Marketing to HCPs: Essential Marketing Channels You Haven’t Thought About Before

Consultants today are challenged more than ever to reach physicians and healthcare providers (HCPs).

Healthcare providers have always been hard to reach. Between patients and paperwork, they are extremely busy. Add to these challenges the onset of COVID-19, and it is easy to understand why getting time with physicians is challenging.

So, how do today’s healthcare consultants reach the busy and distracted healthcare providers?

The answer is by joining forces with their digital marketing counterparts.

Yes, counterparts. While sales enablement has been around for a while, it is time for the healthcare industry consultants and advisors to optimize their digital efforts to complement their sales tactics.

By leveraging today’s top B2B digital marketing strategies, you can establish positive, productive relationships with physicians.

Believe it or not, Email Marketing is NOT Dead 

Your targeted digital communications to HCPs should include a mix of strategies and tactics, including email, automation, content, and digital advertising.

Make the most of email marketing. HCPs prefer email (65%) to any other medium, including professional conference exhibits (12%), in-person rep visits (11%), and direct mail (7%), according to the same HealthLink Dimensions survey.

Email is also the best way to reach them. 21% of opened emails are opened within the first hour, making email one of the best ways to send information to busy physicians. Remember that physicians don’t have time or interest in reading long emails. Get to the point, and keep your message brief and relevant. 

While you need to keep your emails concise, that does not mean you cannot influence your email recipient to learn more about your product or service.

Including relevant and compelling links within your email allows the physician to choose whether or not they want to get more information, without feeling as though they’re being berated with more content than they want to absorb.

Today, email marketing platforms allow you to target your best prospects, including specialties, hospital or practice, group size, geography, gender, age, and title. 

Find Testimonials and Make the Most out of Them

HCPs are always looking for third-party testimonials from others who have benefitted from your service to validate your credibility. 

Testimonials help build trust authentically. They can be hugely effective as part of a wider range of marketing content pieces. Ensure that all case studies and examples are real, and feature real-life clients if possible.

Once you get your testimonials, you’ll be doing two things at once. You are adding legitimacy to your work, and have great content you can use throughout different marketing channels. 

You Don’t Have to be an Influencer to have Great Video Content 

In 2020, 92% of marketers said that video is essential for their marketing strategy. This has grown from 78% in 2015, showing that the importance of video is only increasing.

So what is it that makes video so important? According to 88% of marketers, video marketing provides them with a positive ROI. 

The first step in creating your video strategy is outlining your video’s goals. Ideally, you’ll want to create a video for every stage of your marketing funnel. However, before you can do that, you’ll have to decide which stage is the most important to target: awareness, consideration, or decision. 

Once you know what stage of the marketing funnel you’ll be targeting, it’s time to figure out your intended audience. 

If you create a video without a specific audience in mind, it’s likely to be ineffective. Those who you intend to watch the video won’t, and those who watch it won’t convert because they’re not the right audience. Just like with any other marketing channel, strategy is key.

Start little by little and see how using video in your messaging can improve your sales funnel. 

Try Thought Leadership Through Podcasts 

Healthcare and medical podcasts have increased in number and popularity significantly over the past 20 years. 

In 2019 Digital Insights survey found that 75% of HCPs used their smartphone to listen to podcasts, inferring the appreciation of convenience and speed of information delivered via this medium. 

The important concept behind any podcast is that it delivers interesting content. Begin with a timely or important topic. Look for a fresh perspective. Reach out to the leading authority to be a guest. 

Focus on the takeaway value; what can you impart to the audience that they can use or share with others.

Present your podcast via SoundCloud, iTunes or another online service. Generally, these sharing services are free so take advantage of your resources!

Don’t forget to make a plan for self-promotion. Podcasts require exposure and awareness. Optimize your podcasting efforts to be found online and encourage social sharing. 

Spread Your Brand Message Through a Third Party Like Perla 

Any target audience or recipient in healthcare will be challenging to reach. 

A science-educated audience will handpick the channels they access for information. 

Unfortunately, it’s likely your channels will not be considered within this trusted list. Here’s where third parties are invaluable. 

Perla is a service matching platform that bridges the divide between advisors and providers, allowing them to see each other directly across the crowded digital landscape. 

Healthcare professionals and entities can spend less of their valuable time searching for support specialists and healthcare advisors and avoid the pains of unqualified leads that result in disappointment. 

Additionally, Perla is also a hub for HCPs and advisors to learn more about the latest breakthroughs in the industry, general information, niche topics, and more. Your podcast can be introduced to your target audience on a platform designed for your industry. 

Let Perla help you create marketing that reaches your goals. Join as an Advisor and reap the benefits of Perla's platform. 

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