Commentary

Build Long Term, Value-Based Relationships With Customers, Prospects

As the healthcare product marketing space becomes increasingly crowded with new entrants, it’s more important than ever for conscientious marketers to remember the fundamental importance of creating a lasting relationship with key audiences. A well-rounded marketing agenda should include the creation of programs and initiatives that both relate to and respect the core values that are most important to their customer base. 

This effort must involve creating a brand-to-customer relationship that is rich, highly interactive and constantly nurtured across multiple points in the loyalty building life-cycle. Consumers will typically gravitate to brands that offer value-added insights and resources – and that demonstrate a commitment to genuinely caring about their lifestyle and personal well-being needs. 

Companies that are attuned to their consumers’ health interests also have the best opportunity to earn their business over and over again for the long-term. The commitment to building programs that “give something back” to the consumer beyond the mere product transaction is simply smart marketing and the right thing to do for companies working in an industry committed to improving lives through healthcare innovation. 

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Following are a few salient tips for ways that healthcare product marketers can “partner up” with customers to advocate for better wellness in the New Year: 

Tips and Tools: Healthcare companies have access to a host of information related to healthcare maintenance; illness prevention; and awareness about diet, nutrition and fitness techniques, etc. Smart healthcare product marketers can tap and bundle this information in a way that is palatable for their consumers – in the form of quick, at-a-glance tip sheets, “to do’s” and checklists. Easy-to-digest tips and “bullet points” are simple to compile and provide customers with a little something extra to accompany their product purchase or information inquiry. 

ENewsletter: This is a great – and “sticky” – way to stay on consumers’ radar with a plethora of timely information about generalized health trends that extend beyond one specific product area or line. ENewsletters serve to keep consumer readers engaged directly with the brand and provide the opportunity to bring in other category experts, opinions, and learnings in a way that demonstrates the company’s devotion to boosting their customers’ wellness experience. 

Blog: Establishing a strong working blog is a must do for any well-rounded product marketer. Blogs are increasingly becoming the “go to” destination for consumers looking for additional resources and an informed perspective from the companies with whom they do business. An active blog can additionally serve as the gateway to a company’s other social pages. 

Highly Interactive Social Pages: In addition to a blog, creating and maintaining regularly updated social pages on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube is the best way to generate a robust, ongoing dialog with consumers. Like in any relationship, frequent communication leads to a meaningful, two-way exchange that fosters “partnership” growth between branders and their constituents. 

Online Knowledge Center: An Online Knowledge Center can provide a repository of information that might be of use and knowledge to your customer base. This information hub might include a glossary of industry terms, a series of industry research studies, clinical trial findings, case studies, testimonials from doctors and other trusted healthcare industry thought leaders, and links to other third-party source information of value. 

Bundled Product Offerings: Co-oping with another “like” brand in the same healthcare product category that is collaborative (but not directly competitive) is a great way to bonus loyal customers by “plussing up” their product purchase with another product that delivers compatible health benefits. 

Wise marketers are well-advised to not just push their product line onto the marketplace, but to relationship build with their target to become a long-term, value-added partner – one that promotes preventative care far beyond the auspices of their own brand offering, extending to broader health awareness and advocacy.

2 comments about "Build Long Term, Value-Based Relationships With Customers, Prospects".
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  1. Eric Brody from Trajectory LLC, January 22, 2014 at 11:48 a.m.

    Good post John,

    Totally agree that there are so many ways to create value for consumers in ways that really matter to them and can help better their lives –– beyond the expected product/service transaction.

    The payoff is big –– trust, loyalty, word-of-mouth, advocacy, growth!

    At Trajectory, we capture this idea in the phrase "marketing that matters" –– marketing that in and of itself helps people to live their healthiest lives.

    Regards,
    Eric

  2. Miriam Bookey from Mind Over Media, LLC, January 24, 2014 at 4:47 p.m.

    I like the idea of bundled product offerings but I'd also add how important sponsorships and partnerships are to introduce your brand message to new audiences.

    Pfizer did a beautiful job with this by creating the TedActive Health Project in 2012. We're bound to see more of this kind of brand marketing as healthcare companies seek to connect with their customers in an authentic, meaningful way.

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