Doctors are a notoriously hard group to reach with your marketing message. They're busy, they're skeptical, and they're inundated with promotional material from pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers. But that doesn't mean you can't reach them – it just takes a bit more effort and planning.
Ways to Reach Your Target Physician Audience
Since many traditional avenues of marketing aren’t necessarily part of a doctor’s daily routine, you can use these tactics to gain their attention:
1. Don’t Bury the Lead. Healthcare workers don’t have a lot of down time – especially now. If you want your sales message to speak to them, get to the point. Doctors are generally on the go from one patient to the next, all while juggling paperwork, managing staff, teaching clinics, and other responsibilities. Consider using brief messaging that can be easily delivered and understood on a mobile device. Be upfront about how to quickly access what you’re offering. Highlight the value it can add or the help it provides.
2. Meet Them Where They Are. Doctors rely on their phones and tablets more than conventional desktop computer setups. Make this a focus when developing your advertising strategy. Build digital campaigns that are mobile-friendly and responsive across devices. Target places where healthcare workers spend time outside the exam room – social media networks, professional associations, and medical publications are an excellent start.
3. Support Staff Are Your Backstage Pass. Business operations often require a team effort. This is especially true for medical practices. These facilities employ practice managers, front desk staff, nurses, physician assistants, and more – to work in coordination to keep a practice running smoothly. This support network can be overlooked by shortsighted marketers who want to target the business “decision maker.” The truth is, practice staff often have more influence with a doctor than anyone else, and can be a powerful resource when they know and trust your brand.
4. Thought Leadership Is Key. In a world saturated with advertising and sales messages, you can stand out by being a trustworthy source of knowledge. Break through the noise by providing useful information and expertise about your company, industry, or even your competitors and possible alternatives to your product. Becoming a trusted and reliable resource before you make a sale is a great way to ensure doctors want to work with you in the future.
5. Personalize Your Message. Physicians work in all types of settings: urban, rural, large hospitals, and solo/small practice – so there is no “one size fits all” strategy for successful marketing to this demographic. However, you can optimize your chances of being seen by targeting and personalizing your message. Consider whether your target audience is the doctor who runs his or her own practice, or the one who works in an employed setting like a hospital or university system. These factors generally make the biggest difference in how relevant your service can be within a healthcare team’s daily routine.
Reaching Your Target Physician Audience
The best way to reach doctors with your marketing message varies depending on what type of product or service you are selling. However, by understanding how doctors think and how they can be reached, you can put together a successful marketing campaign that gets your products in front of the people who need them.
Partnering with an agency that specializes in marketing to physicians can help give you an additional edge over the competition by giving you access to a dedicated team in addition to robust analytics tools - so you can make sure your marketing efforts aren’t falling flat.
