How Integrated is Your Marketing With Communications?

How much more effective would your marketing campaigns in traditional, online, social, mobile and Public/Media relations be, if you made a conscious effort to frame your messaging in your communications campaigns around the main brand and key messages you use in your marketing campaigns?

More often than not, brand messages in healthcare communications sometimes lack the level of integration and planning needed across vehicles and channels. Little, if any attention, is given to using communications as a strategic and integrative vehicle in the overall marketing effort. With so many different marketing activities and channels required to cut through the clutter, in order to leverage your key messages, you can no longer afford to not have your communications highly integrated with marketing.

Is that lack of integration a missed opportunity?

We are expected by our audiences to advertise, write white papers, create case studies, write impactful sales materials, partner with leading market research organizations to present "groundbreaking" topical surveys and results, as well as produce other materials.

People see, read and hopefully the key messages resonate, advancing the brand, generating sales leads, or in some cases, bring a sense of accomplishment to internal audiences, because in the end, all of these materials are "about us". Activity measurement as opposed to outcomes measurement.

Integrated communications can provide you with a continuous brand presence in the market that you cannot afford through paid efforts. It can successfully build positive impressions and solid opinions which after a while, will come to be believed about your organization.

If you are not integrating your brand messaging into your communication efforts internally and externally, your losing the opportunity of a lifetime, and potentially your markets.

You can continue the conversation with me on:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich
Web site: http://www.themichaeljgroup.com

For more information, or to discuss your strategic healthcare marketing, customer experience management, marketing/sales integration or start-up needs, you can learn more at my web site the michael J group; email- michael@themichaeljgroup.com; or phone by calling me at 815-293-1471.

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Are You Engaged in Disruptive Healthcare Marketing?

This is not about guerilla marketing. I am writing about engaging in what I call Disruptive Healthcare Marketing (DHM). DHM is a process that moves you from looking like a "me too" in your healthcare marketing, to forcing competitors into changing their game, reacting to you.

If for the sake of argument, you can agree that there is little meaningful differentiation, healthcare is becoming a commodity, price competition is beginning, and the healthcare consumer is becoming more empowered and taking control, then why would you continue to market the same old ways and play follow the leader in your industry vertical? Isn't that the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Disruption is occurring across healthcare on a daily basis and well into the foreseeable future. So why isn't healthcare marketing keeping pace?

Much healthcare marketing is like Lemmings in a herd, falling over the cliff because everybody else is. If your marketing is so effective, then why do executives, especially in hospitals, talk of being in survival mode? Sounds like what you have been doing isn't working.

Disruptive Healthcare Marketing is contrarian in nature.

That's right, DHM is contrarian in nature, because you don't follow the leader and change a few things in an effort to look different, with the same essential message. It's about finding those meaningful points of differentiation that your consumer is looking for that will resonate. You ask the hard questions. You do the grunt work. You challenge conventional thinking. You challenge the culture and beliefs of the organization. You look at why someone is taking a particular strategy path, and understand why they aren't doing something else. You lead. It's about going in a different sustainable directions that builds volume, revenue and market share.

Everyone is chasing the same healthcare consumer and looking the same in the process.

Really, is your customer/patient satisfaction that much different from your competitors? Are your hi-tech medical devices so amazing that healthcare consumers and purchasers will flock to your doors? Can your valet service "out customer experience" the healthcare provider on the other side of town? Can your specialty pharmacy clinical sales tell you, without a 50 slide deck, in 25 words or less, how you are better than a competitor? Can you do a presentation to an insurer that that's not 80 slides of, all about you?

Are you saying to your marketing department, look what they did?

If yes is the answer to any of the questions, then you are not engaged in Disruptive Healthcare Marketing.

A Disruptive Healthcare Marketing model can look like this:

Disruptive Healthcare Marketing utilizes marketing in a strategically focused plan, to provide meaningful differentiation, positions you as the leader and create a brand story with lasting marketplace presence. It is highly integrated, sustainable and focused. DHM changes the organization. It will make you uncomfortable. But then, if you're not uncomfortable, then you really aren't changing.

Insert any audience in the center of the model and you have Disruptive Healthcare Marketing. Integrated, coordinated and not based on what your competition is doing, but upon you, your brand and your differentiable, sustainable message points.

Change or be changed. You decide.

You can continue the conversation with me on:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich
Web site: http://www.themichaeljgroup.com

For more information, or to discuss your strategic healthcare marketing, customer experience management, marketing/sales integration or start-up needs, you can learn more at my web site the michael J group; email- :michael@themichaeljgroup.com or phone by calling me at 815-293-1471.

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Is Meaningful Differentiation Lacking in Healthcare Marketing?

The other day, I was reading my local community newspaper, the Herald-News and a national publication, The Wall Street Journal. Yes, I am kind of old fashion that way, reading a newspaper where you actually have to touch and turn a page, and move your head to read a story. In both papers, I saw several healthcare advertisements and a placed story.

Normally, one would probably would scan the ads or the story, make a fast determination of usefulness, and move on. Especially, if you don't need that particular service or clinical capability at the time. The placed story led with "A spa like atmosphere". Really.

But when looking at all the placements, I asked myself, what were the distinguishing differentiation characteristics, that separated everyone? What was the brand promise? What were the key messages? And most importantly, what, as a healthcare consumer, did you expect me to do?

Sadly, I could not find any clear and unambiguous differentiation.

This is not a challenge to be overcome, to be politically correct. It's a marketing problem. Period.

And it goes on in markets all across the U.S.A. on a daily basis.

What it reflects, is an old way of doing business. In a dynamic and rapidly changing healthcare market, where the consumer, is beginning to assert more control over the decision-making process, healthcare providers need to begin paying more attention to what they are, and are not saying. Just saying we provide quality care, have the best physicians, treat you with the latest high-tech toys, or provide an exclusive hotel-like experience doesn't work.

Those messages do not differentiate you. Everybody is saying the same thing.

The healthcare consumer of today, is looking for meaningful information upon which to make a reasonable and rational decision.

They are looking for answers to such questions as:

Why should I choose you?

What makes your doctors different, from the physicians in the other hospital, office or clinic down the street, who by the way, practice medicine in your hospital, and as your physicians do, admit to that hospital too?

How are your high-tech diagnostic and treatment tools, so outstandingly different from the ones in other settings. How do they make an outcome difference?

Do you really think that I care that you have a "spa like setting", big screen HD TVs, or internet access and will use that information to make one of the most important decisions in my life?

There are no easy answers.

The answers do require, that healthcare leadership and many marketing departments, begin to admit, and recognize, that the old way of healthcare marketing doesn't work anymore. Your brand messaging and advertisements, direct mail, web site, social media efforts etc., will have to become clearer. Much more clear on the benefits of, and reasons for, choosing you. That means treating the new healthcare consumer not as an idiot, but as a partner in the decision-making process. It means becoming transparent and open about outcomes. It means educating the healthcare consumer, about what the value is of an award is and what that award means to them.

It means changing attitudes toward, and practice of, marketing in your organization. Understanding that the old ways of healthcare marketing just don't work anymore.

To the major health system, that ran the cardiovascular ad in the Wall Street Journal, placing the Thompson Reuters Top 100 logo for excellence in that service-line, pay attention. The date on the logo of the award is 2008. It's 2011.

Since that award is bestowed annually and it's two years old, do you think that maybe the consumer, is asking what happened the last two years that you didn't receive the award?

Never let a consumer think of, or ask a question you don't want to answer.

Repeat after me: Brand. Price. Value. Differentiation.

You can continue the conversation with me on:

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich

Web site: http://www.themichaeljgroup.com

For more information, or to discuss your strategic healthcare marketing, customer experience management, marketing/sales integration or start-up needs, you can learn more at my web site the michael J group; email- michael@themichaeljgroup.com; or phone by calling me at 815-293-1471.

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Are You Ready for Healthcare Price Competition?

The game is changing. Rapidly.

That's what I call Aetna's introduction to its members, of its easy-to-use, out-of-pocket payment estimator. Simple really, know the cost of a test, visit or procedure; know what it will cost you. But it doesn't stop there, it allows the healthcare consumer to compare the cost across multiple network providers. You can compare costs across 10 different hospitals and doctors.

WellPoint through its AIM subsidiary has shown where it was possible to incentivize physicians and plan members, to shop for radiology services and choose the lowest cost provider. It's reducing healthcare costs; while maintaining quality.

United HealthCare, though its Innovation Center , is empowering its clients and 70 million members across a broad array of data driven products and services, for the healthcare consumer to better understand their healthcare utilization, and make cost effective choices.

And these are just a couple of the price and cost decision-making information that the healthcare consumer is starting to receive. (I receive no remuneration from mentioning these three companies. As a matter fact, they didn't even know I did this.) How long do you think it will be, before everyone else plays follow- the-leader?

As I have written in the past, healthcare is rapidly changing from a provider-dominated and controlled model, to a consumer-dominated and controlled model. And these changes are further evidence of the change. Nothing like having higher out-of-pocket expenses, coupled with the ability to obtain pricing information, then combined with the ability to estimate your own costs, to get healthcare consumers to pay attention. Shopping for care.

Member co-pays and deductibles are rising. Healthcare consumers are facing the economic reality that they now have some "skin-in-the-game". Can you really think of any better way to control healthcare costs and introduce a level of price competition, by providing information which really up until now, was essentiality unattainable?

Forget the quality argument.

Just because you charge more doesn't mean you have higher quality. The healthcare consumer already assumes quality. And they assume that it is equal across multiple providers. Saying you have high quality when you are unable to differentiate yourself in the market, because you won't use outcomes data, is a claim that falls on deaf ears. It's a given. It's the business you are in.

Pricing begins to rear its head in the healthcare consumer's decision-making process. And when all other things are equal, in the mind of the consumers, price wins. Quality is assumed. Caring is assumed. It's what you do.

Your marketing needs to change. Now.

Most healthcare organizations that are consumer facing, have never really had to deal with the pricing equation on a competitive basis. For insurance, medical device, pharma and other suppliers to healthcare, price competition has been a requirement in their markets since the beginning of time.

Now, doctors, hospitals, and others will need to change their marketing operations and begin to deal on price. Your brand and brand reputation, takes on new meaning, when price and choice become a critical component in the healthcare consumer decision-making process. High price, undifferentiated quality, won't cut it anymore.

Competing on price vs. claims of quality, requires a different set of marketing skills than what you have traditionally found in most healthcare marketing operations. It requires more than a communications skill set, or senior leadership thinking that they know how to market. This is a game changer, and if marketing is not at the senior management table now and involved across the organization, then you are already in deeper trouble than you think.

Change is never easy. Eespecially old attitudes towards the value of, and need for, healthcare marketing. With an industry changing as rapidly as healthcare. With price competition now entering the equation. I prefer to think that a potential golden age of healthcare marketing is upon us. One where the old attitudes are going away. Highly trained, experienced and professional marketing people will take their place at the senior management table. And in the process, healthcare becomes more accountable to the consumer in ways never imagined.

Repeat after me: Brand, Price, Value.

Exciting times we live in. Game on.

You can continue the conversation with me on:

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/krivich0707

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mkrivich

Web site: http://www.themichaeljgroup.com/

For more information, or to discuss your strategic healthcare marketing, customer experience management, marketing/sales integration or start-up needs, you can learn more at my web site the michael J group; email- michael@themichaeljgroup.com; or phone by calling me at 815-293-1471.

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Is there hope for hospital marketing leadership?

Is there hope for hospital marketing leadership?

A broad question which is really more than just a simple yes or no. And I for one, really don't know if an answer is possible due to the complexity of the question. Here's why......

A couple of weeks ago, I had an interesting conversation with the CEO of a hospital regarding a Vice President of Marketing position, or was it Director? They hadn't quit made up their minds and advertised it as Vice President while their web site indicated Vice President/Director, the HR person said Director while the CEO never committed. Just a few red flags.

Another red flag was that the hospital set-up the interview for a specific time and they would call. The day came and yes they called.... 10 minutes late. No apology, no explanation, no initial courtesy to extend any kind of acknowledgement that my time was as equally as valuable as theirs.

The CEO and the Director of HR on one end of the phone and me on the other. The HR person never said a word the entire time. The CEO did all the talking. Another red flag.

We covered the usual questions. He really had not read my resume or application like he stated he did. When referencing some of the resume, he was a surprised oh really.... another red flag.

Then came the clincher. What do you do best Michael? Is it research? Design ads? Write copy? What do you.. do best?

My answer was marketing strategy and leadership. Well, it sure became quite. A buzz kill if there ever was one. That was not what the CEO was looking for. I explained that tactics are easy, strategy is hard. Marketing strategy is a coming together of critical key organizational leadership - senior management; Board of Directors; and physicians. Marketing strategy is built upon the business plan, financial plan and strategic plan of the hospital. Marketing leadership motivates, inspires excellence, rewards individual accomplishment, builds teams, doesn't care who gets the credit and grows the entire organization, not just a department. Marketing sits at the leadership table.

The concepts were foreign. Marketing to this CEO was ads, copy and stuff. Not leadership, not direction, just him telling you what to do and when to do it. Marketing does not sit at his leadership table.

By this time, I had lost any interest in the position.

Unfortunately, this type of story is replayed day-in and day-out around the country. Marketing does not sit at the senior leadership table. Marketing is seen as stuff. Marketing is not integrated into the culture and values of the organization. Hospitals, even after the advent of DRGs in 1983, still don't get marketing.

And I have been on both sides- for-profit healthcare GPO, international, medical device and pharmaceuticals and not-for-profit hospitals, integrated multi-state, multi-hospital health systems and nursing homes with some very important learning's.

Being in the for-profit world now, marketing strategy, leadership and execution is everything, not just "stuff".

Marketing leadership and strategy in the hospital segment of the healthcare industry is in deep trouble. A lot of that is due to the ego driven persona's of senior management, insular cultures divorced from the real-world and organizational arrogance because they are a "not-for-profit" "doing good things" so that means they can do whatever they want, as well as blame everyone else for the state-of-the-industry. It is also complicated by a lack of marketing knowledge. As the old saying goes, "you don't know what you don't know".

And with healthcare reform on the horizon, marketing leadership, strategy and execution will be needed more than ever.

Look around, for-profit companies are already at the fringes of the hospital world and making headway all of the time. Walgreens, CVS, Walmart and others play for keeps. The recognize a need, build a program and execute. They are not going away like some of my colleagues have expressed. They have plans laid for areas and stand to benefit from them financially while improving care and customer service at you and your physician's expense. Retail clinics, infusion centers, home health care is just the beginning.

Your future is not as bright as you may think it is. Time to get your marketing strategy and leadership act together. Your future depends on it.

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Heathcare is Bulit for a Tie

Score Tied and No Extra Innings
Ever think about it? Healthcare is built for a tie. Throughout the industry no one can ever get a competitive leg up. We all have the same managed care contracts, similar programs and services, even our docs go to a group of hospitals. So, in a commodity market environment, which healthcare is, and price is becoming king, how can anyone expect anything less than a tie? You can not be a clear winner, you can not dominate your market, you can not keep out new entrants. Okay, maybe for a short while but not indefinitely. Tie score, 7-7, "same ol same ol" across organizations and it may not change anytime soon. We all do the same things.

Breaking the tie
The only way you can break a tie is with your people. That's right, your employees. They make the difference and set you apart from the field. In a zero sum game where the truth be told, no one can really define service and quality, people make the difference. That is what doctors and patients will remember. That is how you can gain an advantage, that is part of the road to prosperity as an organization. Train them and get them into the community with presentations.

And oh by the way, there should not be a single presentation that anyone gives from the CEO on down that is over six slides. If you can't deliver a presentation in 4-6 slides, then you do not know what you are talking about. Stop the show up and throw up approach to information. People aren't stupid, they can read and that is exactly what they do when you put miles of information with 60 slides in a presentation. They read and don't listen, so why did you even bother giving a presentation? When you do that, then 80 percent of the presentation is about you, and only 20 percent about your audience. Think they really want to hear how great you think you are?

Employees satisfaction is one part of the puzzle to breaking the tie
Still think employee satisfaction isn't important or is only relegated to a bi-annual survey? Think again. The healthcare industry is built for a tie and if you want passionate committed employees and physicians, then you really need to treat them better. Otherwise, its a tie.

And ties aren't a lot of fun.

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