WHAT ARE THE MOST COMPELLING REASONS TO PARTNER WITH A MARKETING AGENCY?
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMPELLING REASONS TO
PARTNER WITH A MARKETING AGENCY?
If and when you decide to consider marketing an ASC or ASC group, the most pressing challenges are going to be centered around the principles already discussed: understanding the consumer population, getting a firm grasp on the dynamics of the market in which you operate, formulating compelling messages, and then delivering them through the most advantageous channels. And all of those elements must be examined relative to your core offering. While marketing is not a guarantee of success, it can certainly create sustainable advantages that an ASC can exploit, not the least of which is a steady stream of inquiries to an increasingly recognizable facility or group of facilities.
However, marketing in general, and ASC marketing in particular, is not an area of expertise to be taken lightly, and those ASCs that are serious about gaining an advantage in their market are best served by partnering with a marketing agency that has some understanding of healthcare.
If and when you decide to consider marketing an ASC or ASC group, the most pressing challenges are going to be centered around the principles already discussed: understanding the consumer population, getting a firm grasp on the dynamics of the market in which you operate, formulating compelling messages, and then delivering them through the most advantageous channels. And all of those elements must be examined relative to your core offering. While marketing is not a guarantee of success, it can certainly create sustainable advantages that an ASC can exploit, not the least of which is a steady stream of inquiries to an increasingly recognizable facility or group of facilities.
However, marketing in general, and ASC marketing in particular, is not an area of expertise to be taken lightly, and those ASCs that are serious about gaining an advantage in their market are best served by partnering with a marketing agency that has some understanding of healthcare.
If and when you decide to consider marketing an ASC or ASC group, the most pressing challenges are going to be centered around the principles already discussed: understanding the consumer population, getting a firm grasp on the dynamics of the market in which you operate, formulating compelling messages, and then delivering them through the most advantageous channels. And all of those elements must be examined relative to your core offering. While marketing is not a guarantee of success, it can certainly create sustainable advantages that an ASC can exploit, not the least of which is a steady stream of inquiries to an increasingly recognizable facility or group of facilities.
However, marketing in general, and ASC marketing in particular, is not an area of expertise to be taken lightly, and those ASCs that are serious about gaining an advantage in their market are best served by partnering with a marketing agency that has some understanding of healthcare.
Understanding how to communicate
Most marketing agencies will have experience in the development of strategic approaches to help an ASC stand out as something unique, (a process referred to as differentiation,) and to then articulate those differences (a process known as messaging.) And it’s this latter function that requires a sophisticated set of experience. For many companies (not just healthcare companies,) marketing firms and advertising agencies have long been recruited for their singular ability to formulate these memorable and “sticky” messages.
When you overlay a deep understanding of the healthcare consumer and gather competitive, geographic, financial and other data about a particular market area, those messages can become very powerful, and form long-lasting bonds between the brand and the constituents it hopes to persuade.
Understanding the media
As has long been understood, a message without an intelligent way to deliver it is grossly ineffective. Most marketing agencies have a strong understanding of media channels, and how each can be a useful tool in delivering compelling messages to your target audience. Of course, there are many variables that differ in each market, but the key focus is in reaching your target audience with the media channels that they are likely to use and trust.
For almost all ASCs, a strong online presence will be required as discussed earlier, but additional digital channels must also be leveraged to meet the consumer at the critical point of their investigative process. According to a 2013 study released by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 80% of Internet users, or about 93 million Americans, have searched for a health-related topic online. About half of those (47%) are researching a specific medical treatment or procedure, and 21% (or roughly 23 million Americans) are researching a particular doctor or hospital.
So it goes without saying that leveraging online search is an excellent place to start. Overlaying additional media has an exponential effect, so consider alternative channels (especially those that are well-known in the market) such as television, radio, newspaper, and even outdoor. Bear in mind that ASC marketing, as with almost all healthcare marketing, is a hyper-local concern. Considerably for surgical procedures, where patients do not want to have to travel very far for post-op recuperation. So the more entrenched a media channel is in its market (like a well-trusted newspaper, or a well-liked on-air personality,) the more likely it is to have earned local-color familiarity, and thereby a correlated level of trust.
Building a brand
Perhaps the most compelling reason to partner with a marketing agency lies in their ability to help build a sustainable brand. This is a more long-term proposition that some agencies specialize in, and can yield numerous benefits for the business. Typically, brands garner more preference in any given market, and are seen as something more valuable than commodities. Brands can also command premium pricing. But for ASCs, perhaps the most advantageous aspect of establishing your practice or group of facilities as a brand lies in the ability to attract attention from referral sources such as hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and even business and civic associations. When faced with an endorsement choice, even the most conservative organization will choose a known brand over a nameless facility, often in spite of a stellar reputation and/or clinical history.
Understanding how to communicate
Most marketing agencies will have experience in the development of strategic approaches to help an ASC stand out as something unique, (a process referred to as differentiation,) and to then articulate those differences (a process known as messaging.) And it’s this latter function that requires a sophisticated set of experience. For many companies (not just healthcare companies,) marketing firms and advertising agencies have long been recruited for their singular ability to formulate these memorable and “sticky” messages.
When you overlay a deep understanding of the healthcare consumer and gather competitive, geographic, financial and other data about a particular market area, those messages can become very powerful, and form long-lasting bonds between the brand and the constituents it hopes to persuade.
Understanding the media
As has long been understood, a message without an intelligent way to deliver it is grossly ineffective. Most marketing agencies have a strong understanding of media channels, and how each can be a useful tool in delivering compelling messages to your target audience. Of course, there are many variables that differ in each market, but the key focus is in reaching your target audience with the media channels that they are likely to use and trust.
For almost all ASCs, a strong online presence will be required as discussed earlier, but additional digital channels must also be leveraged to meet the consumer at the critical point of their investigative process. According to a 2013 study released by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 80% of Internet users, or about 93 million Americans, have searched for a health-related topic online. About half of those (47%) are researching a specific medical treatment or procedure, and 21% (or roughly 23 million Americans) are researching a particular doctor or hospital.
So it goes without saying that leveraging online search is an excellent place to start. Overlaying additional media has an exponential effect, so consider alternative channels (especially those that are well-known in the market) such as television, radio, newspaper, and even outdoor. Bear in mind that ASC marketing, as with almost all healthcare marketing, is a hyper-local concern. Considerably for surgical procedures, where patients do not want to have to travel very far for post-op recuperation. So the more entrenched a media channel is in its market (like a well-trusted newspaper, or a well-liked on-air personality,) the more likely it is to have earned local-color familiarity, and thereby a correlated level of trust.
Building a brand
Perhaps the most compelling reason to partner with a marketing agency lies in their ability to help build a sustainable brand. This is a more long-term proposition that some agencies specialize in, and can yield numerous benefits for the business. Typically, brands garner more preference in any given market, and are seen as something more valuable than commodities. Brands can also command premium pricing. But for ASCs, perhaps the most advantageous aspect of establishing your practice or group of facilities as a brand lies in the ability to attract attention from referral sources such as hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and even business and civic associations. When faced with an endorsement choice, even the most conservative organization will choose a known brand over a nameless facility, often in spite of a stellar reputation and/or clinical history.
Have questions about ASC marketing?
Have questions about ASC marketing?
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