GnuCreations SEPTEMBER 2014
HEALTHCARE MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR 2014 ADAPT YOUR BUSINESS FOR MOBILE MOMENTS
SEGMENTING CONSUMERS FOR HEALTHCARE MARKETING page 1
WHAT’S INSIDE 03 07 11
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Segmenting Consumers for Healthcare Marketing
Healthcare Marketing Strategies for 2014
Adapt Your Business for Mobile Moments
SEGMENTING CONSUMERS FOR HEALTHCARE MARKETING Consumer segments reveal unique opportunities for healthcare marketing to attract and engage with existing and new clients.
With the onset of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, many new customers are entering the US healthcare system. As a result, there is a tremendous opportunity for healthcare marketing to acquire new customers and engage with existing ones. To do this, healthcare companies must have a solid understanding of their customers’ and prospects’ behaviors and needs. As such, Forrester has created a consumer healthcare segmentation to identify unique groups of US consumers as well as their healthcare needs and attitudes. Below are some highlights from the report, which is based on a survey of more than 4,500 US online consumers: page 3
Fitness Trackers Fitness Trackers tend to be young and healthy. The majority agree that their health and wellness are priorities for them, but close to half believe they are so healthy that they don’t need health insurance. This group represents the highest use of online resources for learning about health problems and treatment options, but below average levels of trust in this information. This means that healthcare marketing has a distinct opportunity and challenge when it comes to reaching this segment. Healthcare providers should offer content that helps this segment maintain their healthy lifestyle. By offering healthy recipes or effective exercise techniques, healthcare providers can slowly build trust with this group. Moreover, since this group strongly prefers alternative approaches to healthcare, providers should consider offering information on natural therapies. Health insures should focus on providing this segment with lower cost alternatives or ways to customize their current health plan.
The Invested And Informed The Invested and Informed have high incomes and are willing to pay more for better care. They also do their homework when it comes to their healthcare. 81% page 4
are confident of their ability to make the right such as unhealthy lifestyles that lead to obesity, choices with regard to their health benefits, have a major influence on costs. and seven in 10 consider themselves a health decision-maker for their family or household. To reach this group, healthcare providers should offer content that demonstrates how a healthy The majority use the Internet to learn about lifestyle, preventive medicine, and wellness health problems and treatment options and programs can lower this group’s healthcare place the highest levels of trust in websites to costs. provide reliable information. This means that healthcare marketing has a great opportunity The Healthy And Subsidized to reach this segment. Healthcare providers should offer in-depth content to help this segment make proper healthcare decisions. By providing tips on healthy living, offers for flu shots, and articles about innovative health technologies, healthcare providers and insurers can connect to this important segment.
The Healthy and Subsidized are mostly covered through the government, although a quarter have direct access (i.e., they pay all costs out of pocket). Almost half of them are considered low-income, but only 6% suffer from a chronic or serious condition.
This group relies more on their providers for healthcare information than on online The Corporate And Content resources. This means that healthcare providers will need to deliver content to this The Corporate and Content have relatively group directly. high average household incomes, but they’re still not willing to pay more for a health plan That being said, this segment typically follows with better benefits. They also represent the through with what their doctors recommend highest share of members covered through a and they try to take good care of themselves. family member’s plan. As a result, this group would benefit from This segment is cost-conscious when it comes content that helps them stay healthy and urges to healthcare, but is also concerned with them to visit with their healthcare provider on a improving or maintaining their health. However, annual basis. only 4 in 10 believe that consumer behavior, page 5
Apathetics
visited a doctor’s office in the past year, and 37% have been to the ER.
Apathetics are mostly uninsured, but healthy. They have lower incomes and are generally uneducated about their options. They’re the group with the lowest use of health care. Their health doesn’t worry them and they’re not really interested in using online resources to look for information about health problems or treatment options.
However, when it comes to health information they have above average levels of trust in websites, doctors, and health plans and have a high use of online resources. Therefore, healthcare marketing has plenty of opportunities to reach and influence this segment.
However, as government regulations force this group into the healthcare market, providers and insurers must be able to reach them. To do this, healthcare providers and insurers must learn to build trust with this segment through relevant and timely content.
