Health Care Marketing in an Electronic Age: Choosing the Best Tools for Your Audience

Transcription

1 Health Care Marketing in an Electronic Age: Choosing the Best Tools for Your Audience Louis C. Feuer, MA, MSW, Principal, Dynamic Seminars and Consulting, Inc., Sunrise, FL

2 Top 4 Things to Know for CE 1. Make sure your BADGE IS SCANNED each time you enter a session to record your attendance. 2. Carry your Evaluation Packet with you to EVERY session. 3. Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and Nurses need to track their hours on the Statement of Continuing Education Form as they go (the 2-page triplicate form, so press firmly!). 4. FOR CE: At your last session, total the hours and sign both pages of your Statement of Continuing Education Form. Keep the PINK copy for your records and place the YELLOW and WHITE copies in your CE Envelope. Make sure an Evaluation Form is in your CE Envelope for each session you attended (extra forms are available at the registration desk if you forgot to pick one up). Write your name and unique ID number (six digit number at the bottom of your name badge) in the designated area on the outside of the envelope, seal it, and place it in the drop box located near the 4/8/ registration area.

3 Louis Feuer is President, Dynamic Seminars & Consulting, Inc. The conflict of interest was resolved by peer review of slide content. Clinical trials and off-label/investigational uses will not be discussed during this presentation. 4/8/2012 3

4 Marketing is About Gaining recognition. Branding the company. Reaching new eyes. Expanding contacts. Enhancing and maintain existing relationships.

5 Where is the Mind Set of the Customer Everyone is on information overload. Stressed from the growing pressure to do more with less. Growing case loads. They are trying to determine if you are just selling or trying to make a difference in their work. Remember so little of what they see and even less of what they hear!

6 Marketing Transitions Move from print to video. Move from video to your desktop computer. From mobile devices to instant messages everywhere. Our need to check various locations to obtain all of one s supposedly important instant messages.

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8 Reaching the Referral Source As their case loads grow it is more difficult to reach them. There are more gate keepers than ever. Their time is more precious and their demands even greater. They are being pressured by a system seeking good outcomes, research data and documentation.

9 An Age of Individualized Marketing Each customer has a different primary source for education. Each customer responds to information differently. Never believe one program or marketing strategy works best for your business.

10 Our Choices are Endless and Growing Traditional print/brochures. Television/cable. Website. . Social media. The sales representative. Logs and records that reflect the care we provide. Trade show marketing.

11 Traditional Print/Brochures Clear and concise messaging. Defines capabilities. Defining your difference. Often lasts only a short time. Filed or tossed away. Often prove to be nothing more than a reminder of who you are and how to contact you.

12 Television/Cable More and more companies are reaching out to end users. Some national pharma companies have doubled television advertising for Cable is often a more cost effective alternative. Seek special advertising times and increased frequency as you negotiate all costs.

13 Your Website Your website is the window to your company. Create a reason for people to provide you with their best read address. Become a source of education and information for both your referral sources and your patients. Periodically change the look and feel of your site. Show off your expertise, staff, location and mission.

14 Has Its Issues Your becomes part of your marketing messages. Don t place anything in an that is not for public consumption. Over abundance of has people failing to see them all. People often fail to scroll down to read the entire message. A message with more than 25 lines often has unread content. Write, think, read again and send. Angry mail should be left for a few minutes or even a day before sending. Always place a message in the subject line. You need to first get my attention.

15 And... Don t use all CAPS. Sounds like you are yelling at me. Use bullet points to outline your message when appropriate. Let me know what I am to do after reading the . What s my next move! Note any time frames for responding.

16 The Sales Representative Presentation is the key. The sight, sound and demeanor of the sales person. Do you know your difference? Do you know why I should give you a chance? Are you about to say something of interest? Periodically change your message. Ask for opportunities rather than business.

17 Talk about people, programs and processes. Don t keep repeating the same reason for making the sales call. Have a new reason to interrupt the customer s day. Marketing materials cost money and your presence is the most powerful message any company can deliver. You will continue to be compared to other sales people. The memory of your visit will linger on long after you leave the sales call.

18 Reports and Documentation Be careful about how you write your notes. Remove subjective comments as much as possible. Provide visible and verifiable examples. Do not make comments that are not professional. Avoid name calling. Send notes regarding your appreciation for the opportunity to help the patient.

19 Social Media No evidence to show it is helping grow a home care business. A way to keep your name in front of a professional audience. Have your own webpage. Look to increase name recognition. Keep adding valuable information to your site. Add it to your arsenal of marketing tools.

20 Trade Show Marketing Understand why attendees come to the meeting. Do not lock them in your booth. It s about setting the stage for another appointment. Learn from the visitor, gather information. Follow the lead!

21 And... Trade show visitors are like those visiting a mall. Think about what is in your space that gets their attention. Wear your name badge. Be a solution to a problem.

22 Standards of Ethical Practice Continually promising that which you know you cannot deliver is dishonest. Offering gifts and services to generate the business you are seeking. Maintain your ongoing compliance program. Maintain good communication with your patients regarding fees, their costs, insurance issues, and service to be provided.

23 Ask Questions of the Lead Generation Company How long have they worked in health care? Do they use a health care regulatory attorney? Is there an opinion letter regarding their business model? Ask them how they generate these leads in house or purchased. If purchased they may not know how they were collected.

24 Office of Inspector General The Department of Justice and OIG simply started the expansion of auditing organizations. With accrediting organizations, zone programs, and the list seems to be growing as audits become a part of doing business. Resolution of problems that once took years can now take only several months.

25 What Constitutes a Gift? If the item has the ability to sway a buying decision it needs to be reconsidered. Follow the Stark Laws and Anti Kick Back Statutes. Beyond $10! Gifts used as solicitation for business.

26 Purchasing Leads Hundreds of lead generating companies on the web. Purchasing raw leads and qualified leads. Supplier Standard No. 11 regarding phone solicitation indicating that you can only call a beneficiary if they have given you prior written permission. A check on a website can be acceptable. Qualified leads are where the lead generation company gathers health and insurance information. This lead when purchased may be seen as buying a referral. Is OK if it fits within the Personal Services and Management Contracts safe harbors. One is that the fees are fixed one year in advance. Discrepancy between a lead and a referral.

27 Be Aware Marketing for Medicare business is not the same as marketing for business from other payers. Marketing requires a consistent message. Patients and persistence will serve you will. Be honest the customer, the patient and the family is relying on your promises.

28 And never forget: One day you may become a patient in our own business. Treat others as you would like others to treat you. Those two comment say it all!

29 Learning Assessment Questions & Answers Please refer to the NHIA Annual Conference & Exposition 2012 On Site Program for a brief post test. FEUERL@aol.com 4/8/