As a health care marketer, you already know how valuable content marketing is to acquire new customers, increase sales and achieve your business goals. 

One of the biggest obstacles to implementing a content marketing strategy however, is getting your c-suite on board.

Without buy-in and an allocated budget, it’s nearly impossible to hire content writers and designers, persuade your subject matter experts to make time for interviews and above all else, help your sales team meet their quotas.

Lack of c-suite buy-in may in fact be why only 36 percent of B2B organizations say they’re “very committed” to content marketing, according to a recent report by the Content Marketing Institute.

The key to selling your company executives on the importance of content marketing will depend largely on data, strategy and proof of ROI. Here are some tips to consider.

Pitch the “why”

In the initial meetings with your executives, think of yourself as a publicist pitching a story idea to the media. Just like a TV producer needs to know why and why now before they run a story, your executives need to understand your case for content marketing and why one-way marketing and advertising alone no longer cut it.

Use data

Do your own research and pull together surveys, white papers and special reports that point to the value of content marketing and how other health care organizations like yours are getting results.

Explain how you’ll do it

Once you have a documented content marketing strategy in place, share the tactics you plan to use to attract and retain new customers.

Make sure that each type of content you plan to create is linked to your company’s overall objectives to build brand awareness, strengthen credibility and grow revenue, for example.

Show them the competition

Health care marketing is notorious for lagging behind other industries so to make your case for content marketing even stronger, show your c-suite examples of what your competitors are doing and how they’re getting results.

Explain what success looks like

Content marketing doesn’t always have a clear-cut, immediate ROI.

Unlike a traditional marketing campaign or an ad, it’s a long-term strategy that takes time to see results and get an understanding of what success actually looks like.

In fact, according to a report by True North Custom, about 43 percent of health care executives say that measuring the effectiveness of their content was one of their most significant challenges.

Although it may take time to get total buy-in from the entire c-suite, if you can show that content marketing has increased email subscribers, attracted new customers and supported upsetting and cross-selling opportunities for example, they’ll have the proof they need to know content marketing works.

Gone are the days when world-class doctors, reputation and referrals alone are enough for medical practices to have a steady flow of patients walking through the door.

To attract and retain patients, reduce attrition and drive revenue, medical practices must focus their efforts on elevating the patient experience—both online and in-person.

Here, read on for 6 proven marketing strategies medical practices can use to grow.

1. Create content

According to a report by Healthcare Insight, approximately 73 percent of health care marketers use content marketing to attract and retain their target audiences.

Posting timely, relevant and engaging content at least two to three times a week is one of the best ways to market to both new and existing patients.

Blogging is an ideal way to drive traffic to your site and keep readers engaged, but also think about creating free content like an e-book, a cheat sheet or a series of videos as opt-ins to grow your email list.

2. Strategically use social media

You might think that Facebook is the best place to share content and advertise, but it might not be the best channel to market your practice.

Before creating a marketing strategy, it’s important to find out where your patients hang out. If you’re trying to market to Medicare patients for example, Facebook is probably the way to go, while Instagram and Snapchat are better for targeting millennials.

3. Show off

When patients look for new doctors, they want authenticity, transparency and trust.

Before they make an appointment however, they’re reading reviews and feedback about your practice on social media so encourage or incentivize patients to leave reviews and always respond to negative comments.

Another way to build trust and credibility is to write case studies about your patients. Tell the stories that new patients want to know, such as how your doctors helped a patient find the right diagnosis or overcome a chronic health condition.

4. Host an event

When patients have the opportunity to meet their physicians, they’ll feel more comfortable with receiving their care.

In fact, 85 percent of people say it’s important to have a doctor who listens to them and 71 percent say they want a doctor who is caring and compassionate, a study in the Journal of Participatory Medicine found.

Aim to have an event at least once a month at your practice, at the local chamber of commerce office or the local library.

Or host special events and present a timely and relevant topic that your patients want to know. Cater the food and wine, have a raffle and ask everyone to bring a friend to increase your referrals.

5. Send direct mail

It might seem like an antiquated marketing strategy, but direct mail can still be an effective way to market your medical practice. In fact, in 2015, direct mail volume was down but data spend saw an increase.

Take advantage of newcomers’ clubs or purchase lists and send a letter and a brochure about your practice. Although you may not see an immediate flood of calls, people keep paper and will call when they need a doctor. Include information about your doctors, their services and what patients can expect.

6. Keep patients engaged

Medical practices need to think like brands and make patient loyalty a priority. Patients want to feel that their physicians actually care so think about special opportunities throughout the year to keep patients engaged.

