Healthcare marketing for 2022 focuses on new movers and content. The emphasis a process of strategic outreach and communication. Your goal is to make healthcare consumers aware of your services, guide them through their healthcare journey and keep them engaged with your particular system.
According to Moody’s Analytics, 46 million people moved into a different zip code between February 2021 and February 2022.
If you want to reach these prime targets, your goal is to stand out.
The best hospital marketing strategies run across multiple marketing channels. They are highly segmented and use specific online and offline efforts to drive engagement.
Global healthcare spending is expected to exceed $10 trillion by 2022. In the U.S., there are 784,626 healthcare companies.
So, if someone needs to go to the hospital or see a doctor, why shouldn’t it be you?
Top Healthcare Marketing Tactic – Hospital New Mover Programs
One of the top markets for new patients is New Movers into a community. New Mover and New Homeowner lists offer healthcare marketers an untapped audience in their communities.
Newcomers need information about their local hospital and the physicians in their area. Newcomers who receive “save-ables” in the mail (magnets, first aid kits) will save these for future use.
New Movers are highly motivated consumers. Hospitals who have tracked response have reported that New Movers are their #1 source of new patients. See Case Study from Mercy Hospital Group in Cincinnati.
How do you impress these New Movers? Through a well-thought out content marketing strategy.
Top Health Marketing Strategy – Content Marketing
Always remember that content is king. You want to tell your story so that your prospects feel like they get to know your organization. You need them to trust you. It’s about building patient relationships.
Your institution needs to be a thought leader in the community, providing information to the public that goes beyond your own walls. The pandemic gave healthcare marketers the opportunity to do this.
Remember, healthcare marketing does not only focus on new movers. Your hospital also needs to inspire members of your community. When you provide the right inspiration, people act on it.
The Hospital we look to as a Thought Leader – Case Study – Back to Life Campaign
The Southern Nevada Health District and Clark County created a Back to Life campaign. This was targeted to encourage Black residents, who are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, to get their vaccines. This is a great example of a thought leader marketing campaign. It helped the organization stands out from the crowd in many ways.
In terms of the content-oriented topics that resonate with your prospects, there are some suggestions to consider:
- Physician experience
- Patient testimonials
- Facility tours
- New equipment purchases
- Remodeling
- Access to new insights
- Research
The Hospital we Trust – Case Study – St Luke’s Health You Tube Video with Dr. Andrew Civitello
This video introduces their Medical Director of Heart Transplant Services.
Hospitals can use their physicians’ experience in their marketing campaign. I read a quote that stuck with me – physicians are “the beating heart of healthcare organizations”. An institution can be many things – but to us “regular folks”, a physician’s word is gospel. We believe that what a doctor tells us is authoritative. We trust what they say.
When a hospital shares its’ physicians’ experiences, advice and achievements, they build trust with patients and the community.
A content-oriented video like this can be used in many ways, including the hospital website and social media. A hospital can also use a spokesperson to share health tips and other recommendations. One of my summertime favorites is how much water a person needs to stay hydrated.
Other share-ables may include seasonal health tips, community alerts, exercise and nutrition information.
The Hospital that Inspires – Case Study – Ascension & Shannon Miller for Ovarian Cancer
St. Louis healthcare provided Ascension created a campaign around the Tokyo Olympic summer games. Their ad includes the voice and photo on seven-times Olympic medalist Shannon Miller. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer after a routine screening that she almost delayed. She urged women to get early screenings to help detect diagnoses before it’s too late.
While this ad featured a you-tube video, this could have just as easily been purposed as a direct mail postcard to women focusing on important health screenings including mammograms.
Make it easy for patients to find the information they need:
In healthcare marketing that focuses on New Movers, your goal is to make it easy for patients to make an appointment or get the information they need. Your website is crucial and needs to be responsive both on desktop and mobile. Every piece of marketing material needs to be part of the Hospital’s overall strategy.
- Be sure to include easy-to-find contact information
- Provide links to hospital or healthcare provider website or blog on social media posts
- Include a phone number and QR code on every physical piece of marketing material – direct mail, posters, flyers
- Provide directions, maps.
- Let people contact you the way they want – phone, chat, email, self-service.