Healthcare Marketing in Three Cocked Hat

As a sector continuously growing and shifting with both technological and scientific developments (alongside social trends and appetites), healthcare marketing has been transformed over the last decade in terms of products available, services and consumer expectations.

We aren’t solely a nation just served by our brilliant NHS healthcare system anymore, as consumers, we are far more concerned with our general health and well-being than ever before. We all want the best doctors, dentists, food supplements, private healthcare, massage treatments, health retreats etc. and are happy to mix both state-funded care with private options.

In this ever-growing and more competitive healthcare market, we find ourselves at PromoMedia working with healthcare brands and international healthcare organizations more so than ever before. The healthcare market is compact and developing and if want to stand out from the competition effective marketing campaigns needs to be put in place.

We work with private healthcare suppliers, doctors, dentists, chemists, medical insurance groups and more, putting together bespoke healthcare advertising plans in place all over the UK.

If you are interested in advertising your healthcare company please contact us today for more information.

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What is Healthcare Advertising?

Healthcare marketing is simply the promotion of goods and services which are beneficial to our health. In essence, it is a hugely broad market, as any person at any time could be in need of healthcare assistance. 

At PromoMedia we typically work with the following healthcare, health system members and medical professionals: 

• Doctors

• Dentists

• Chemists

• Medical insurance 

• International drug companies

• Health resorts

• Private hospitals

For more information on our Healthcare marketing options simply drop us a message today and one of our friendly and experienced teams will be in touch to talk you through the options. 

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Healthcare Marketing Strategy - A Balanced Mix to Attract A Wide Audience

Successful healthcare marketing campaigns generally incorporate a wide range of advertising options. Different types of advertising methods are often used to create a comprehensive and successful overall campaign.

It seems an obvious thing to say but this is because everyone is potentially interested in healthcare products – no matter what age, race, gender, sexuality or background – our health is important to us all – therefore there is a huge amount of people to potentially target with any healthcare marketing plan. This means a full range of marketing options can be considered.

The most popular forms of healthcare marketing options are below:

• Outdoor advertising – this is great at targeting a full range of people in particular locations. These options are popular with location-based services such as new doctors, dentists, health retreats etc. National outdoor campaigns are often employed by healthcare insurance companies and supplement brands. For a full breakdown of outdoor advertising options visit our page here, where you will find more information on options such as 48 sheet advertising, bus advertising, London underground advertising, phone box advertising, bus stop advertising, billboard advertising and more, or for more information simply just drop us a message.

• TV advertising – TV advertising is one of the most expensive forms of advertising in the UK but that is because it’s so effective. TV ads are used by major healthcare suppliers and national brands who are already established but are looking to cement their position as market leaders or to appeal to new customers. As a brilliant visual and audio medium, TV advertising comes highly recommended from PromoMedia. For a full breakdown of TV advertising costs visit here. 

• Online advertising – unfortunately when we feel ill one of the things we do is Google the results – not something most healthcare professionals suggest, as you can often convince yourself that your common cold is much worse! However, long gone are the days of posters and leaflets in clinics and waiting rooms as the only form of education and advertising into healthcare products and services. Instead, consumers are more likely to look up conditions, medicines, therapies and practitioners online. Studies have shown that 72% of internet users have searched for healthcare information within the last year and 47% of internet users search for information on doctors or healthcare professionals. Therefore online ads and social media advertising is a great way to target people searching the web for health advice, local health services, dietary advice etc. Online advertising is often a very cost-effective way to advertise your company, service or brand. If this is of interest, read more here or drop us an enquiry.

These are just a few examples of healthcare marketing options that may be suitable, for a full list of the marketing options available visit this page here. 

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The Importance of Healthcare Advertising

Purchasing healthcare products or services in the UK can be either a proactive choice or a necessity (some people only search for a dentist when they get a toothache, whilst others have health plans which they have held for years and plan ahead) but whichever brand, service or product the consumer chooses to buy from, they must be firstly known, and secondary trusted. This is why advertising is important.

It’s a cliché that health is wealth but many people live by this mantra (we certainly do) and consumers rightly see healthcare as an investment in themselves and their well-being.

They are therefore willing to invest and pay if they believe a healthcare company offers them something valuable and a product or service which will improve their life. Building trust with those who don’t yet know you is tricky and this is why marketing in the healthcare world is becoming more important and why many healthcare advertising plans should be on-going and ever-developing; running over a number of months or even years.

Healthcare marketing campaigns should be designed to inform (tell someone you exist) and educate them (let them know what you offer).

This is because marketing messages in the healthcare industry are often considered untrustworthy or with a degree of scepticism by potential customers (so many products claim to improve your quality of life and will help you to live longer), so changing consumer’s opinions or gaining trust can be difficult and take some time.

This is why at PromoMedia we often recommend a sustained healthcare advertising plan in order to achieve the best results.

Building Trust through Healthcare Marketing

Healthcare marketing is all about building trust.

There is a fine line between educating a consumer and coming across as patronising or inconsiderate (in what can be a sensitive area to promote), and those within the healthcare industry must seek both trust and clarity in communications to attract new customers in a way that is considered, informative and balanced.

