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Marketing Strategy Tips for Critical Access Hospitals

Maximizing Your Small Team’s Impact

If you are part of a marketing team at a critical access hospital, you’re likely wearing many hats, if not all the hats. Small teams or a one-person department are the norm, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a big impact for your organization. Limited resources necessitate a marketing strategy that outlines specific priorities including goals and tactics for achieving those goals. We know your time is limited, so we’re sharing a few ideas we think will help your marketing strategy have an even greater impact.

Prioritize Storytelling

You already know storytelling in marketing is extremely powerful. But did you know that telling one person’s story is more effective than sharing a group’s story? This is known as the Identifiable Victim Effect. Research has shown that donations double when fundraising organizations focus on one person versus a group of people. What does this mean for your critical access hospital? Sharing the story of a single patient, provider, nurse or staff member is a great way to encourage prospective patients to consider your organization for their health needs.

Repurpose Content

Critical care hospital marketing.Turn a little into a lot by repurposing content.  If you have a great story, are you utilizing it across channels? That includes your website, social channels, e-blasts, direct mail and more. Just remember to tailor the content for the channel. Social posts should be short, bite-sized information with links to longer stories online. A research document is going to have a different tone than a blog post. While tone and length may vary, that doesn’t mean you can’t repurpose the same story across channels.

Invest in Videos

Critical care hospital marketing videoAll you have to do is look at social media (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.) to see that videos reign. However, no one wants to watch a grainy video in a poorly lit hospital hallway, so doing it right means investing the right resources. While that may seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be. You can get tons of great video content out of a single day of shooting. The trick is planning out your shots and interviews well in-advance and having a detailed approach to the content you plan to capture. That shot list will help you maximize the video crew’s time on the day of the shoot. Then that video content can be edited into multiple videos for you to share across channels.

Answer Common Questions

When it comes to your website, SEO is essential. If you provide concise, straightforward answers to common questions, your content is going to rank higher. Not only that, but answering questions shows your organization’s authority and credibility. Is there a trending topic in the health sphere? Has one of your providers weighed in? What’s important to your audience and your community? These are some of the things you can ask yourself when you’re considering where to invest your energy.

Stay consistent

Critical care hospital marketing.When it comes to the design of your materials, remember to keep consistent with your brand. Having a strong brand is a matter of repetition. Your materials across channels should align in a cohesive manner that makes your brand front and center. New ideas are excellent but be sure they align with your brand. There can be a pull to do something different – especially when you’re the only person generating these materials each day – but be sure your hospital’s brand stays consistent. A brand style guide is key to staying on brand and on message.

If you have questions about developing a marketing plan for your critical access hospital, or you’re looking to partner with marketing professionals who can move the needle for your organization, contact AMPERAGE Marketing & Fundraising at 319.268.9151 or rholland@AMPERAGEmarketing.com.

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As AMPERAGE vice president of strategy, it is not surprising one of Erin Bishop's strengths in Gallup's StrengthsFinder (now called CliftonStrengths) is "Strategic." Erin leads the account services team, research, brand development, marketing planning and strategy departments at AMPERAGE Marketing and Fundraising. Erin received her undergraduate degree from Wartburg College in Communication Arts and Public Relations. Prior to joining the AMPERAGE team, Erin worked for Strategic Marketing Services, a research organization on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Erin actively engages with nearly all AMPERAGE valued clients. Her research and strategy skills have predominantly been utilized in healthcare marketing, including work for Memorial Health System in Florida, Mercy Medical Center in Iowa, Upland Hills Health in Wisconsin and IowaHealth+. She has presented at numerous conferences, including Wisconsin Healthcare Public Relations & Marketing Society (WHPRMS), Iowa Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations (ISHMPR) and the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR District 5). As a community leader and volunteer, Erin's passions are primarily in her children's schools (including escorting a group of Cedar Falls Aldrich Elementary 5th graders on a bus trip to the Iowa Capitol). However, Erin has found time to be a board member of Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, a Grow Cedar Valley Ambassador and a member of Cedar Valley Women Connect (Cedar Valley branch of Women Lead Change). If you need to identify your organization's strengths and move the needle, Erin is your strategist.