Many techniques include public education to comply with government regulations.
Healthcare marketing techniques are used by a variety of companies and industries. Pharmaceutical companies use techniques to drive sales of medications. Insurance companies use techniques to promote eating right, exercising and avoiding unhealthy lifestyles. Government agencies use marketing techniques to promote education and awareness. In some instances, companies and government agencies work together as partners and co-sponsors of major marketing initiatives.
Patient Education Efforts
Pharmaceutical agencies use marketing techniques that are largely focused on providing patient education about over-the-counter and prescribed medications. Television commercials contain mandatory information during and at the close of the commercial to alert consumers about potential side effects and risk factors. Packaging and labeling includes extensive information about medications and results of clinical trial studies. Companies develop special publications, like cookbooks for diabetics, and provide brochures and specially developed magazines on healthy living to retail pharmacies and physician offices. Marketing activities must comply with federal regulations and are meant to demonstrate how a company is being socially responsible and educating patients.
Public Awareness Campaigns
Major government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) use various marketing techniques to educate the public about health issues. Agencies use marketing techniques, such as television commercials, that generate awareness and attempt to change in behavior. The CDC uses marketing techniques to provide education and awareness of issues such as childhood obesity, the Swine Flu, smoking cessation and HIV prevention. Techniques also include marketing the availability of health information specialists to speak at schools to marketing the availability of public affairs spokespeople for healthcare news coverage by the media.
Health Fairs
Insurance agencies, pharmaceutical companies and major drug store chains often develop, sponsor and implement health fairs as a part of their marketing campaigns. These efforts help companies achieve marketing objectives to maintain brand awareness, loyalty and preference for brands and retail locations. Community fairs also generate press coverage by local media. Drug stores, major retailers and grocery stores with pharmacy departments may partner with local radio stations to host live remote broadcasts inside their stores or parking lots. Companies typically staff the fairs with members from the marketing, sales and public relations teams. They leverage marketing opportunities to distribute coupons, brochures and sales promotional items like T-shirts, pens and kitchen magnets. Drug stores also use the opportunity to increase memberships for their loyalty clubs.
Seasonal Marketing
During the fall and winter months, companies who manufacture cough, cold and flu medications will spend significant portions of their advertising and marketing budget to generate sales of medications. During the summer months, manufacturers of sunscreen and tanning products will increase their advertising expenditures to promote these products. Retailers will often develop multi-vendor marketing techniques to get companies to offset costs of Sunday newspaper ads and in-store circulars. They negotiate terms to give vendors and suppliers dominant placement in ads, terms for discounts and coupons, special merchandising displays and product placement in prime locations like the front of the store or at the beginning of product aisles.
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