Consumers put their faith in healthcare brands and assume expertise, so in order to get your healthcare messages across, communications should be clear and concise and without ridiculous life-changing hyperbole. These healthcare industry marketing messages do not necessarily need to be overly detailed but should be to the point and balanced rather than appearing too “selly”. This is often why outdoor ads and also press ads can be particularly effective in this area; these medium have limited space so the messages in them are often clear and to the point. Social media is often a good way to support these methods with more information. 

Medical Marketing

The power of consumer trust in the healthcare and medical industry is invaluable and nurtures not just one-off purchases, but ongoing relationships you can have for years (which to any business is very profitable) e.g. when a patient finds a good doctor, dentist or healthcare product they don’t want to change! This also means that the marketing strategies of businesses within the healthcare industry should be about both advertising to attract new clients but there should also be campaigns to give ongoing reassurance to existing customers that their faith in you is valid.

For example, if you are a vitamin supplement company, customers will feel reassured to see your adverts and the positive effects it’s having on other people; this will make them feel they have made the right choice in selecting your product and so they will continue to purchase.

Well-rounded campaigns in healthcare marketing will mainly, therefore, follow a balanced full cycle - demonstrating brand credibility, knowledge and professional responsibility with customers at different stages of their relationship with you; either first-time buyers or existing customers. It will also allow you to show there is much more to your product, service and team than just a catchy headline and selling point.

Doctor and Dentist Advertising  - Why Should I Advertise?

Doctor and dental practitioner referrals can be extremely beneficial and are a fantastic (and free) way to gain new patients and customers who already place a high level of trust in your product or service due to a professional recommendation. As a business, however you can’t be responsible for others to drive customers your way, this is why pro-active advertising and a marketing strategy is key.

Public relations and positive perceptions about your work (word of mouth) also make up an important part of your brand’s image, and this can be supported in various ways. You can become the ‘go-to’ brand and become a thought leader, nurturing a positive reputation within the local community; and we believe this is best achieved by a combination of professional referrals, word of mouth and importantly paid advertising and comprehensive and balanced marketing strategies.

Paid advertising act as a confident message that you are established, reputable and popular.

Also, meaningful branding ties in brands can also be considered. Identifying yourself as an organisation focused on positive outcomes, with relevant and key partnerships within your industry e.g. doctors connected to local gyms, dentists with toothpaste brands etc.

It’s important to acknowledge that the traditional patient-doctor relationship has taken on a much more commercial feel in recent years, moving instead from a prescriptive one-way educational relationship instead to a much more engaged, interactive partnership where the power is held by the patient now and not the healthcare professional. The internet has made it considerably easier for consumers to research conditions, products and services and to compare different providers and costs – even globally. It is not unheard of for people to travel to other cities such as New York or those in Europe for superior products or treatments. 

The empowerment of the patient and customer in this space means advertising in the health system is more important than ever.

Physicians and doctors are no longer the decision-makers – that now falls to the consumer, an example would be private dental care e.g. you may be told you need an implant and your dentist may advise on an implant specialist connected to them, however, these may be expensive, so as a paying consumer you have the choice to go elsewhere and use any private dental implant specialist you want. This leaves you then open to the power of advertising from any private implant specialist.

For more information on healthcare and medical advertising contact us today for free quotes. 

Value for Money and Return on Investment on Healthcare Marketing

Globally, the healthcare industry spends more than any other on advertising – but we believe this is largely down to the inefficiency of campaigns and the less commercial approach often taken.

Working with PromoMedia and our partners, we believe you’ll find a much better ROI on your investment in listening to your aims, ambitions and working with you and your budget.

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthcare Marketing

1. "What does a healthcare marketer do?" The role of a healthcare marketer is to put together a bespoke and effective healthcare marketing strategy, this can often be done to complement in-house marketing efforts, and is often used to reach new prospective patients and clients. It is often advised that a professional in this niche is employed so that they have experience in communicating accurate health system information. This is imperative as all health information used in advertising communications needs to be accurate and substantiated. A healthcare marketer will produce and execute overall marketing strategies.

2. "What is included in healthcare marketing?" There is no set answer in making a successful healthcare marketing strategy, it will depend on the specific product or service being offered. We often recommend a broad range of media, including press and radio, normally backed up by a strong digital marketing campaign – which can be highly specific and targeted to prospective patients.  

3. “We are an international healthcare organization based in New York and we are looking for a healthcare marketing agency in the UK to complement our in house marketing strategy and marketing efforts. At the moment these are mainly based around social media posting, boosting and web click ads, but we will need some more traditional options to break the UK market. Can you help?” Yes, we can, we work a variety of overseas healthcare organizations looking to recruits new customers and patients from the UK. Most of these already have a decent social media and digital marketing plan in place. This means the healthcare marketing plan we tend to put together looks at options such as TV, radio and outdoor health marketing opportunities. Contact us with your name email and some general information and we will give you a call.

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If you are looking to advertise in the Healthcare sector contact us today and tell us a bit about you, your services and we will give you a call to chat through the various options.

As mentioned, there are lots of options to consider when advertising in the healthcare sector (as it’s a wide-ranging industry with a mass-market) but can give you advice and costings on the best strategies to take your product, service and goods to the next level, ensuring new patients, clients and customers.

We look forward to hearing from you.  

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