What Women Want...From Healthcare

“Brick and mortar and any amount of fancy high technology aren’t nearly as impressive as courtesy, convenience, and how you make her feel,” writes author Barbara Bellman. “Bragging about a new wing, or a new piece of equipment, or that you are biggest on the block is not likely to garner loyalty.”

Mammogram parties are an example of a successful marketing and patient education technique. The idea is to transform a medical room into a spa setting to make women feel comfortable and celebrate the fact that they are being proactive in their health.

Along with educational tools and information about breast cancer, women can receive manicures, massages, food and drinks while waiting for screenings. Waiting for a mammogram can be a stressful experience, which is relieved in a group setting.

And that may keep them coming back. Women are known to be a demanding audience, worthy of deliberately executed marketing tactics. The most successful marketing should educate women while making them feel comfortable instead of antagonized or stereotyped. As English says, gender is a legitimate factor because "Beyond the biological and clinical side of things, there are also attitudinal and behavioral factors that can come into play."

Women may be from Venus, but targeted marketing for women shouldn’t be an alien concept.