Healthcare providers should offer in-depth content to help this segment improve their health. They should focus on the basics of healthy living, like eating a healthy diet and being a little more active. They should also educate this group on how to manage chronic conditions and how to avoid further illnesses.
In conclusion, these segments reveal unique They must focus on educating them about opportunities for healthcare marketing to the importance of healthy living and illness attract and engage with existing and new prevention. Further, they must demonstrate the patients and clients. benefits, not just financial, of taking responsibility for one’s health and following through with While each segment has different views and needs when it comes to healthcare, each can their doctor’s recommendations. benefit from relevant and timely content.
Frugal Patients Frugal Patients often suffer from a serious or chronic condition. They are the segment most likely to be obese, and they are the oldest. They also consume a lot of medical care. 92% have page 6
These segments reveal unique opportunities for healthcare marketing to attract and engage with existing and new patients and clients. While each segment has different views and needs when it comes to healthcare, each can benefit from relevant and timely content.
HEALTHCARE MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR 2014 Healthcare marketing strategies for 2014 must include content creation, search engine marketing, responsive design, email and social media.
As the industry becomes more competitive, healthcare organizations must adopt new healthcare marketing strategies for 2014. To accomplish this task, healthcare marketers will need to reach consumers with relevant content, delve deeper into social media, and implement targeted and carefully integrated marketing campaigns.
How Consumers Are Changing Healthcare Marketing Strategies The search for information: Consumers are increasingly using online reources to research medical conditions, treatments and healthcare providers. According to Pew Research, 72% of internet users say they looked online for health information within the past year. page 7
Reliance on new media channels: As patients become less responsive to traditional healthcare advertising, new media channels, such as mobile apps and video, are a growing source of information.
easily, design their content with mobile devices in mind, and share their content through email and social media. Content Creation
A preference for brands: Because younger consumers relate to healthcare brands, healthcare marketing strategies that focus on customer profiles, key messages, and brand position are gaining traction with consumers.
Content marketing places an emphasis on the audience – who they are and what they are looking for. Healthcare marketers should aim to help the audience by creating content that is valuable and relevant. This means that you will need to research the problems your patients They value customer experience: Younger have and offer solutions to their needs. patients value prior experiences and often consult social media channels when making Your content should reach consumers at healthcare decisions. Monitoring what patients every stage of the buyer process. During the are saying online is integral in attracting and awareness stage, consumers are going online to engaging healthcare consumers. research a specific symptom or problem. Blog posts are particularly effective in the awareness stage. During the consideration stage, How to Engage Today’s consumers are researching all of the options Healthcare Consumers to solve their problem. Expert guides and live interactions are most effective in this stage. The internet continues to be the top resource for health information. In 2014, we continue During the decision stage, consumers seek to see steady increases in the volume of web out data and endorsements to make a final searches for health topics, treatments and decision. That’s why referrals and real-life healthcare providers. examples are particularly effective here. With consumers so reliant on the internet, it is Search Engine Marketing imperative for healthcare marketers to create relevant content, use search engine optimiza- One in three Americans has gone online tion so that consumers can find this content specifically to learn more about a medical page 8
condition they or someone they know might have. Most begin with search engines such as Google, Bing or Yahoo. Their search topics include information about specific conditions or diseases, treatment options and healthcare providers. This means that healthcare marketers must have an effective SEO strategy to bolster web traffic and drive patients to their content. Responsive Design & Mobile Apps The use of mobile devices and apps continues to grow, with a large percentage of users searching for health information and tracking their health online. Healthcare marketers who engage patients with responsive websites and health-tracking applications will have a competitive advantage. According to Pew Internet, seven in ten US adults have tracked a health indicator using a mobile app. This is another opportunity for hospitals and physician practices to connect with patients using branded content and services. Email Marketing Email is an effective channel for delivering nearly all message types, from patient care (49%) and health tips (68%) to seasonal reminders and payment reminders (56%). With email marketing, you can keep your healthcare organization stay top-of-mind. page 9
In addition, email offers the opportunity to nurture patient relationships with advice to help them improve and maintain their overall health. Social Media Ninety percent of adults 18-24 years of age said they would trust medical information shared by others in their social media networks (Source: PwC Health Research Institute). By sharing your content on social media, you can increase the likelihood these young adults will build trust with your healthcare organization. With healthcare consumers so reliant on the internet, it is imperative that healthcare marketing strategies integrate relevant content with search engine optimization, responsive design, email marketing and social media.
