subject: Effectively Marketing Medicine [print this page] Effectively Marketing Medicine Effectively Marketing Medicine
Those involved in the fields of health and medicine, perhaps more than any other professionals, can benefit from a targeted, strategicpublic relations campaign. The trust and validation factors are never so important than when people are searching for a physician, medical center or hospital.
Most people first learn about a new medical breakthrough, treatment or modality via the media and when the public sees a physician being interviewed on TV or in a magazine or newspaper, that physician gains immediate credibility. No ad can produce that effect, neither can a direct mail piece or even the most professionally build website. The media offers validation and credibility unlike any other form of communication.
People trust the media because they know the news is a vetted process. Either an editor or a producer has checked on the story. They are disinterested third parties whose job is to report news. Their reporting is therefore seen as credible.
Utilizing media relations as a way to market a new medical procedure, hospital, medical center is critical to the success of all health and medical practices. Public relations remains the sole way to communicate with the public, reach a target market and achieve the validation and credibility of being featured in the news.
Medical Public Relations is also incredibly important because often the first time a patient hears about a new procedure or drug it's from the media. Today, savvy hospitals and physicians view public relations as an integral component of their business strategy.
Considering the fact that information control and distribution will be the currency of the new millennium, learning to effectively manage one's image and message now has to be viewed as basic Business 101.
But not only can an effective medical PR campaign reach the public and bring in patients, it can also save lives. Often the only way that a patient in need of a new treatment learns about it is on TV, or in the newspaper, that fact makes this particular type of marketing outreach particularly effective and important.
