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Your corporate triumphs should be an integral part of your healthcare IT marketing strategy.
Many healthcare IT companies refuse to include corporate achievements as part of their marketing. One of their greatest fears is that the competition will get their hands on internal “secrets” and use these against them. Yes, sensitive information should remain confidential. One needs to assess through a business lens what constitutes “sensitive.” Also, one should consider the benefits of sharing details that customers and prospects find valuable.
Resistance: Rooted in Unjustified Assumptions
I’ve seen this scenario time and again. I suggest a client reveal a company win, such as releasing new product capabilities. But, I’m met with hesitancy. The response is usually, “Let’s wait a month.” Resistance is rooted in the fear that the new capabilities will give the competition ideas and insights that will benefit the competition’s products. Or that their “breakthrough” development isn’t so outstanding after all and will validate that they are lagging the competition.
My argument is this: You’re running a commercial enterprise. You are trying to develop and commercialize products that solve clear problems. You won’t be successful doing that, particularly in the early phases of product commercialization. Your prospects cannot trust you if you don’t have proof supporting your ability to solve your target market’s problems. Sharing information, in the proper way, outweighs the risk of your competition using it to their benefit. This concern should be mitigated, in part, by knowing the capabilities of competitors’ products.
Likely, you may be overestimating your competition’s investment in you. It’s more apt that your competition:
- may not even see the announcement or promotion
- may not recognize the information as competitively valuable
- already has their own priorities in product development. The likelihood that they drop everything and respond to your announcement is slight
Making business decisions from a mindset of unjustified assumptions and fear only hampers your opportunities. Your marketing decisions must showcase the company successes that will matter to your prospective customers.
[su_quote class=”tweet-this”]Business leaders must focus on eliminating the fear, uncertainty, and doubt that exists in the minds of their prospects and potential business partners. Only then will prospects purchase their products and services ~ Tweet This[/su_quote]
View Collaboration from a Positive Perspective
My clients are also sometimes reluctant to divulge partnerships with other companies or healthcare providers. Healthcare IT companies regularly use this strategy but are often loath to disclose it. The presumption I encounter is that they may either alienate or aggravate other potential partners by declaring the collaboration.
Again, it’s a potentially false assumption that could limit business growth. In fact, reactions from customers, prospects, and partners could be very positive. “You’re working with XYZ? That’s impressive. They’re an attractive partner.”
Frame Information to Support Your Company’s Narrative
Releasing company information that provides a steady timeline of proof points only strengthens your company’s narrative. It highlights successful achievement of meaningful and well-accepted business goals and indicates company maturation. Accomplishments to share as part of your marketing strategy include
- significant product releases
- new customer installations
- secured funding
- expansion of office space
These, and other milestones, all contribute to your success story narrative—one that shows prospects you are a maturing business, able to solve their problems.
It’s how you frame the information that separates effective and customer-focused strategic methodology from self-serving boasting or thoughtless sharing of confidential facts.
Eliminate Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt
We’re all human beings, and sometimes our perspective as consumers doesn’t align with business needs. We unintentionally apply our human-brain fear inappropriately to business situations. Business leaders must overcome their personal fears and ensure they focus on eliminating the fear, uncertainty, and doubt that exists in the minds of their prospects and potential business partners. Only then will they purchase their products and services.
In order to succeed and grow, healthcare IT marketing tactics need to appeal to—and be reflective of—business opportunities. When you separate your personal/social thought process from your business thought process, company achievements appear in a new light. Reframing “sensitive” information as value-based facts gives your customers, prospects, and partners the chance to invest in your success—and, ultimately, their success.
Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash
