Healthcare Marketing Trends and
How Your Business Can Use Them
An array of trends and events has transformed the marketing function of the healthcare industry
with the digital revolution at the forefront. Based on the results gathered in the MM&M/Ogilvy
CommonHealth Healthcare Marketers Trends Report, the use of digital media has forced the
healthcare industry into changing the way these companies develop products, the way they do
business and the way they interact with customers. While these companies now begin to make this
big shift, the report’s findings show Medzo users are one step ahead.
Although there was no significant change in marketing budgets overall, the budgets for digital
outlets have had the most increases with 35% of marketers reporting an increase in Digital Ad
spend, followed by Social Media (31%) and Websites (29%). Rather than focusing on the individual
consumer and insurance provider, companies are starting to shift more towards marketing to
healthcare professionals and healthcare organizations. “You hear a lot of talk about such as, ‘It’s all
about the consumer’ or ‘It’s all about payers’” says Mike Luby, founder, president, and CEO at
BioPharma Alliance. “Well these guys are saying that, really, it’s much more about the physician
than either of those other two.” Marketing directors allocated around 75% of their total budget to
healthcare organizations and 25% to the consumer space.
This same marketing focus on healthcare organizations is a major component of Medzo’s online
service, providing suppliers a variety of ways to showcase their products, services and promotions
directly to hospitals. What’s more, Medzo gets the right message to the right audience, at the right
time. This is accomplished by producing only contextually relevant companies, products, services,
and promotions to users. For example, this means information about surgical tables and
sterilization would be delivered to users associated with the Surgery Department while information
about healthcare stock images and website design would be delivered to users associated with the
Marketing Department.
Not only does Medzo incorporate user-provided information, by also factors in user behavior to
determine the information that will be most relevant and beneficial. As noted in the Facebook, Inc.
IPO Registration, research shows that these targeted and relevant messages reach the target
audience with 90% accuracy as opposed to the industry average of 35%. As a result, Medzo
enables suppliers to gain the exposure to the right audience of decision makers at healthcare
organizations and provides a better experience for these decision makers, driving more effective
connections.
Results from the MM&M/Ogilvy CommonHealth Healthcare Marketers Trends Report also show
some withdrawal from unbranded communication with 46% of marketers reporting an increased
budget on branded communications. Michael Fath, senior director, global marketing, pulmonology
and thrombolysis, Grifols, expands on this change in marketing. “When times are flush, you look for
lots of creative ways to expand the market, and unbranded work often falls into that category, but
when times are a bit tighter, you rally around the brand focus on the core message. You’re going to
give up dollars for unbranded campaigns, generally speaking, before you give up dollars for
branded campaigns.” However, in today’s competitive market, it is crucial to get the most out of
every communication and Medzo functions to do exactly that. By allowing buyers to find products
offered by credentialed suppliers in the Vendormate network, Medzo can place suppliers where
they will be found by the right people.
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Copyright© Vendormate 2013. All rights reserved.
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Within the digital push toward consumer tactics, the report shows a growing prevalence of
iPad/tablet usage. “You’re seeing more reps with tablets in their hands,” says Luby, “so there’s
some movement around what’s been a pretty static model.” Thirty-five percent reported reduced
spending in Printed Media sales, eliminating the hassle of leaving handfuls of paper documents
with physicians and hospitals. Having the technology to provide on-the-spot information,
demonstrations or diagrams is convenient and demonstrates a level of readiness. Yet, what do you
do when a buyer wants to learn more about your product but doesn’t have the time to manage a
handful of pamphlets and promotional flyers? You need a place to direct them for more information.
That place is Medzo. With its easy access and large network of credentialed vendors, buyers can
find exactly who and what they are looking for.
Even though the healthcare environment may have posed challenges for healthcare companies to
move forward in the past, it is imperative for these businesses to explore new online media outlets
for developing content and reaching out to customers. The way the healthcare industry needs to
communicate and engage with its constituents has been forever changed as a result of digital
media. As a result, the healthcare industry has come to the realization that digital channels are the
emerging ways in which they need to engage customers to remain competitive.
Learn More. Contact us for more information or visit vendormate.com.
Copyright© Vendormate 2013. All rights reserved.