Jessica Munday, President

Like road trips, marketing campaigns begin with an idea. After some planning and communication your idea becomes a reality and your adventure has begun. Developing a successful healthcare marketing plan is very similar to planning a safe and enjoyable road trip. This guide will help direct your organization toward an effective marketing strategy and help minimize your risks and maximum your results.

When it comes to marketing, healthcare organizations are pulled in all directions - directions that may be unfamiliar, distant or even inaccurate, however if you plan ahead and bring along good judgment, your route to marketing success can be satisfying and a worthwhile adventure.

The most important thing to do before embarking on any journey is to plan ahead. Know where you are going, who will be traveling with you, weather conditions, inspect your vehicle and know the details about your trip. If you do all of this things before your adventure, you will be more likely to create a memorable and positive experience.

Clearly there is no one road to marketing success, however there are steps your organization can take to improve your performance in the marketplace and increase your chances of marketing success. Here are some road trip tips to help you avoid common marketing mistakes. Follow these carefully and enjoy your trip.

Road trip tip #1: Plan ahead and bring along good judgment.

By establishing a plan before you embark on your journey, you will ensure that you will not over tax yourself and your adventure will be more enjoyable and satisfying. The same holds true for healthcare marketing. If you prepare a thorough, actionable marketing plan, you will be more effective at executing your marketing initiatives. Oftentimes, the process of planning is more important than the plan that emerges. Planning requires you to assess your capabilities, resources and time frame and ultimately provides you with the tools needed to demonstrate your results.

Quick tips:

• Keep it simple and to the point.
• Establish goals, strategy and cost to carry out the plan.
• Refer back to your document often.

Road trip tip #2: Know where you are going and who you will be traveling with you.

Do you truly know your market? Did you ask your customers what they want? How are you ensuring that you are effectively meeting their needs?

Probably one of the most common marketing mishaps in most industries, but particularly in healthcare, is overlooking determining what your customer's really want and need. Nothing is more powerful than knowing what your customer wants. Before you begin any marketing campaign, conduct market research and strategic planning to ensure your efforts are on track and inline with your market's health needs, lifestyle, income, ethnicity and utilization indicators.

Quick tips:

• Study your customers' needs and wants in well-defined market segments.
• Measure your company's image and customer satisfaction on a continuous basis.
• Continuously gather and evaluate ideas for new services and improvements to meet customers' needs.
• Influence the entire organization to be customer-centered.

Road trip tip #3: Inspect your vehicle before you leave.

Think of your vehicle as your marketing medium. Before you begin any road trip you should always check to make certain your vehicle is mechanically sound and in road worthy condition. Before you begin implementing your marketing plan make sure you have addressed your distribution and communication strategy. Are your mediums the most effective way to reach your market? Are they sound and strong? Are the vehicles that will be delivering your marketing message consistent with your target market and core positioning? Using ineffective vehicles to deliver your message can put an administrative and financial strain on your organization.

Quick tips:

• Studies have shown that consumers are not interested in healthcare marketing through traditional media.
• Plan for each communication tool separately.
• Consider using softer, quieter vehicles to deliver your message and strengthen your brand.
• Avoid using the "we care" message - be creative and original.

Road trip tip #4: Adapt to new technologies - your travels may lead you to cyberspace.

Nowadays, consumers turn to the Internet when it comes time to plan a trip. All the information they need is at the touch of a fingertip - everything from the route, the restaurants, the hotels and even reservations.

Just as the Internet has become a useful planning tool for travelers, it has also become a tool for healthcare consumers. Although the healthcare industry has a long way to go before it will catch up to other industries, the Internet has ushered in a new way for healthcare organizations to interact with their markets. Healthcare organizations should take advantage of this opportunity and utilize their Web sites to their fullest potential.

The days of hospital Web sites as online brochures are long gone. The time has come for healthcare companies to rethink fundamentally the process by which they are adapting to the growth in Internet usage among healthcare consumers.

Quick tips:

• Integrate your Web site into your overall marketing strategy.
• Create more than just an online brochure.
• Keep your site relevant and up-to-date.
• Know your market usage statistics.

Road trip tip #5: Stop and enjoy life's simple pleasures.

The car is packed, the tank is full and you're on your way. Oftentimes we spend so much time focused on getting from point A to point B that we neglect life's simple pleasures along the way. Stop and relish the view or get out of the car just to smell the air. Such a simple message but so often overlooked. The same holds true when it comes to designing your marketing material.

Many times the marketing message becomes lost or difficult to disseminate because the design is cluttered or confusing. It is important when designing your marketing material to keep it simple so that your message is not jeopardized. Don't over design or jeopardize the value of a marketing piece by trying to create it without professional guidance.

Your marketing collateral is an extension of your brand and shapes your reputation; therefore each piece should be equally as important.

Quick tips:

• Simple is better.
• Be consistent.
• Consider your audience and their interpretation.