HOW SHOULD PRACTITIONERS
HOW SHOULD PRACTITIONERS GO ABOUT MOTIVATING PROSPECTIVE PATIENTS?
HOW SHOULD PRACTITIONERS GO ABOUT MOTIVATING PROSPECTIVE PATIENTS?
There is no “right” or “perfect” channel mix for ASC marketing. Every ASC is different in terms of the procedures it offers and the quality/quantity of the physicians, nurses, practice administrators and support staff. Every patient is also different: a senior citizen in need of a phacoemulsification will behave and is motivated in very different ways than, say, a 46-year- old ironworker who needs an ACDF. The available media choices in Coeur d’Alene are remarkably different from those in Houston.
Since there’s no formula for channel mixing from market to market, ASC to ASC, procedure to procedure, patient to patient, how exactly does the practitioner go about motivating prospective patients to choose a particular ASC over another? Each case requires an in-depth evaluation of the core strengths of the ASC (or group of ASCs,) as well as a clear understanding of the competitors. (See previous chapter on Navigating the Dynamics of the Market.) In addition, consider these three important concepts:
There is no “right” or “perfect” channel mix for ASC marketing. Every ASC is different in terms of the procedures it offers and the quality/quantity of the physicians, nurses, practice administrators and support staff. Every patient is also different: a senior citizen in need of a phacoemulsification will behave and is motivated in very different ways than, say, a 46-year- old ironworker who needs an ACDF. The available media choices in Coeur d’Alene are remarkably different from those in Houston.
Since there’s no formula for channel mixing from market to market, ASC to ASC, procedure to procedure, patient to patient, how exactly does the practitioner go about motivating prospective patients to choose a particular ASC over another? Each case requires an in-depth evaluation of the core strengths of the ASC (or group of ASCs,) as well as a clear understanding of the competitors. (See previous chapter on Navigating the Dynamics of the Market.) In addition, consider these three important concepts:
There is no “right” or “perfect” channel mix for ASC marketing. Every ASC is different in terms of the procedures it offers and the quality/quantity of the physicians, nurses, practice administrators and support staff. Every patient is also different: a senior citizen in need of a phacoemulsification will behave and is motivated in very different ways than, say, a 46-year- old ironworker who needs an ACDF. The available media choices in Coeur d’Alene are remarkably different from those in Houston.
Since there’s no formula for channel mixing from market to market, ASC to ASC, procedure to procedure, patient to patient, how exactly does the practitioner go about motivating prospective patients to choose a particular ASC over another? Each case requires an in-depth evaluation of the core strengths of the ASC (or group of ASCs,) as well as a clear understanding of the competitors. (See previous chapter on Navigating the Dynamics of the Market.) In addition, consider these three important concepts:
The benefits of “listening”
As most marketers prepare to embark on a campaign to motivate and persuade consumers, they often become hyper-focused on what they are going to do and say, and how their ads are going to look and read. Far fewer campaign designers are huddled in conference rooms, scribbling on whiteboards, asking: how are we going to listen?
And yet, that’s precisely what ASCs should be doing in any given market. Build a campaign with listening devices pre-embedded, so you can gauge which messages elicit the most engagement, and drive the prospective patients closer to a facility inquiry and/or visit. This can be via calls to action, vanity 800-numbers, click-throughs to a specific campaign landing page, or via several other mechanisms that will enable you to evaluate what resonates with prospects.
Keep in mind this additional and important fact: if you’re going to take the time to listen, then you must also be prepared to make the investment necessary to continue responding. For instance, if you are A/B testing a message on radio, and you note (because you built in tracking mechanisms) that message B is resonating at twice the rate of message A, then you must be prepared to re-enter the market swiftly with a more aggressive, more visible campaign focused on that message.
Finally, you must also be prepared to switch course if necessary during the campaign process. If you’re “hearing” from consumers that they seek a certain type of procedure, or would be more willing to undergo surgery if a certain condition is met, or prefer to have surgery at a certain time of day, then it’s incumbent to re-craft messages that speak to those insights. Some of the best (and most effective) campaign strategies can often be the ones that are revealed by consumers themselves. Note also that listening and responding to such consumer feedback may require adjustments at the business level, such as changing the hours of the ASC, or partnering with a financial institution.
