COVID Healthcare Marketing Webinar COVID-19 has changed the healthcare industry quicker in the last two weeks than in the last 50 years. With medical practices temporarily shutting down and elective procedures put on hold, what should healthcare networks and healthcare specialists do with their marketing campaigns' strategies? To answer this important question for healthcare marketers, […]
We are not trying to be self-congratulatory when we say: “we know a thing or two” about healthcare content marketing. We have a little history. From nearly the first day of business at Healthcare Success (in 2006), we have been producing educational healthcare content materials for our readers. And that was long before someone coined […]
If you haven’t considered digital audio for healthcare marketing, it’s time to put it on your list. The big players include Pandora, Spotify, and iHeart. They deliver both music and talk, streaming and on demand across a wide range of interactive channels. As mobile devices have proliferated, so, too has digital audio. It reaches at […]
Should You Invest In Healthcare Marketing Expertise? Our work brings us in daily contact with healthcare professionals around the nation. To a person, these operating executives, healthcare administrators, managers, and doctors are justifiably proud of their professional achievements. But, there are times when their marketing simply isn’t working…when the stakes are high…or when competition seems […]
Is your Healthcare Social Media too self-serving? Social media is a hot topic for healthcare marketers, though navigating the various channels isn’t always easy. Most people have experience sharing on social media, so it may seem that posting for your healthcare organization would be simple enough. However, this leads a lot of companies to have […]
Over the years, we’ve alerted our Healthcare clients and industry colleagues to a few major updates that could affect their healthcare SEO (search engine optimization) rankings. Google makes updates to its search algorithms all the time—but only a few stand out as having the potential for a major impact on your presence in the search […]
Introducing PHYGITAL: It’s More than a Marketing Buzzword OK…we admit that it’s a freshly-minted word, but PHYGITAL recognizes an increasingly useful trend in marketing. PHYGITAL refers to a crossover of the physical (PHY-) and the digital (-GITAL) aspects of the brand experience.The majority of today’s consumers shop online and in “brick-and-mortar” locations, and those two […]
The Core Concept of Branding Is Positive Differentiation A brand is the total experience that a customer has with your product, service or company. Many medical practices, hospitals and other healthcare resources have, until recently, misunderstood —- or simply dismissed—the MILLENNIAL GENERATION. Definitions will vary, but the Pew Research Center provides the most authoritative characterization […]
Every December, we like to remind our clients and readers of a simple way to save taxes in the current tax year, while investing in their business’s growth for the subsequent year. If your business pays taxes on a cash basis, it is likely you could reduce your tax bill(s) by prepaying marketing (and other) […]
With a brand-new decade on the horizon, it’s time many healthcare practices, hospitals, health plans, and other organizations make serious shifts in the way they approach marketing. Are you positioning your healthcare institution for growth in the new year? My healthcare marketing predictions for 2020 can guide you towards a more comprehensive strategy for the […]
What’s the most effective way to evolve, progress and grow? Take frequent trips back to the basics. Just as professional athletes, artists and actors practice tried-and-true techniques of their crafts to continue honing their skills, healthcare marketers can, and should, do the same. Several years back, I wrote an article I continue to share to […]
You and your staff know exactly why patients should choose your practice or hospital. You’ve probably got a great team and impressive expertise. And you truly care about the needs of your patients. But is this enough to keep patients coming back? Lately, other healthcare organizations have been improving their products and services in ways […]
Direct mail is not dead. At a time when email inboxes are overflowing, how else can you reach prospective patients in your area without overwhelming them? In fact, a piece of healthcare-related mail can be a nice break from the screen, a physical reminder that a local specialist, practice, or hospital is here to offer […]
In a recent study, 90% of older adult internet users said they’ve used social media to find or share health information. Undoubtedly, social media is a major part of many people's lives. And if you're in the business of healthcare, social media may help increase brand loyalty and boost your reputation. You just may need […]
The first thing I do when I see healthcare news that interests me or scares me (or both) is go online and try to find more information. It's a common modern reaction to search for a meaningful explanation of a new treatment or resurgent disease. And hopefully I can find more than a few comments […]
You know you need a website to succeed in healthcare today. While some organizations rely heavily on word-of-mouth and doctor referrals, this won't last forever. Today's savvy patients are researching everything from dentists to radiologists to medical device manufacturers before they ever consider a product or service. Your website helps these patients find the right […]
This year, we're likely to see some dramatic changes in the world of healthcare. With private equity acquisitions on the rise, retailization in high demand, and some fierce competition, it's time to start treating your healthcare organization like the business it is. Make 2019 the year you find what works for your medical marketing. These […]
The only constant is change, and that's never been truer in the world of Healthcare Marketing. This year brought major acquisitions, new consumer priorities, and competitive trends that will only heighten in the New Year. Hospitals, medical practices, and healthcare organizations will have to stay one step ahead to keep up with both competitors and […]
Marketing ethics have been a topic of debate in healthcare for years. Can healthcare organizations, hospitals, and practices really feel good about spending advertising dollars to attract patients? Shouldn’t patients naturally drift towards quality organizations? In today's changing world of healthcare, some form of marketing is almost a requirement. Gone are the days when patients […]
Marketing for healthcare organizations is changing—fast. But when you're absorbed in the world of healthcare, it's tough to know what's going on in the world of marketing healthcare. Strategies that worked just a few years ago might not work today—but then again, many tried and trued methods continue to be successful for certain medical practices, hospitals, and […]
