. Suffice to say that it’s a complex task to effectively “speak healthcare” to the public. But it’s helpful to know that effective medical messaging—from patient conversations to mass media—will nearly always relate to a short list […]
Just when you thought (perhaps hoping) the various “daily deal” sites had reached their peak, it turns out they are continuing to grow in popularity with consumers. The trouble is, results for hospital or medical practice advertising can be spotty. Hidden behind the glitz and glamour of worldwide growth, industry observers and studies caution that […]
The single most financially dangerous line item in a healthcare marketing plan is usually labeled Media Planning and Buying. An otherwise sound medical advertising plan can become a major waste of resources. When hospitals or doctors who own a practice fail to understand how media buying works, they either spend more money than they need […]
It doesn’t happen as often these days, but from time to time we find ourselves in a discussion with a practitioner who confidently declares that they have no need for “doctor marketing,” much less any need for a health care advertising agency. The back-story in each conversation varies, but we often discover that their mindset […]
The following quote is at least 50 years old, but dentists, doctors and healthcare providers can put this classic insight to the task of winning new patients immediately. Marketing guru and Harvard Business School Professor Theodore Levitt often told his students: "People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!" The […]
The future is impossible to predict with precision, but it’s helpful to keep your eyes on the road ahead. Here are a few key things we see just over the horizon that have implications for healthcare marketing…soon, or someday soon. Facebook will challenge Google in search, and Google will challenge Facebook in social. Both are […]
There's a five-step process that makes for best practice success. Healthcare marketing is very much like drilling for oil. Success requires a proven system not a shovel. Here's an analogy that I presented to a client recently. Suppose you want to drill for oil. You can begin making random holes in your backyard, or you […]
Healthcare marketing is in need of an overhaul, according to Advertising Age (AdAge), the respected advertising and marketing industry publication. They arrived at this conclusion after talking with 25,000 consumer/buyers of healthcare products and services. Marketing and advertising that only targets the prospective patient might miss the mark and not get the job done. As […]
Right up front we want to say that we’re more than understanding about the financial struggle that goes with operating a medical practice. The nation’s economy remains soft, reimbursements are down, overhead costs are up; private practice is a tough business. (Most businesses—large or small, product or service, retail or otherwise—feel a financial pinch, including […]
We think the current economic picture just might be a “unicorn recovery.” Like the mythical beast, everybody talks about it, but nobody has seen it. Hopeful signals filter through the media, but—in our slice of reality—we have yet to hear a client or prospective client say that they see evidence of a real economic turn […]
A while ago a doctor came to us with the complaint: "I haven't been in practice 15 years...I've been in practice one year 15 times." That conversation lead us to help him discover medical practice marketing opportunities that not only enriched his business, they enlivened his professional satisfaction. There's more to discovering new healthcare marketing […]
Keeping your healthcare website content fresh pays-back in marketing dividends Healthcare marketing websites for organizations and practices of all types need to be maintained with regular changes for maximum effectiveness. It's a web-savvy rule that applies across the board for hospitals, manufacturers, physicians and surgeons, dentists, pharmaceuticals...virtually everyone. Here are the four main benefits that […]
Not so long ago, it was rare—extremely rare, in fact—to find a full-time marketing person working for a medical practice. The same was also true for many hospitals. At best, medical marketing was a part-time proposition. But the tide has changed. It began as a trickle and has turned into a tidal wave. Today, having […]
Email, as a healthcare marketing tool, has a lot going for it. It's inexpensive. It's fast. And it can be highly effective. Email also has a lot of things working against it. It's easily ignored. It can be filtered as spam. And it just might not communicate at all. Arguably, the most important part of […]
Not everyone can use innovative ideas about digital signs, so let’s just say that sometimes our Friday posts can be on the casual and slightly amusing side of informative. Our little story begins more than a dozen years ago… The cardinal rule of a brainstorming session is that there are no bad ideas. So when […]
Most doctors hate the idea of "sales," "selling," or being a "sales person." To many, the concept behind sales-and the old-school reputation-is more about taking than giving. And it's not just physicians. The culture and mind-set throughout professional ranks-medical practice staff, hospitals, and marketing communicators-is one of concern and providing solutions for individuals in need.
In what is described as “the first systematic assessment of hospital websites,” a new study suggests that most physician, hospital and health system websites could improve their websites. The analysis, published in the Journal of Healthcare Management, evaluated over 630 websites from four dimensions, ACCESSIBILITY, CONTENT, MARKETING and TECHNOLOGY. And, according to this in-depth study, […]
How to target your healthcare organization advertising for the best return and profitability. Not to say that a lot of doctors are out of touch, but... If you were to ask 100 doctors what Procedure "X' reimburses, more than 90 would be able to shout out an answer with 100% certainty. The trouble is, […]
Is there a future for “virtual nurses” in healthcare? How about your medical practice or hospital? Here are two intriguing examples of emerging technology—both labeled “virtual nurse”—that are being tested in the real world of marketing and healthcare delivery. Both interact with the public, although each virtual nurse has a different assignment. Can you see […]
Healthcare practitioners and staff ask us about budgeting more than any other single topic. In fact, just this morning a dermatologist asked me how much money he should allocate to market his new dermatology / medi spa practice in Florida. It turns out there are three primary methodologies to establish a marketing budget. 1. How […]
If you live and work with the hints and helps in short maxims, there are dozens of “five-minute rules” to guide you in everything from computer science to digital discourse. Some of these “rules” are informal at best. In computer science, the five-minute random rule says to cache randomly accessed disk pages that are re-used […]
Do you need to apologize for marketing your healthcare services? We’d like to hear from you about the controversial questions raised in last week’s USA Today article about some of the marketing methods used in healthcare. (The primary focus of this piece is hospital marketing, but the implications extend to private practices, health systems and providers […]
Somewhere-on nearly every healthcare marketing plan-is a line item titled "event." For a medical practice it might be a new office "open house." For hospital marketing, it could be a community involvement or PR project. And for any healthcare provider or doctor marketing professional it is an opportunity to remove the "white coat factor" and […]
How to know if TV fits your local Healthcare Marketing Plan We're glad you're reading this article. TV is often easily dismissed as being either too expensive or too difficult as a media option for doctors. We'll be the first to tell you that television advertising is not right for everyone. Is it complex? Yes. […]
There were two red-flag stories in the news last week. Neither item is a surprise, but they signal disturbing trends for healthcare marketing thought leaders. The headlines say: 1 in 5 Older Americans Cutting Back on Health Care to Save Money - Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) Spending growth on physician services sinks to record low - […]
Quick-check questions that reveal make-it or break-it problems before launch The difference between big-time winning vs. downright disaster in healthcare direct response depends on a million variables. A single, simple oversight can cost you the ballgame. Ask yourself these seven questions to find and fix fundamental problems before you rollout any direct response program.
