Ready to put your healthcare brand in the spotlight? The right PR strategy is just what you need to reach out to potential clients. There are a number of methods you can use to increase media coverage. Take a closer look at some of these healthcare public relations tactics to figure out which ones are best-suited to your marketing goals, How to Boost Media Coverage for Your Healthcare Brand.
Press Releases & Media Pitches
Few PR strategies are as tested as the classic press release. There’s a reason that public relations pros keep using this strategy: it works. However, you don’t want to just send out a release about your company in general. Instead, you need to have something newsworthy to really make a splash.
The following are some examples of news items regarding your healthcare brand that you may want to promote:
- Offering new healthcare services
- Opening or moving to a new facility
- Hiring new staff members
- Winning an award
Most healthcare brands work with healthcare public relations agencies to reap the benefits of the press release strategy. These PR professionals will have the media connections you need to spread the word about your company’s latest news. They’ll also know how to field any media requests that come in as a result of your press releases.
Media Pitches
Another way that a healthcare PR agency can give your brand a boost is by sending out media pitches. Again, you’ll benefit by working with someone who already has contacts in the industry. These professionals also know how to prioritize projects that will have the most noticeable effects on brand visibility, whether it’s improving your Google search rankings with SEO optimization or partnering with media outlets with a bigger audience.
A public relations specialist can help coach you in coming up with items to pitch to the media. This might include options like:
- Writing a blog post for their website
- Getting interviews in magazines or local papers
- Providing expert opinions for local news stories
Being proactive in connecting with media outlets is a smart way to steer your brand’s narrative. The more involved you are with your company’s PR efforts, the better the outcomes will be.
Event Promotion
Don’t have any newsworthy items to pitch to the media or promote in a press release? Create your own news by planning a special event. This is one of the best ways to create buzz about your brand in a natural way. By hosting the event yourself, you get to carefully craft the way your company is presented to the public.
The options are practically endless when it comes to event promotion for healthcare public relations promotions. The best part is that you don’t need to have a massive budget in order to put on one of these events. For example, you can use evites instead of paper invitations to save on planning costs.
The following are just a few ideas of different ways to use events as a way to promote your healthcare brand with increased media coverage:
- Partner with a local sports team to host a “Family Night” during one of their games or matches. Arrange for some family-friendly activities, hand out promotional items for your company, and set up booths where attendees can ask about your services and get coupons for products or treatments.
- Plan volunteer events at your facility. Invite local groups to give back by helping out with patient care, cleaning, decorating for the holidays, or other activities. These events can be promoted on local news to create positive buzz about your brand.
- Host a formal gala or fundraiser honoring outstanding staff members and volunteers from your company. Invite influential community members to learn more about your mission and see the contributions your company has made to the community.
Influencer Community Building
While press releases, media pitches, and event promotion are timeless public relations strategies, it’s also important to embrace newer forms of customer outreach. One of the best ways to keep up with the times in today’s tech-savvy culture is to engage in influencer marketing. While this strategy utilizes newer tools by focusing on social media, it also ties in nicely with the classic PR methods of making connections and forming strong relationships.
Influencers can help you build brand awareness for your healthcare company in an incredibly effective way. Many people spend a significant portion of their time each day on social media platforms like Instagram, so it makes sense to reach out to potential clients through these channels.
When you work with an influencer, their audience becomes your audience. Ideally, you’ll want to work with influencers who are followed by the type of people who would be most likely to become clients of your healthcare company. For example, if you’re located in L.A., you might want to have your healthcare PR Los Angeles agency find local influencers to work with.
Then, it’s all about crafting a message that both promotes your brand while also fitting in with the influencer’s personal brand. The more natural this message comes across, the more effective it will be. Some options to consider include:
- Having an influencer use and review your services
- Using Instagram stories to document an influencer’s experience using your services
- Offering a discount code for an influencer’s followers
Overall Strategies to Keep in Mind
Whether you choose just one or all of the PR strategies listed here, it’s important to consider what message you want to send through your promotional efforts. Keep the following questions in mind as you boost media coverage for your healthcare brand:
- Who is your ideal client? It’s important to make sure your promotional efforts are reaching your target audience.
- What is the persona of your brand? Think about what characteristics you want to portray and reflect that in your imagery and wording.
- What story are you telling? Don’t just promote your services or products. Tell a story that draws people in and makes them interested in your brand.
Use these tips to boost your brand’s media coverage and take your healthcare company to the next level.