This week, we want to address some of the myths about healthcare marketing we hear every single day. Some of these get in the way of your marketing in general. Some just make it hard to see any ROI. Either way, these beliefs about healthcare marketing are a form of self-sabotage. Related: Our Healthcare Marketing Agency […]
A lot can go wrong in marketing. You might spend too much money advertising in the wrong places to people who have no interest in your organization. Ad copy and imagery may not align with your branding. You could be left completely in the dark as to what's working and what's not. This can happen […]
Marketing your hospital or practice means learning some complex terms and sorting through a lot of jargon. You may have heard that, in healthcare, SEO can help you increase your search engine rankings. But what does that really mean for your bottom line? Will you see new patients? And is it worth the effort? Related: SEO […]
Hospitals and practices across the U.S. face unique challenges in healthcare today. People's attitudes toward healthcare have changed, making it more difficult to reach new patients at the right stage of the decision-making process. However, the biggest issue is that healthcare organizations struggle to adapt to the changing needs of patients Challenges in healthcare today are […]
Millennials have the power to enact change. According to the US Census Bureau, this group (of people born between 1981 and 1996, myself included) now outnumbers baby boomers by about 8 million. And if we have the power to kill off everything from restaurant chains to paper napkins to the diamond industry, then believe me: millennial […]
Medicare influences most of the healthcare decisions of patients 65 and up. Unfortunately, original Medicare can have gaps in coverage that steer people away from making the right decisions for their health. That’s why millions of people choose a private Medicare Advantage plan as their 65th birthday approaches or during the Annual Election Period (also […]
A solid digital marketing strategy involves several components, but paid digital advertising is the most direct route to your bottom line. I'll put it this way: you can pray for clicks with healthcare search engine optimization (SEO), using the proper keywords and hoping it gets you to the top of Google's results pages--or you can pay for […]
Budgeting for advertising at a hospital or practice is a lot like appraising real estate. When real estate investors value a home, they look at it in 3 ways: the sales comparison approach (finding the market value of comparable properties), the cost approach (what it would cost to replace the building with a similar one), […]
Too many people wait until disaster strikes to make any serious moves in life. You may wait until your car breaks down before you ever think to replace or service it. Your patients wait until symptoms are severe before seeking medical attention. And you might not take the time to market your practice or hospital […]
What if you ran an ad for your private practice or hospital online only to find it was running alongside a hate site? Could patients be associating your brand with offensive, divisive content? Unfortunately, there’s no organized “neighborhood watch” in the digital landscape. We all know the internet can be a place where people feel […]
Here’s a powerful secret sauce that social media pros use to make a mega-splash. Social influencers magnify and extend the typical reach. A hospital, health system or a premier doctor group, isn’t going to dominate the market by doing what everyone else does. Successful providers and organizations have an in-house leader, marketing person or team […]
“The best bridge between a presenter and an audience,” someone once wrote, “is a story.” Everyone is engaged by a good story. In fact, it’s how the human brain is wired. When someone is talking to us, we automatically look for the beginning, the middle and the end of the storyline structure. And if the […]
Successful medical practices recognize that their online reputation is a source of new business—almost like a referring doctor’s office. Here’s how the best of practices influence this resource and manage their reputation, to produce the greatest number of new patient calls and appointments. Every doctor has two professional reputations to constantly manage: The “CV version” […]
Learning is a daily exercise for must of us. Among the successful medical groups, practices and hospitals that we know, most are committed to self-improvement and thinking bigger. Their leadership—doctors, administrators, marketing executives and others—are committed to Continuing Education—in marketing and management, as well as in the clinical skills. The convenience of the ever-present Internet […]
Not long ago, we published an article titled: Doctors Don’t Advertise” and 10 Other Lame Marketing Myths. Some of the ill-advised “reasons” on our list sounded a wake-up call for a few readers. It turns out that they recognized that medicine is a profession, but healthcare is a business. Ultimately, for every hospital and healthcare […]
Medical professionals, providers and industry leaders are constantly challenged by the changes in hospital and healthcare delivery and marketing. Resources are constrained while performance expectations increase. The best of annual continuing education and professional development conferences provide opportunities to evaluate and implement practical strategies and tactics. These concepts attract and retain new patients, strengthen and […]
The curious thing about medical groups and hospitals that want to be the “best in class” is that, often, they are already the leaders in the marketplace. Think about that for a minute. The top of the line wants to beat itself and set a new, higher standard. They know that they are good at […]
A fisherman’s first question is always: “Are they biting?” And regardless of the response, the second question is always: “What bait are you using?” It’s easy to see the marketing analogy. First, do your new business fishing where the fish are. And second, know the prospective patients’ healthcare advertising preference. Do they want digital or […]
Perhaps the only rock-solid prediction for 2018 is that hospital, medical group and healthcare marketing is the ever-present challenge to keep pace with change. Competition is tough, resources are precious, and performance expectations—delivering a solid return on investment—are always demanding. To achieve a new level of success in the New Year, industry leaders and marketing […]
[Healthcare Success Industry Leadership Podcast] Our distinguished guests today are Rob Klein, founder and CEO of Klein & Partners, and Toni Klein, co-founder and Digital Practice Lead at the respected healthcare marketing research firm. They are talking with Stewart Gandolf, CEO of Healthcare Success about the State of Digital Healthcare Marketing study by Klein & Partners […]
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, […]
[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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
