Marketing helps businesses survive by making them more prominent in the public mind and convincing potential customers of their products’ value. So why would hospitals, which everyone knows about and everyone needs, require a marketing plan?
For one, privatized hospitals are businesses, so marketing helps healthcare facilities stand out from the competition. Secondly, hospitals have brand images that are important to maintain to create a welcoming, hopeful environment. Marketing helps to this end, as well.
However, hospital marketing looks somewhat different than it does for a company selling dog toys, for example. It’s an essential, service-based business, and marketing should reflect this. Here’s a look at creating a thoughtful hospital marketing plan that attracts patients and boosts brand image.
What Makes Hospital Marketing Unique
Hospital marketing stands apart from traditional marketing strategies due to its focus on trust, empathy, and community engagement. Unlike product-based marketing, hospital marketing must cultivate a strong emotional connection with potential patients and their families.
Moreover, regulatory considerations and the sensitive nature of healthcare necessitate a tailored approach that adheres to ethical standards while effectively promoting hospital services.
The Main Elements of a Thoughtful Hospital Marketing Plan
Below are the most important components of a hospital marketing plan. You’ll notice that they would fit in with almost every marketing plan, but they should be followed with consideration for the unique nature of hospitals as businesses.
Target Audience Identification
Are you a women’s health clinic? Do you specialize in orthopedics or oncology? What is the average patient like in your facility’s area?
Understand who your potential patients are and who you are specialized to serve. Segment your audience based on demographics, needs, and behaviors.
Brand Positioning
Craft a compelling brand narrative that differentiates your hospital from competitors. Ensure your messaging aligns with the values and expectations of your local community and target patients.
Content Marketing
Develop informative and relevant content that addresses patient concerns. Write blogs, send newsletters, and release podcasts to engage and educate your audience. These pieces of media help current and prospective patients build trust in your facility’s expertise, making them more likely to schedule appointments.
Social Media Engagement
Social media is connected to content marketing but holds a uniquely important place in the modern digital marketing scene. Utilize social media platforms to connect with the community. Foster conversations, share patient stories, and provide real-time health tips. To share patient stories, look into getting user-generated content to boost your brand, as audiences generally perceive it to be more trustworthy.
SEO Strategies
Implement search engine optimization techniques to enhance your online visibility. Focus on local SEO to attract nearby patients looking for services. For example, when someone searches “primary care doctor near me,” your facility is more likely to show up.
Reputation Management
Most people care a lot about the quality of their healthcare, so they’re very likely to read reviews and heed warning signs about medical facilities. Even if your facility offers stellar service and care, it will still probably receive a few bitter remarks online. It’s important to actively monitor and respond to these online reviews, both good and bad. Managing your hospital’s reputation builds trust and attracts potential patients.
The Biggest Mistake To Avoid
Creating a thoughtful hospital marketing plan is a lot like creating any marketing plan, but hospitals are unique businesses that require special attention to detail. In that vein, the biggest mistake you can make is forgetting that even though your medical facility is a business, it is also a community staple.
People depend on healthcare facilities for screening, treatment, and peace of mind, but patients are also often fraught with anxieties about finances, health concerns, and receiving inadequate care. As you develop your marketing plan, be considerate of your role as an essential service and address community concerns, doing your best to promote accessible, effective care for all.
