8 questions to ask

when engaging hospital decision makers

Hospital decision makers are heading online to research products and vendors, make key decisions, and find service and support. Blogs, articles, reviews, white papers, videos, webinars, case studies, infographics and other digital content are now a critical part of the professional resource mix - and through online research, a group of 8 vendors can be shortlisted to 2 to 3 even before an RFP is sent out.

How does your company or brand show up in these key opportunities to interact with decision makers?

Making sure your digital presence is on point could be the difference between a negative brand experience and a long term customer relationship.

Traditionally, most healthcare brands have focused on promoting product-focused features and benefits.

But today, many B2B marketers are shifting their mindset to think more holistically about addressing customer challenges and interests beyond just the product – oftentimes through compelling digital content and services. Brands like GE, Adobe, American Express and others are strengthening their customer relationships through a myriad of digital resources, tools and communities that are more broadly focused on their audiences’ interests than product specs.

What value is your brand providing to hospital decision makers online? Are you taking advantage of new opportunities to educate, support, entertain or inspire this audience to build stronger relationships?

What value are you bringing to the table?1

Can you be found?2

No matter how great your content and services are, it could be a waste if you don’t put a dedicated effort into getting it in front of decision makers. While manufacturer websites are still a part of the mix, B2B decision makers are spending most of their time with other sources, primarily starting with search engines to find information. In fact, the average B2B info seeker conducts 12 searches before interacting with a specific brand’s website1.

How does your brand show up in search for the questions and needs hospital decision makers have? Are you distributing your content on key destinations for hospital decision makers or taking advantage of engagement opportunities on professional networks like LinkedIn?

1Google/Millward Brown Digital, B2B Path to Purchase Study, 2014.

To answer the previous questions, it’s critical to have a strong understanding of hospital decision makers.

How do they make decisions? What questions do they need answered to make these decisions? Where do they go for this information? What sources influence them? How does their behavior vary across the buyer’s journey? What are their pain points?

Getting this background information down first will help you focus your efforts to save money and time, and give you the best chance to succeed with decision makers.

How well do you know your audience?3

The mobile mandate for B2B marketers is clear - 42% of researchers use a mobile device during the B2B purchasing process and mobile search queries are on the rise1. In the device space, 50% of US-based Google searches for “diagnostic imaging” and 56% of searches for “catheters” were from a mobile device or tablet over the past year2.

How are you prioritizing your content and services for different screens, and adjusting your calls to action for mobile behavior? Are you taking advantage of the unique opportunities a mobile interaction offers? When is an app the right play vs. a web-based mobile approach? How fast does your content load on the smartphones busy decision makers?

1Google/Millward Brown Digital, B2B Path to Purchase Study, 2014. 2Google Keyword Planner, May 2014 – April 2015

Be your best you across screens4

Business decision makers are consumers too, and the same B2C brand storytelling that appeals to our emotions also has a place in B2B marketing. Logic, reason and value of course are key factors in business decisions, but emotions and a personal connection also come into play and can help solidify relationships.

Is your B2B content all business, or do you take advantage of opportunities to approach the hospital decision maker as a whole person? Are you leveraging engaging media such as video and social to create a lasting impression with audiences?

Are you human? 5

When your audience is spending time online, more often than not they are probably not in purchasing mode. But they are still open to being informed or inspired about topics that are important to them – and if you can start to build a relationship with them earlier in the journey, you are much more likely to be top of mind when a decision point comes.

When you take stock of your digital presence, do you have purposeful content tailored to specific points in hospital decision makers’ customer journey? Are your calls to action well thought through to move someone through the cycle?

Is your content intentional across the customer journey?6

Having a documented content marketing plan and clear, communicated processes are critical to B2B marketing success. However, only 35% of B2B marketers currently have a documented content marketing strategy1.

Does your brand have a documented plan to help make sure all efforts are driving towards business goals? Is everyone on the same page for their roles and responsibilities?

12015 B2B Content Marketing Trends—North America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs

Do you have a plan?7

More so than traditional marketing, digital offers brands an opportunity to fail quick or find out what works. Content is less precious - it can evolve or be scrapped without re-hauling an entire campaign, or be targeted to a select group before rolling out to a larger crowd. But to do this, a good measurement plan is necessary.

Is your brand testing and optimizing or sending content out into the wild without measuring? Are you prepared to experience some failure (and learnings) on your path to success?

Are you ready to fail and learn?8

We can help you find new ways to reach and build relationships with hospital decision makers.

Manhattan Research is partnering with a few select med tech companies on a new Hospital Decision Makers study to help them take their engagement strategies to the next level.

Contact Maggie Fortune to learn more. mfortune@dresourcesgroup.com+1 (781) 993-2728www.manhattanresearch.com