Hospital Marketing

“Why do you need hospital marketing?” The top brass in hospitals and other health care facilities promptly ask this question when quizzed about their marketing efforts. This question is usually followed up by “But, how do you market a hospital?”, scratching their heads, when finally convinced that hospital marketing indeed brings in positive results. This lack of awareness about hospital marketingactually stems from the various myths doing the rounds:

Myth 1: Hospital marketing is a waste.

It is not. With the cost of providing healthcare services increasing by the day and competition both increasing and intensifying, hospitals cannot afford to sit back, rest on their laurels, and hope that their good name will spread far and wide and bring in more patients. This is a consumer-driven society and the C-suite must realize that only hospital marketing, using all the appropriate channels, will attract and bring in new patients.

Myth 2: Hospitals cannot be marketed.

Of course, they can be marketed. A hospital is no different from any other organization or a service. A hospital has target audience that it needs to reach out to with the message that it can provide the means to address their specific needs. A hospital also has a vision, mission, and value statement which differentiates it from another hospital and thus serves as the USP that brings in more patients. Thus, hospitals need to be and can be marketed and hospital marketing cannot be much different from marketing any other organization.

Myth 3: Do as your competitors do.

Good heavens, no! This is one marketing tactic that doesn’t work in hospital marketing; so when the hospital in the neighboring community puts up a billboard, do not fall into the trap of following suit. You will immediately get labeled as a hospital that has only market shares in mind. When marketing your hospital, make sure that you project an image of calm assurance, competence, and efficient professionalism and which you can only do by thinking out-of-the-box. For instance, think of reaching out to your target audience with some helpful and insightful health blogs or connect to them onFacebook.

Hospitals are all about human touch.  So, when you are marketing your hospital, make sure that the humane face shows through the billboards, the ads, and the Twitter updates. We, at the HealthCare Marketing Group have more ingenious ideas that will set you apart. Call us today at 800-258-0702.