This is especially true when considering what media channels to use to reach your prospective patients. You may observe that all your excellent digital advertising does not seem to be driving traffic, whereas newspaper ads are performing admirably. This could be for any number of reasons, (which you should be prepared to isolate and identify,) but it’s important to “listen” to how the consumer wants to be addressed, at what frequency, and in what forum.
Blending online and offline marketing
Many ASC marketing e orts will include online marketing, and for very good reason. It’s comparatively inexpensive, highly measurable and easily scalable. However, there are many instances where digital marketing is best served alongside an integrated mix of offline tools.
The weight of this point rests on the vagaries of the prospective patient in context of the procedure mix of the ASC. There are situations and specifics where digital tools will work best, and others where they may not work at all.
This is an ideal time to consider the “best” prospective patient, and understand who may be doing the research on that patient’s behalf, and where they might go for that information. According to a 2017 research study conducted by dotHealth, 64% of health consumers turn to the Internet first for health information.
Further, as an ASC seeks to gain a foothold in a market, even a sizable budget in digital may not “cover” a market. To gain a significant share of voice, and generate a sense of familiarity, marketers must turn to those media choices that permeate the market, and create multiple impressions. This can be done by any combination of media, face-to-face events and publicity.
The benefits of “listening”
As most marketers prepare to embark on a campaign to motivate and persuade consumers, they often become hyper-focused on what they are going to do and say, and how their ads are going to look and read. Far fewer campaign designers are huddled in conference rooms, scribbling on whiteboards, asking: how are we going to listen?
And yet, that’s precisely what ASCs should be doing in any given market. Build a campaign with listening devices pre-embedded, so you can gauge which messages elicit the most engagement, and drive the prospective patients closer to a facility inquiry and/or visit. This can be via calls to action, vanity 800-numbers, click-throughs to a specific campaign landing page, or via several other mechanisms that will enable you to evaluate what resonates with prospects.
Keep in mind this additional and important fact: if you’re going to take the time to listen, then you must also be prepared to make the investment necessary to continue responding. For instance, if you are A/B testing a message on radio, and you note (because you built in tracking mechanisms) that message B is resonating at twice the rate of message A, then you must be prepared to re-enter the market swiftly with a more aggressive, more visible campaign focused on that message.
Finally, you must also be prepared to switch course if necessary during the campaign process. If you’re “hearing” from consumers that they seek a certain type of procedure, or would be more willing to undergo surgery if a certain condition is met, or prefer to have surgery at a certain time of day, then it’s incumbent to re-craft messages that speak to those insights. Some of the best (and most effective) campaign strategies can often be the ones that are revealed by consumers themselves. Note also that listening and responding to such consumer feedback may require adjustments at the business level, such as changing the hours of the ASC, or partnering with a financial institution.
This is especially true when considering what media channels to use to reach your prospective patients. You may observe that all your excellent digital advertising does not seem to be driving traffic, whereas newspaper ads are performing admirably. This could be for any number of reasons, (which you should be prepared to isolate and identify,) but it’s important to “listen” to how the consumer wants to be addressed, at what frequency, and in what forum.
Blending online and offline marketing
Many ASC marketing e orts will include online marketing, and for very good reason. It’s comparatively inexpensive, highly measurable and easily scalable. However, there are many instances where digital marketing is best served alongside an integrated mix of offline tools.
The weight of this point rests on the vagaries of the prospective patient in context of the procedure mix of the ASC. There are situations and specifics where digital tools will work best, and others where they may not work at all.
This is an ideal time to consider the “best” prospective patient, and understand who may be doing the research on that patient’s behalf, and where they might go for that information. According to a 2017 research study conducted by dotHealth, 64% of health consumers turn to the Internet first for health information.
Further, as an ASC seeks to gain a foothold in a market, even a sizable budget in digital may not “cover” a market. To gain a significant share of voice, and generate a sense of familiarity, marketers must turn to those media choices that permeate the market, and create multiple impressions. This can be done by any combination of media, face-to-face events and publicity.
Have questions about ASC marketing?
Have questions about ASC marketing?
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