Nowadays with the rise of technology, the abundance of information online and growing consumerism, among other issues, it is twice as important to have a smart healthcare marketing strategy. Understanding the uniqueness of your brand is key to building the right initiative.
For example, one of the best marketing strategies so far is training through VR for surgeons on the Medical Realities platform. According to LuLuQ (2017), it allows medical students to “have access to procedure much earlier in their training careers” and also “creates unique learning opportunities” for them. Another great example is a platform called ZocDoc, which allows not only booking appointments online, but also filling out paperwork and picking a doctor based on one’s needs. It works for several cities, like Houston, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and several others.
However, not all companies invest in the creation of a smart healthcare marketing initiative. For example, Nurofen became guilty of false advertising, as it claimed that one of their products fights specifically with joint and back pain, which is impossible. Another great example of a marketing initiative gone wrong was “Think Being a Teen Parent Won’t Cost You?” by Human Resources Administration. The billboards had pictures of babies with controversial statements written above them. Aimed against teen pregnancy, this campaign made young mothers feel stigmatized instead.
If I was in charge of an initiative in this area, I would suggest a video ad promoting a phone app. It would send video notifications to do routine but important things for when you are sick at home, like a reminder to check the temperature or take medicine. This app would be developed with the help of specialists from a hospital to make it accurate.
Reference
LuLuQ (2017). Medical Realities: Transforming Medical Training through VR.