For example, send cards for birthdays and anniversaries, SMS or direct mail reminders for annual wellness visits, mammograms and prostate screenings or a monthly newsletter with targeted health tips.

Health care marketers know white papers are one of the most effective tools for lead generation.

When done right, white papers educate your potential customers on a pain point and then—only then—offer the solution.

When it comes to planning and writing white papers however, many health care marketers miss the mark. They make crucial, obvious mistakes that crush their credibility and send leads looking elsewhere for the right solution.

Here, read on for 5 of the most common white paper mistakes health care marketers make and what to do instead.

1. Poor white paper planning

As with any type of content you create, you must take the time to plan out your white paper before you start writing.

It’s vital that you have documented buyer personas so you can understand who your customers are and their goals and pain points.

Before writing your white paper, you need to get everyone on board including your c-suite and marketing and sales teams to ensure the topic is something your leads want to learn more about.

2: No creative brief for your white paper

Every piece of content you create should have a creative brief or a synopsis of your goals, ideas that must be covered, studies and/or surveys you want to include and a specific call to action (CTA).

If you hire a health care content writer, the creative brief also ensures the person understands your goals and will nail the copy the first time.

3: Skipping the white paper outline

You might think having an outline will stifle your creativity, but it’s a crucial first step for writing a white paper because it makes the writing process much easier and faster.

The outline ensures you know what the story is and how it will flow and it allows your team to provide feedback and make revisions along the way.

4: Heavily plugging your business in your white paper

The primary goal of a white paper is to educate your leads about a potential problem or challenge they’re facing, not to promote your business.

Leads that download a white paper are in the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey so they’re looking for information, unique insights and data. You can still make a sales pitch, but leave it for the end.

5. A lack of quotes in your white paper

Relevant studies, surveys and data are a good start but they’re not enough to back up your message.

Besides, it makes for a boring read.

Think of your white paper like a news story and be sure to interview c-level executives, your sales team and key stakeholders to get compelling quotes that build your credibility and make the white paper a piece of content your leads will want to read.

One of the biggest challenges facing health care today is how to target and engage millennials.

With 71 million millennials in the U.S., they’re the fastest growing population, exceeding Generation X and baby boomers alike according to a report by the Pew Research Center.

While retail brands successfully engage millennials with personalized, multi-channel marketing, health care continues to struggle to reach this unique demographic.

Unlike older generations, millennial consumers want their health care to be convenient, cost-efficient and consumer-focused.

They want to read reviews of doctors, make their appointments online and find out what their health plan covers—all with one swipe on their mobile devices.

Millennials also lack loyalty and will switch providers without a second thought.

While understanding consumer behavior and buying decisions are important first steps, health care must find ways to engage millennials in order to lower attrition and create loyal health care consumers. Here are 3 ideas.

1. Create short, snackable content

With so much content vying for their attention, finding a way to cut through the noise with clear, engaging content they can quickly digest is key.

Although images, infographics and blogs can all be effective, video is a vital type of content to create.

In fact, when video is available and the information in the video is the same as an accompanying article or blog post, four times as many millennials prefer to watch the video, a 2018 survey by ClearVoice found.

When creating your content marketing strategy and editorial calendar, consider creating video welcome messages, educational videos about health conditions, patient stories and testimonials and physician profiles. The key is to keep it short—between 30 and 60 seconds, the same survey found.

2. Incentivize millennials for taking control of their health 

According to 2015 study by ZocDoc, 9 in 10 millennials admit they delay or forego preventative care, which could lead to costly hospital admissions and claims.

Offering rewards such as gift cards, cash or premium discounts can be an effective way to get them into the doctor and keep them engaged in their health care.

When UnitedHealth Group implemented Rewards for Health, a plan which gives employees the opportunity to reduce their insurance premiums by up to $1,200 per family per year for having health screenings or achieving certain health goals, the result was improved employee health and $107 million in savings over 3 years.

3. Target millennials with the right channels

To improve millennial health care engagement, it’s necessary to use the channels they prefer and are more likely to engage in like email, social media, SMS and apps.

In fact, according to a 2016 joint survey by Salesforce and Harris Poll, 70 percent of millennials would choose a primary care physician who offers a mobile app to book appointments, view health data and pay bills, over one that doesn’t.

How does your health care organization market to millennials? What has proved effective for you?

Over the course of my career as a health journalist, I’ve interviewed dozens of doctors who want to drum up media coverage for their medical practices, their health care companies or their new books.

When physicians land interviews and get publicity, it helps them build trust, credibility, and brand awareness.

Publicists know that getting the media’s attention is never easy, but with some simple strategies, it is possible to land more interviews and it doesn’t have to take a ton of time. Here are 3 ways.

