Healthcare marketing is constantly changing. Although you’re probably doing many things right, sometimes it helps to survey your marketing landscape for possible mistakes. Fortunately, it’s never too late to adjust your sails and course correct. Here are three mistakes that you may not even realize you’re making when it comes to your healthcare marketing strategy.
Not giving your brand the attention it deserves
We get it. Branding is hard. It takes research, time, money, more research, testing, design and consistency – and it can still take years to experience the return on your investment. However, the commitment to building and maintaining a solid brand results in an audience that is loyal and advocates on your organization’s behalf. That advocacy is worth its weight in gold.
Without understanding your audience – who they are, what makes them tick, what drives their decisions, etc. – you’ll struggle to build the reputation that creates advocates.
Not getting to the point
You’re in constant competition for your audience’s eyeballs. More content is always a click, swipe or tap away. When combined with the ever-shrinking attention span of today’s consumers (one Microsoft study reports a mere 8 seconds to distraction), getting your message across quickly and simply is more important than ever before.
When was the last time you chose not to “skip” pre-roll before a YouTube video? Chances are, you watched the countdown and skipped at the earliest possible moment. In order for your message to be effective, it’s time to rethink your ads and put your message front and center.
Also critical in this equation is meeting your audience where they are. That means serving up marketing content that speaks to their phase in the customer journey.
Being a little too consistent
When it comes to building a solid brand, consistency is key. However, if you haven’t tweaked your digital marketing strategy since last quarter, or even last month, you could be missing out on big opportunities to market your healthcare organization. Consumer behaviors are always evolving, and that means digital marketing strategies have to evolve, too. Taking time to regularly review analytics, survey your audience’s behaviors and adjust should be a part of your routine.
Changes to your budget are in play as well. Cost-per-click for paid search is on an upward trajectory, and as media costs rise, your budget will be impacted. Getting in front of the same number of people will simply cost more than it did a year ago. If your budget is fixed, be prepared to get creative and find the best media mix to get the most bang for your buck.
There’s always an opportunity to right the wrongs. If you’re wondering whether a different strategy can bring better results for your healthcare organization, reach out to us. We’re numbers people, and we can deliver the data you need to build a solid marketing strategy, avoid common pitfalls and stand out from your competition.
