Cardiovascular marketers should put their programs on “ROIDS,” a performance-enhancement recipe to get better results for their efforts.
This time of year at my house brings lots of discussion about baseball – spring training, anticipation of opening day and numerous updates from my 13-year-old son about the prospects for various players.
Recently, a hot topic has been Mark McGwire’s admission that he used steroids. As a responsible parent, I’ve certainly expressed the appropriate outrage at both his drug usage and his lying. However, as many a statistician has noted, his performance enhancers worked.
More than a few clients tell me they’re looking for a recipe to enhance their cardiovascular marketing programs as we all wait for economic recovery to kick into a higher gear.
Dick Patton, Harvard Business Review, says that marketers should put their programs on “ROIDs,” a performance-enhancement program of the non-pharmaceutical variety. He’s a devised an acronym that highlights the approach:
• Responsibility marketing
• Organizational leadership
• Insights about Customers
• Digital Marketing
Patton says that two of the elements — responsibility marketing and digital marketing — are being driven by consumers. I agree.
Consumers are demanding higher standards from businesses of all kinds, including healthcare providers. As marketers of cardiovascular services, we’re in a unique position to provide quality and outcome data that adds credibility and appeal. How are you currently using that data in prospective patient messaging?
Furthermore, are you using digital channels to deliver your messaging in the most effective ways? Cardiovascular patients and families are prime candidates to participate in online communities that guide them through the myriad steps of diagnosis, treatment, recovery and lifestyle considerations.
Patton asserts that the other two elements — organizational leadership and insights about consumers — are operating principles.
Marketing executives must work along all points of the value chain throughout the product or service lifecycle and anywhere the consumer comes in contact with the brand.
When is the last time you sat down with the your entire cardiovascular team – from the physicians to the nurses to housekeeping personnel – to talk about their role in your hospital’s value proposition?
One of my favorite cardiologists loves to meet with housekeeping staff. He makes them feel like heroes by stressing the importance of their role in contributing to positive surgical outcomes because their efforts are critical in preventing infection.
Finally, gathering patient insights that are far deeper than data gathered in traditional market research can seem daunting. However, opportunities abound to take advantage of new Web analytic technologies that glean relevant information about both customer behavior and social dynamics among patients and their families/caregivers.
Based on the challenges I see our clients facing every day, I think these seem like smart principles. Maybe trying “ROIDs” is a good way to build up your marketing muscle.
Gerat post – particularly love the ROIDs and your comment about aligning the entire team in the “value proposition”.
Im a big fan of the patient experience being the number one marketing tool with free expertise being a close second. I hear both of those themes in your post.
Thanks, Nick. I completely agree that the patient experience is huge. It’s hard sometimes to align all of the powers that be in making that happen! Fortunately, providing free expertise is a little easier. Looks like you have some great content on your blog. I look forward to reading more.