Welcome back to our two-part series on media planning for healthcare. Our second installment dives into how the 5 Ps (product, price, place, promotion, people) can inform your strategic efforts. We’ll be outlining how you can use this framework to enhance your marketing efforts across various media channels. If you missed part one, catch up here.
The 5 ‘P’s of media planning for healthcare
Before we dive into integration strategies, let’s briefly recap the 5 Ps.
- Product: The good or service your organization offers.
- Price: The cost (or cost range) of your product.
- Place: The location at which customers can purchase your product.
- Promotion: The act of creating awareness of your offering.
- People: The stakeholders involved with your product, which could include customers (patients, healthcare professionals), decision-makers, salespeople, and others.
Next, we’ll explore how to incorporate each of these principles when creating marketing or media plans for your brand.
Strategic, multi-channel media planning for healthcare
Use the 5 Ps as a framework to create your strategy. In healthcare, this typically means considering a variety of channels that range from digital platforms, like social media and email, to traditional media, like print and broadcast. Leveraging different methods of marketing and communication will help deliver your message to the right person at the right time in the right way.
The optimal mix of channels for your brand will depend on your audience and marketing objectives. These high-level tips will get you headed in the right direction when media planning for healthcare companies.
- Know how you stack up. Start by conducting a thorough competitive analysis to uncover what competing healthcare brands are doing, with an emphasis on evaluating each of the 5 Ps. Look at their channel usage, messaging, and audience engagement strategies. Then, use this intel to identify gaps in their strategies that your brand can build on.
- Identify your audience. An audience analysis will help you define and segment prospective customers. This falls in line with the people in the 5 Ps. The goal is to get a pulse on the needs, preferences, and behaviors of your stakeholders. This could include patients, healthcare professionals, or key decision-makers depending on your product or service. You can also tap into sales teams to learn about what they hear in the market. This knowledge will help you further tailor content to the right channels for each segment.
- Select your channels. Now that your audience analysis and competitive research have given you a solid foundation for your media strategy, it’s time to select the optimal channels for your brand. (Place and promotion both apply here.) Consider a mix of digital and traditional media, such as social media, professional network forums or publications, email, TV and print. For a deeper dive into the pros and cons of common channels, check out our blog on multichannel marketing.
No matter which channels you choose, it’s critical to keep your brand’s content consistent and tailored to the unique needs of your audience across platforms.
Consistency is key
For healthcare organizations employing a multichannel marketing approach, it’s essential to maintain uniform branding across all platforms. This helps build trust and credibility with your audience. But uniformity doesn’t have to be rigid, especially when each channel has different specifications and best practices. It’s important to be consistent (think about your organization’s look and feel, tone, and voice) while still exercising a sense of innovation and creativity within those parameters. Here are a few actionable steps to consider while media planning for healthcare brands.
- Define a clear, cohesive brand voice and visual style guide. Start by establishing standards for your brand to inform content creators. This ensures that whether your message appears on social media, in email campaigns, or through direct interactions, it reflects the same personality.
- Provide regular updates and training to keep everyone on the same page. A cohesive and professional image depends on every team member understanding how to apply the latest brand standards. By staying aligned, you can prevent discrepancies in how your brand is represented in the media.
Keeping messaging and branding consistent across channels helps your healthcare organization carve out a strong presence in a competitive market.
Tapping the power of marketing tools and tech
Identifying the right tools and software can help you deliver targeted, efficient, and impactful messages to your audience. From data platforms that offer real-time insights into campaign performance, to automation engines that streamline communication across multiple channels, marketing tech is a key part of media planning for healthcare. Here are some ideas to consider.
- Analytics platforms: Tools like Google Analytics can be used to gain real-time user engagement insights across your campaigns.
- Example: Track the user journey to see which healthcare blog topics drive the most traffic and adjust your content strategy.
- Customer relationship management (CRM): Integrate CRM platforms, like Salesforce or HubSpot, to manage relationships and communication.
- Example: Set up automated email workflows that trigger based on specific actions, like downloading a product guide.
- Content management system (CMS): Use a CMS to keep your website content current and to drive your content marketing efforts.
- Example: Regularly publish and update blog posts or articles that are aligned with current health trends and concerns.
- Social media management tools: Tools like Hootsuite or Buffer can help schedule and analyze your social media activities.
- Example: Plan a series of posts for an upcoming health awareness month, ensuring consistent engagement across all social platforms.
Media planning for healthcare organizations is no short order. But honoring the 5 Ps can help and drive consistent, strategically sound marketing activities. These principles also allow marketing and PR teams to optimize and fine-tune campaigns as brand, product offerings and customer needs evolve.
For more insights and personalized guidance, explore our blog or contact us directly. The Activate Health team is ready to help you explore the full potential of your marketing and media efforts and drive results for your healthcare company.