“Unlike static formats, video can pack a lot of information into a small but eye-catching package. B2B buyers are wired to process visual information and remember stories, making video an ideal medium with which to engage them.” – A Blueprint For Successful B2B Video Marketing, Forrester
In general, effective marketing is measured by increased sales, however in healthcare the positive impacts are potentially far broader. Effective communications and marketing can also lead to improved performance, processes and technology for both healthcare providers and patients/consumers. (HIMSS 2019)
With challenges such as competing products, budget constraints and long and complex buying cycles (12 months +) marketers need to have a very clear understanding of their target audience (buyers personas) and make sure that content is tailored to these people’s challenges and aspirations.
Investments in healthcare technology are often made by a team of people across clinical, financial, business, technology and leadership roles. Therefore, content needs to be varied and resonate with these different stakeholders (HIMSS 2019). For example, clinicians are primarily interested in ways to improve patient outcomes, whereas health IT specialists will be interested in improving security and usability.
Research of Healthcare IT buyers has revealed that 90 percent report difficulty finding high-quality, trusted information to inform their technology decisions (HIMSS 2019), so there is a real opportunity to become a ‘go-to’ industry source.
So where does video come in?
By creating a mix of long-form (e.g. case studies, testimonials) and short form “snackable” video content you will be able to engage buyers throughout the buying cycle. High quality, authentic, informative and consistent video content is key. By reviewing viewing analytics and other data you will be able to better tailor content as you learn what is resonating and what is not.
The world of medical products and health and medical technology is a challenging landscape when it comes to communications. The complex nature of medicine, products, services and equipment make video the perfect platform to demonstrate and explain the how, what and why of your brand in a clear and engaging way.
From the buying side, videos are more important than ever, with 68% of healthcare buyers using video to compare products and 63% using them to see how a product performs.
In a recent HIMSS Media Content Marketing Survey, 41% of healthcare marketers claimed that content production was a huge challenge for them, with 26% saying they struggle to produce engaging content.
As we mentioned above, a large majority of healthcare buyers will watch videos to compare products and services before they buy, to see how well a product performs, or to see what services are offered.
Be human:
Case Study: GE Healthcare
When it comes to marketing health products and medical devices, marketers often face the dilemma of who they should be marketing to. Is it the healthcare organisation who will purchase the products (B2B) or the patients who will benefit from the technology (B2C)? On the one hand, it’s the healthcare institutions which are ultimately the purchasers and, on the other, it’s the general public who will ultimately be the ones who receive the benefit of the technology.
More often than not, medical device marketing ends up being targeted at the healthcare organisations using traditional B2B strategies. However, GE Healthcare in their campaign “What Matters” shifted this paradigm took a more humanised approach.
The common element of both target groups was people, so they focused on the real world impact of their products by highlighting the human stories behind them. The result was a series of videos that resonated with both B2B and B2C consumers.
Creating emotional connection was key according to Michael Aimette, Executive Creative Director at BBDO New York. “What we do care about is how all that stuff makes a difference in our lives. So, we set out to tell very simple stories that everyone can relate to and illustrate how GE stands for something greater than the sum of its innovations.”
“A mother doesn’t care that we developed an algorithm to help stabilise babies’ temperatures, or that we designed an advanced incubator with minimal noise. What matters to her is that her daughter was born five weeks early, but she’ll be coming home tomorrow.”