1. Be Helpful

When I was working on a story for a national women’s health magazine, I contacted the publicist for a well-known doctor about a story.

I needed to interview a “real woman” source, so I asked if she could refer one of her clients and we would plug the doctor in the story. There was also a chance for her to be interviewed as well.

Two days later after she said she’d look into it, the publicist said they actually weren’t interested because it was too time consuming and too much work.

Landing media opportunities can be really challenging—even with a publicist—so I say, when an opportunity presents itself, go for it.

2. Be Flexible

It sounds so obvious, but it’s shocking how many times publicists pitch me their clients and then when I ask to set up an interview, the physicians aren’t available.

For a story I was writing for a digital health brand, I contacted several major hospitals because I needed a source. Most of them said the deadline was too fast while others simply never got back to me.

I found a publicist who was able to set up an interview—and fast. She was so helpful that I interviewed her source for another story as well.

Physicians are extremely busy but if you’re going to pitch the media, your clients need to have some flexibility in their schedules. Besides, most journalists will set up interviews before or after “normal” business hours to get the story and make their deadlines.

3. Lead With The Story

The media are inundated with hundreds of pitches every day so the chances that they’ll be interested in your story or even read your pitches are slim.

Although the media needs sources from top health care systems and credentials definitely matter, they also need timely, relevant, newsworthy stories.

Whether it’s the sneaky medical condition you’ve never heard of or an alarming new diet trend, it’s the stories—not necessarily your book, product or protocol—that will land you media coverage.

If you work in health care PR, you know one of the biggest challenges is how to get the media interested in your stories, your products and your campaigns.

You might spend weeks pitching and in the end, only get one media hit—or none at all.

As a health journalist, I’m often asked what reporters look for in a pitch, how they can land interviews and what the secret is to getting the media’s attention.

Truth be told: when it comes to getting publicity, there’s no magic bullet, but there are some strategies that can help. Here are 10.

1. Know your audience

You might think you have the most exciting new product or irresistible story idea but if you’re sending the same pitch to every single outlet, you’ll get nowhere fast.

Each outlet you pitch has an audience with their own unique demographics and drivers so the stories they decide to cover must be tailored for them. It also must be different enough that their competition won’t also be interested.

Before you pitch, ask yourself:

• What does this outlet cover?
• If it’s a freelancer, what outlets does this person write for?
• Will they be interested in this story?
• Has this person already covered this story?
• What makes my pitch unique?
• Is it newsworthy or new?
• Is it timely and relevant?
• Am I pitching a product when this reporter doesn’t write about products?
• Am I leading with a product when I know they won’t mention the product?

Do your research first and make sure your pitch is perfectly suited for the media outlet and the journalist you’re pitching.

2. Cut to the chase

According to a survey by ISEBOX.com, 52% of journalists write at least 5 articles per week so suffice to say, they have less than a minute to scan your email and decide if it’s a fit.

Don’t take two paragraphs to get to the point and don’t bury the lede. If you can’t get to the hook within the first 2 to 3 sentences, your email will probably end up in the trash.

3. Write a strong subject line

With dozens, if not hundreds of emails filling up a reporter’s inbox everyday, it’s easy for your pitch to get lost if it doesn’t grab their attention. You want to make sure that your subject line summarizes the story idea in as few words as possible and is interesting enough for them to open.

Avoid these headlines:

• Quick question for you
• Expert available
• Great story!
• How to lose weight (or anything generic)
• Breast cancer awareness month or New Year’s Resolutions
• Connecting: story idea
• John, can you chat?
• What’s in your food? Pesticides (really, no way!)

4. Make it easy

The reporter you pitch doesn’t always have the time to dig further into a story idea and see if it’s worth pitching to their editor or producer.

They might be interested in your story but they need to know: why? why now? and why you or your client?

Make it easy for them and cite new studies, surveys or quotes from experts proving this idea is newsworthy.

5. Pitch health care stories, not topics

Here are some examples of ineffective pitches I recently received. The reason they don’t work is because they are topics, not stories:

• October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
• Story: Children’s Health During Back to School
• Flu myths…
• Staying Sane During The Holidays
• Toddlers and Fussy Eating
• These are much better:
• 6 Food Myths That Are Making Kids Fat
• 6 Worrisome Vaginal Issues
• New Data: Sleep Problems for New Parents

6. Write health care content

It’s no longer enough to simply be an expert, sources need to be publishers too.

Content marketing and public relations go hand in hand.

Creating content will establish your company or client as a thought leader, build brand awareness and help reporters searching for a source find them.

