Matthew Briggs
Matthew Briggs

Healthcare marketers are stepping up their integrated game. We’re seeing it across our client base and industry sectors. A decade ago, you may have seen a singular marketing function managing content, social media, creative and even PR. But today, marketing stacks are flush with skillsets spanning operations, product, brand and even specialist functions. And it’s not only health tech vendors. It’s providers too.

So, as marketing teams expand—and as they touch more areas of the care spectrum—they’re increasingly tasked by the C-Suite to blend brand-building, product awareness, customer success and demand-generation efforts to optimize campaign success and show real ROI.

Brand-to-Demand: powered by listening

We’ve seen the integration of brand-to-demand strategies offering a more comprehensive approach that addresses the complex and lengthy B2B buying cycles often found in healthcare. These buying cycles are also influenced by market forces beyond marketers’ control—such as regulatory guidelines, changing compliance standards and yes, elections.

So, how can brands effectively apply the B2D approach in the face of an election cycle that, by many standards, is anything but typical?

Listen: to your customers, to your employees, to your markets. As you work to stay on pace with your goals, maximize campaign planning and execution by staying on the pulse of what’s driving change in your industry. How to do that, you ask?

This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Oct. Healthcare & Medical PR Magazine

Audit the headlines

Generally speaking, policies and legislation around Medicare, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Affordable Care Act and the overturning of the Chevron Doctrine and Roe v. Wade heavily influence media coverage. Let’s look at three of the top trends driving healthcare media headlines, taken from PAN’s latest research—HealthPulse: Election Edition.

1. Women’s health: This is the leading topic around the election, with the focus around the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Conversations around abortion access, state bans/legislation and reproductive rights—and IVF— took center stage in both Presidential debates.

2. Mental health: This is the second-largest topic around the election from a healthcare perspective. There’s an emphasis on suicide and, more recently, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.

3. Health equity: Rounding out the top three conversations driving healthcare headlines is health equity. In this case, equity primarily applies to the issues of Medicaid populations and paying for care.

Designing, launching and measuring campaigns during an election year can be especially challenging due to heightened uncertainty and distractions. However, knowing what’s in the headlines can help guide where brands show up as part of their awareness strategy and how they craft lower-funnel touchpoints.

Read on to see the additional tips for marketers and communications professionals to navigate this reality effectively.

Understand the landscape

Monitor political trends: Keep an eye on political developments and public sentiment. This can help you anticipate shifts in public opinion and adjust your messaging accordingly.

Segment your audience: Political climates can influence different demographic groups in various ways. Tailor your messages to resonate with your specific audience segments, considering their political leanings and concerns.

Assess the impact of taking a stance

Avoid polarization: Some say “stay apolitical.” Others will advocate for taking a stance. But you will always do right by focusing on your brand’s core values and messages.

Maintain neutrality: If your brand takes a stance on political issues, understand that there could be consequences. Ensure the position aligns with your core values and mission. Be prepared for mixed reactions and handle them with transparency and respect.

Be agile

Prepare for disruptions: Election years can lead to sudden shifts in public focus and media attention. Have contingency plans in place to quickly adapt your campaigns or pause them altogether.

Monitor and respond: Use real-time analytics to track how current events are affecting your campaigns. Be ready to pivot if you notice that your audience’s interests or concerns are changing.

Leverage data wisely

Analyze historical data: Review past election years to understand how they impacted consumer behavior, business, the economy and your campaign effectiveness. Use these insights to inform your current strategies.

Implement robust measurement: Like any non-election year, establish clear metrics and KPIs to evaluate your campaign’s success. Consider both quantitative measures (e.g., engagement or conversion rates) and qualitative feedback (e.g., customer sentiment).

Focus on value and education

Deliver value: Emphasize how your product or service adds value to your audience’s lives, beyond this current political moment. Providing useful content or solutions will drive brand relevance and credibility.

Educate and inform: Use your brand and executive platforms to provide content that helps your audience understand important issues or trends related to your industry.

Be consistent

Reinforce brand identity: Ensure your messaging remains consistent with your brand voice and values. This consistency helps maintain trust and familiarity amid the noise of election year distractions.

Balance campaigns: Balance concurrent campaigns to reduce the risk of being overshadowed by election-related news. Keep a consistent presence without overloading your audience.

Prepare for increased scrutiny

Anticipate increased attention: Political years can increase public scrutiny of public statements and actions. Be prepared for heightened attention and be sure to thoroughly vet all communications.

Manage crisis situations: Develop a crisis communication plan to address any potential issues swiftly and effectively. This includes having a designated “all-hands” team ready to handle any negative fallout.

Monitoring, auditing and setting up strategic listening is essential to staying relevant in these types of news cycles. Regularly review performance indicators, such as media impressions, website traffic and lead generation. Compare these against your established goals to identify what’s effective and where adjustments are needed. Gather feedback from various channels, including social media and media coverage, to refine your campaigns. In these times more than ever, success requires that you stay up to date on industry trends and competitive activities.

Listen. Audit. Act.

Flexibility is key to maintaining relevance and effectiveness in a rapidly changing market created by an election. By keeping these strategies in mind, marketers and communications professionals can better navigate the complexities of running campaigns during an election year.

Rigorous commitment to listening, monitoring, evaluating and adapting your strategies is essential to navigate the weeks and months ahead. Doing so will keep your brand in front of the conversations relevant to your key audiences. This isn’t to say you must have a stance on every issue. But you should understand enough about where your markets are headed and the forces that stand to shape their future.

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Matthew Briggs is Senior Vice President of Healthcare at PAN.