When it comes to increasing demand for services and driving up patient volume, healthcare marketing is typically concentrated on acquisition and branding — the top of the sales funnel.
But that means neglecting one of the industry’s unique advantages: a buyer highly receptive to bottom-funnel tactics and relationship building.
Unlike other consumers, healthcare buyers are more likely than others to have uncertainty or other emotions in play at every touchpoint. Marketers have a big opportunity to influence patients to increase their confidence and positivity. Consider that the maternity experience alone, all taking place after initial conversion, includes many touchpoints. If marketers aren’t using these moments, they’re leaving potential revenue on the table.
“Effective demand generation continues after the ‘close’ and considers an evolving decision state,” says Brian Davies, Movéo Managing Partner. “When you look at the bottom half of a more holistic demand generation funnel, what you really see is a collection of experiences.”
Even the deep anxieties inseparable from a serious diagnosis can be mitigated by positive patient experiences, from appointment setting to follow up — which ultimately leads to more usage, retention and advocacy. Your patients can become new sources of demand (they generate nearly 70% of appointments) and cross sell in ways far more efficient than top-funnel acquisition tactics. In fact, attracting new patients can cost seven times more than marketing to your current patients.
On top of service and operational initiatives, marketers can use video, email, texting and other proven content tactics to continue educating and influencing their patients. Currently, marketers apply only 3% of content marketing to later stages of the buyer’s journey.* A broad demand generation strategy and ongoing engagement can deliver results long after the patient’s first appointment.
* Source: Content Marketing Institute
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