Marketing in the new economy is different. And that means that marketing of health services is different as well. The old tried and true methods of traditional marketing (TV, radio, print, billboard) are less and less effective and more and more expensive. In the new economy - the end customer helps drive the decisions for marketing, not the business trying to market itself.
The customer is looking for answers and solutions NOW. After all, with the conveniences of the Internet and with TV DVR's - the world today is increasingly an on demand world. Target customers block out unwanted advertising and instead seek out solutions and answers in real time. Online searches produce instant answers for customers seeking knowledge.
Marketing which provides helpful info is the kind of marketing which creates an impact in the new economy. This new economy is fueled by compelling content. It is no longer spiked by broadcast "messages" and advertising from the Health Services provider. Compelling content for today's savvy marketer's typically means blog articles with a purpose.
Take this bold statement from a trusted marketing source:
Blogging consistently with a strategy can make an impact for your business. Blog marketing is a cost effective way to:
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Attract new visitors and readers to your website
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Convert some of these visitors to subscribers
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Cause some loyalists and "friendlies" to share good content - help spreading your reach
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Raise the trust and authority of your business
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Potentially convert some readers into paying customers
How to Create Marketing of Health Services that Makes an Impact
Let's look at how business blogging can work for your Health Services company. The most important thing is to blog consistently. The more businesses blog, the more visitors & leads they attract, and the higher the return on investment (ROI). Here is a telling graph from the 2013 State of Inbound Marketing depicting the relationship to blogging frequency to positive ROI:
The next thing is to blog with a strategy. Anybody can blog willy nil... a post here about our latest award or another about a high level staff person hired or perhaps a fun recap of an anniversary party. Real results come from a focused business blogging around keywords or phrases that customers are searching for.
Blog articles are concentrated means to communicate, inform and educate target customers with helpful ideas. Doing so builds trust and a relationship with potential customers. Not doing so may alienate or worse yet not engage a target customer. Below is an example of an insurance company who didn't have a blog strategy. Then in October of last year decided to use an inbound marketing agency to help produce optimized blogs around a strategy. Notice the earlier months of flat site traffic trends and the increase in organic site traffic once the strategy was adopted:
This company was posting 20-25 times per month and continues to post 20-25 times monthly - now with a purpose. Results like this are commonplace for businesses who take on blog marketing of health services, or, any service or product, for that matter.
What marketing change will your health services company make to adapt to the new economy?
Consider strategically blogging on a consistent basis to attract new visitors and to gain a positive ROI. In the new economy content will be the new currency.
Give it a shot. See the results. If you're lacking in time or know-how - reach out and ask an inbound marketing expert for help.