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ADAPT YOUR BUSINESS FOR MOBILE MOMENTS Mobile moments are providing companies new ways to connect with customers. Learn how to shift your business to succeed in the new marketplace.
Smartphones and tablets are an integral part of our lives. On average, we look at our smartphone or tablet more than 100 times a day. With the help of a million apps and 200 million websites, our mobile devices provide countless services to us on a daily basis. We use Twitter for document sharing, Google maps for finding the best route, YouTube for entertainment, Uber for car services, Yelp for restaurant reviews, OpenTable for booking a table, and so on. With so many services available on our mobile devices, we increasingly expect there to be an app for whatever need we might have. This creates an enormous opportunity for companies to connect with customers and build brand loyalty.
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How Does the Mobile Mind Shift Affect Your Business?
How Do You Engage Customers in Their Mobile Moments?
Every business has an opportunity to connect Schadler points out that, “You can’t serve with people in their mobile moment. mobile customers effectively until you undergo your own mobile mind shift.” As Ted Schadler, author of Mobile Mind Shift, says, “Mobile moments happen because a In order to effectively reach people in their specific person has a specific need or want mobile moments, you must make shifts in every based on who they are, where they are, their past facet of your organization. history with a company, maybe even whether it’s raining, and so on. Opportunity arises because Marketing shift: Mobile customers judge brands you can use the immediate context to connect based on how useful they are. As a result, you with someone in that moment of need.” must focus on building a relationship with your customers and increasing the quality and Schadler goes to say that, “Mobile moments frequency of your customer experiences. Clorox are becoming the battleground for customers’ does this with its myStain app. Whether you’re attention.” If you serve the needs of a customer at home or on the go, the myStain app offers in that moment of need, you can win their busi- you tips and tricks to remove tough stains. ness and their loyalty. Sales shift: The mobile mind shift has Thousands of companies are already doing created empowered customers like never this. Evernote, Square, Uber, and Lose It are before. Therefore, your sales process should be just a few examples of companies building focused on helping people make better buying substantial businesses by engaging customers decisions. in their mobile moments. Their apps are allowing people to take notes, process payments, You can do this through more transparent pricrequest a ride to the airport, and succeed at ing, educational content, product comparisons, weight loss. live interactions, and case studies. Unless you engage your customers in their Product shift: Consider how your product can mobile moments, someone else will. add value in mobile moments. For instance, page 12
Nest Labs has redefined the value of home thermostats by putting control over energy and comfort into a homeowner’s mobile moments. Process shift: Mobile moments are transforming the ways things are being done. From field service and direct sales to store shelf restocking and inspections, mobile devices are helping people complete tasks more quickly and effectively. People shift: Employees have also experienced a mobile mind shift. Salespeople can improve their customer engagement by tapping into transaction history or a product catalog during sales meetings. China Eastern Airlines has used mobile devices to assign maintenance staff based on real-time demand for services at the gate. Platform shift: The mobile mind shift means that your company might need to invest in a new technology platform. United Airlines spent nearly two years building a platform for all of its stakeholders. Today their gate agents, flight attendants, and passengers can use this platform on any mobile device or computer. The world is increasingly mobile and every business has an opportunity to connect with people in their mobile moments. By making shifts in every facet of your organization, you can serve your customers and employees in new ways–making them happier, more loyal, more productive, and more connected. page 13
IF IT’S NOT GNU MARKETING, IT’S OUTDATED MARKETING. Let us walk you through how inbound marketing can transform your business, and why it’s the proven method for doing business online. Request your free assessment and learn more about what we can do. Call us today at (888) 755-1482 or email sales@gnucreations.com.
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