Medicmarcomm

Kapil Munjal

There are two critical challenges healthcare marketers face today (a) building patient trust and (b) spreading positive word of mouth about their hospitals service. These twin challenges are accentuated with a shift in the nature of social interactions, and a sudden spurt in the type of media consumed by people, especially new media and its rapidly evolving features.

The marketing team can be overwhelmed by its tasks to handle physician referral programmes and marketing activities across wide array of media including print, digital, social, TV, radio et al. An example of this fact is, that understanding and exploiting each social channel (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and others) requires expertise in each one of these. The creative, reach planning, media buying for each media is different, increasing the diverse set of skills required from a small team of inhouse marketers. Integrating these social channels amongst themselves and with print and on ground activities can be a daunting task. The flip side of this challenge is the opportunity, to engage the precise target audience, for each speciality, from defined location(s), for a longer period of time, over highly engaging media, thereby increasing the return of interest (ROI) from the advertising spends.

Attracting new and more patients from domestic and international markets had never been possible earlier, in the way, it is now. An intelligent, well integrated content and advertising plan across your website, your Facebook page and your Youtube channel positions your ‘brand’ as a ‘trusted brand’ and attracts domestic and international patients. This also acts as an ongoing medical education and awareness amongst your network of referring physician and your patients.

Social media

Conversations and word of mouth have always been instrumental in bringing success to any hospital. Social Media, now a very powerful tool, takes the patient conversation to a new level, while helping the hospital stay connected with the community. Facebook with over 88 million active users and YouTube extensively used by secondary and tertiary care seekers, together both media platforms top the importance charts for hospital marketing. To begin, ensure that your social media channels integrate with your website and the posts have links to your website. This helps the website get higher ranking in the search engine results. It is important to have a content plan in place before launching the social media platforms. The content that is posted is like a health talk or CME lecture that is given in a public gathering. It includes patient testimonials, patient and physician information and education. Always encourage the audience to interact on social media platforms and ensure to answer the queries. Excellent creative designs for the posts and videos provide the cutting edge. Fan acquisition should be through paid advertising, as this ensures you are acquiring fans from the desired target group.

The Internet

A recent study by a leading health insurance company in India, showed that over 40 per cent of patients use the web for treatment related information. A hospital’s website is a tool to attract new patients from across the globe, both domestic and international. The number of patient queries that your website generates is a barometer to its success. Important activities include search engine optimisation, pay per click advertising on major search engines, display advertising on health related websites and networks, re-targeting and video ads. Some of the smaller hospitals have been smarter than the larger corporate chains in getting patients from the internet. Quite often people tend to forget yahoo and bing search engines, relying only on google. There are thus, often, available attractive ad inventories on Yahoo and Bing.

PR

Press coverage of a rare surgery, an accomplishment, celebrity visit for treatment creates the desired visibility and builds positive image. Knowing what would interest the health journalist and reaching out to him with appropriate information at the right time is both science and art. Benefit of any piece of mainline media coverage is accentuated by social media, both in terms of reach and shelf life. Most PR agencies are yet to come up to speed with social media though.

Advertising

An integrated advertising plan across print, digital, social, outdoor and events helps in getting better ROI. It should be ensured that the creative designs are not only visually appealing, but also carry a copy that works, an intelligent media plan which aims to reach the precise target audience and aggressive media buying ensures to get best prices from media owners. It is considered prudent to advertise new treatment technology introduced; and competitive (often disruptive) pricing for existing treatment methods. Each medium has its own characteristics, and same creative design may not work across all mediums.

Events

Experiential marketing is time tested and trusted. The age old health camps still are very relevant in attracting new patients. Preventive, free health checks, top faculty advertised to the desired target group gets the desired results. Use of social media helps better engagement of people from surrounding areas, both pre and post event.

Physician’s network

Building a network of general practitioners for referrals is the most important piece in the marketing story. Convincing a GP about the level of healthcare service is a continuing task. CMEs and hospital visits to showcase latest techniques of treatment require time and travel. Virtual walk through videos and online, live video CMEs are the way to go. Recordings of these videos on Youtube are useful for those who could not attend.

Word of mouth

Existing patients are your future brand ambassadors. Nothing succeeds like success. Positive brand reinforcement comes from patients with positive prognosis. Use integrated marketing to spread positive word of mouth. Social media’s impact here continues to grow. Patient testimonials must be allowed and encouraged on all platforms. Handing over patient information brochure to all indoor patients also helps.

The author runs an independent, healthcare focussed advertising agency, offering integrated marketing solutions. He can be reached at [email protected]