The new year is an exciting time because it holds promise for the future, but it also is an apt time for reflection. Hospital marketers saw a lot of successes in 2011 by making strides in new media, revamping the patient experience, and even starting to spend a little more. Here are five resolutions to ensure that 2012 continues on the same path.
Spend smarter and track better
Marketing budgets are slowly making a comeback after being slashed across the board during the 2008–09 recession. In many regions, hospital promotional spending is creeping up.
But smart marketing executives know that when hard times come, their initiatives are among the first on the chopping block. To mitigate cuts when these situations inevitably arrive, every single marketing initiative must directly support the organization's strategic plan.
Track financial ROI for as many marketing initiatives as possible. And when you can't trace efforts back to dollars and cents, track as many other results as you can: patients reached, page views, event attendees, phone calls, app downloads, Twitter followers, Facebook fans, email open rates, media inquiries, and so on.
Anecdotal feedback is reassuring and nice to share with staff, but in today's competitive market that cannot be considered ROI in and of itself. The more stats, facts, and figures you have to show your CEO and support your initiatives, the more secure the marketing department will be in 2012 and years to come.
Listen and respond to patients
Improving the patient experience is a top priority for all hospitals, and the marketing department should get involved. It's easy for hospital staff—including marketers themselves—to think of the department solely as a vehicle to disseminate information, but marketing is also well suited to solicit patient feedback and act on the results.
Can patients submit comments though your website? Are you asking about the patient experience on comment cards and during follow-up phone calls? Are you asking patients to share their experiences with your organization on Facebook and other social media?
Once you have this feedback, you must act on it quickly. Consider forming an interdepartmental patient experience team (if you haven't already) or emailing a weekly patient experience update to department heads and other key staff. They will appreciate hearing patient feedback—both good and bad.
And don't forget to let the patients know you are listening. If a complaint is made publicly on social media, reply in kind that you are addressing the situation. Likewise, respond to emails and other comments you receive. Word will get around.
Revitalize staff
An indirect way to improve the patient experience is to boost hospital staff morale. Workers who are happy to do their job will have a trickle-down effect on patients.
The new year is an opportune time to lift staff spirits, which may be lagging after the excitement of holiday parties has ended. Consider developing a new healthy living group or activity for those who may have made a resolution to eat better and exercise more.
Many organizations have seen success with lunchtime and after-hours yoga and exercise classes for staff. You could also reach out to a local restaurants and fitness centers for healthy cooking demonstrations or coordinating an outdoor excursion.
As with patients, you can never solicit too much staff feedback. In addition to raising valid complaints, they can make suggestions that you otherwise might not consider.
Reassess your new media strategy
There were successes and false starts in social and new media in 2011. Twitter reached 100 million active users, while Google+ launched and fizzled. The Apple iPhone app store hit 500,000-plus apps, and Facebook made several tweaks to its appearance, fan pages, and Insights reporting.
Since social and new media is an ever-changing field, it's smart to reassess your strategy at least quarterly. Consider creating a tailored landing page for every marketing campaign, launching or updating an app, and improving your social media presence.
Don't be afraid to scale back if something hasn't stuck. Even Google shut down its Twitter-wannabe "Buzz" feature this year. If your ED wait time app isn't being downloaded or no one is clicking the QR codes you added on your print ads, there's no shame in retooling or outright canceling that strategic path. New media risks are worth taking, but you have to know when to call it quits and try something different.
Get more involved in the community
Being an active member of your local community is at least as important as being a presence in the online community, if not more.
In 2012, resolve to become more active in outreach program with local schools and senior centers. Host more events at your hospital, from health seminars to free blood pressure readings.
By introducing community members to your organization, staff, and facility, you are building your group of brand advocates—whether or not they have been treated at your hospital.
And hosting community events can also feed into your other initiatives. Don't be afraid to prompt attendees to sign up for your e-newsletter, visit your website, download your latest app, or even make an appointment on the spot. But there's no need to pester people; simply making a connection with the community is paramount.
May you use these five resolutions—and hopefully a few of your own!—to build a smarter and stronger marketing department in 2012. Wishing you all the best in the new year.
Marianne Aiello is a contributing writer at HealthLeaders Media.