We don’t need to tell you that healthcare is a competitive and challenging market. Faced with continually escalating costs, an ever-increasing demand for new technology, the demand for regulatory compliance and overhead costs such as malpractice insurance, the challenges are many. However, with an aging population accelerating the demand for services of all types and the ability to harness social media to help fuel traditional marketing efforts, many opportunities exist to attract and retain new business with a well-coordinated marketing campaign. From doctor offices to dental offices, hospitals, pharmacies and any other healthcare related business, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for a successful healthcare marketing strategy but there are some key strategies that all healthcare related practices can follow.
Identify Your Communication Opportunities
From attracting patients to retaining patients to encouraging proactive wellness, it all comes down to communication. Start by identifying the different stages in which you communicate with your patients, the goal of each interaction and the best channels for encouraging each action. This might include an appointment reminder system to decrease lost revenue due to missed appointments, wellness promotion kits to educate patients or a coordinated campaign comprised of
posters,
brochures and
mailers to help get the word out on a new service or technology.
Also, don’t forget about the more administrative communications such as patient intake
forms, disclosure documents and release forms for insurance. These medical forms contribute to the overall professional image and perceived capabilities of your office. Even as your business evolves to more digital record keeping, there will always be forms required. Ensure every opportunity to communicate is well-orchestrated to serve your end goals.
Be Consistent
One of the base principals of Marketing 101 is consistency. Your message and your brand must be consistent across all channels. Everything from your name to your brand’s aesthetics should be defined and followed across every channel and communication piece. This is important for brand recognition and has implications on other marketing aspects like SEO.
Consistency can be especially challenging if you have multiple locations. One of the best ways to address this is to have a centralized
online ordering system for all company print materials. AlphaGraphics offers
agOnline, an online platform that enables companies to store branded materials online and provides approved users the ability to order those materials from an online 'store'. This makes the ordering process fast and easy, while ensuring brand consistency.
Distinguish Yourself From the Pack
With an ever-increasing amount of voices joining a growing number of channels, it can be difficult to distinguish yourself from ‘the pack’. Even as relatively new channels, like social media and pay-per-click advertising, create more opportunities to communicate, those new channels also cause more ‘noise’ you must break through to get your messages across. That is why well-targeted communication and imagery is more important than ever. It’s no longer adequate to say, ‘We’re here’. You must convey why a potential patient should come to your office or practice versus another. Marketing materials, such as
postcards,
promotional items and
brochures, that highlight special services and capabilities can be combined with compelling
design and targeted lists to ensure you reach the right audience and stand out from the crowd.
Your Twin Cities Healthcare Marketing Partner
Looking for a partner that can help you plan and implement these key strategies? AlphaGraphics of the Twin Cities, with locations in downtown
Minneapolis and
Apple Valley, is a professional
business-to-business print,
design and
direct marketing partner with extensive
healthcare experience. We understand that your success depends on efficient operations, cost control and solid communication programs to educate customers and drive new business. Regardless of your company’s focus in healthcare, you can likely benefit from our experience with print, design and direct marketing solutions and our technology offerings such as agOnline.
Contact us today to set up an appointment with our team to discuss your marketing goals and how our high-quality production, quick turn-around, and impeccable beginning to end service can benefit your organization.