7. Offer video

If your goal is to be on TV, you need to show the producer you’re pitching that you have the chops to pull off an appearance. If you don’t have links to prior appearances, then create your own video.

Even if you’re simply pitching a story for a print or web article, video can show the outlet that you know how to give a great interview.

8. Make sure your sources are available and reliable

If you respond to a HARO or tell the outlet that your expert is available for an interview, do everything in your power to make sure he is ready at any given moment.

Journalists work quickly and have fast deadlines so if your source isn’t available, they’ll find someone right away who is.

9. Offer a unique point of view

Reporters always need to write balanced stories and one of the best ways to land an interview is to pitch a strong perspective.

For example, when an executive pitched me “the dirty little secret” of a particular medical sector, I had him on the phone immediately. Another time, a doctor pitched me the downsides of a diagnostic tool and it made for a strong story.

10. Conduct your own interviews

One of the best ways to uncover great story ideas is simply to ask. After I interview a source, I always ask, what are you working on? and what trends do you see?

Instead of pitching only the stories your client has on their agenda, take some time to interview them about what they’re currently passionate about and chances are, you’ll come up with plenty of new story ideas to pitch.

As a health care marketer,  you’re constantly trying to prioritize which tactics will be give you the best ROI.

If your marketing team is small or already stretched thin, it’s easy to forget about the bigger picture and make mistakes that can hurt your bottom line.

Here are 6 mistakes you might be making and how to solve them.

1. A lack of c-suite buy-in

One of the biggest challenges health care marketers face is getting c-suite buy-in for content marketing. Particularly in hospitals or large health care systems where content marketing is a new idea, it can be a hard sell.

One of the best ways to get your c-level executives on board is to build a business case for it. 

Show them that one-way marketing, regardless of industry, is no longer effective and creating relevant, timely stories is vital for lead generation, acquisition and retention.

Another way to get c-suite buy-in is to show them examples of how their competitors have used content marketing to generate revenue.

2. No content marketing strategy

 According to a 2016 report by the Content Marketing Institute, only 32 percent of B2B marketers have a documented content marketing strategy even though 85 percent cite lead generation as their most important goal.

Just as you have a marketing plan, your team must develop a content marketing strategy if you want to get c-suite buy in, get your allocated budget for content marketing approved and ultimately follow through on your goal to drive sales.

3. No buyer personas

You may understand who your customers are, but without documented buyer personas, no one on your team will be able to create content that truly speaks to your audience.

Buyer personas should include demographics, identifiers, goals, challenges and pain points, and how your company helps solve their problems.

You should also take the time to conduct interviews with your customers so you can compile quotes and understand what they need from you. 

4. Not giving the media what they need

If you want to get media coverage, make it easy for the media to find you. Make sure your website and press releases include the name of the person or people who handle public relations or marketing and make sure those people include their titles on their LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.

5. Social media is subpar

According to a report by Expio, 41 percent of patients use social media to choose a specific hospital or medical facility.

Yet social media for lead generation is still one of the areas where many health care organizations lag behind.

Be sure to share relevant and timely health care content and make it a point to engage with your followers.

6. You hire any freelance health care writer 

If you don’t have a team of writers, or a colleague who only handles content marketing, content creation can be challenging.

When you search for a freelance health care writer, make sure you hire someone who writes for the health care industry, understands your business and can take all of your great ideas and make them work for you.

Although there are so many ways journalists, editors and producers find story ideas, the press release is still a tried and true method for getting the media’s attention, especially for healthcare companies who have new studies, survey data and stories to pitch.

In fact, 70 percent of reporters use press releases to get supporting facts and 66 percent use them for interesting story angles, a Business Wire Media survey found.

Not only do trade outlets and business journals need these types of stories to keep their readers up-to-date on industry happenings, but simply distributing a press release is good for SEO and brand awareness. Although you certainly don’t want to inundate the media with tons of emails, you should aim to send a press release at least once a month.

But what if you don’t have anything “new” or news-worthy to write a press release about? No problem. Here are 10 questions your team should be asking to uncover new ideas.

1. Has your company hired a new C-level executive, recruited a new employee from a competitor or promoted a key player?

2. Have you seen an increase in your quarterly sales or a surge in stock value?

3. Will you roll out a new product or service?

4. Have you expanded into a new market, merged or acquired another business?

5. Have a forged a strategic partnership?

6. Have you implemented a new way to reduce costs, improve customer retention or increase ROI?

7. Is your company hosting an event or attending a conference or trade show?

8. Do you have a new spokesperson or are you partnering with a celebrity for a new campaign?

9. Has your company earned a ranking or special recognition?

10. Have you teamed up with a non-profit or are you participating in a charity event?