Our phones have evolved from helpful tools, into smart devices that are now integral to a physician’s day-to-day work. For most doctors, there’s rarely a moment in the day when we aren’t checking our phones for updates, or at least, have a device nearby. Often, more than one. This new reality requires that healthcare marketers adopt a digital-first attitude if they want to reach their intended physician audience. This means becoming a lot more strategic in how they connect to and engage with physicians online.
Five strategies that will help you connect with the physician audience in a much more meaningful way are:
1. Meet Them Where They Are
Dedicated conferences, industry publications, and professional networks offer opportunities to connect with physicians. Keep in mind where and when these physicians are most likely to engage. Doximity’s own research shows an uptick in physician activity on weekdays before noon, likely due to physicians having a few minutes to catch up on news in between appointments. Physician traffic also surges on weekend mornings and holidays.
2. Know What’s New in Their Specialty
Brush up on the latest research, innovations, and news from the field in order to understand trending topics within a specific specialty. Use the information you glean from your findings to create content relevant to their most immediate interests. The right piece of content could be the perfect segue to a meaningful discussion about how your organization is investing in their areas of expertise.
3. Talk the Talk
Ensure that any physician-facing content speaks their professional language. Our research shows that the more clinically oriented the content, the more engagement it receives.
4. Get Straight to the Point
Your content should clearly communicate that your approach provides solutions that improve the clinical outcomes of referring provider’s patients. Highlight innovative treatments, technologies, and therapies that merit a spot on the physician’s radar. If your content marketing efforts spell out the solutions you are offering, referring physicians will know where to send their patients when the occasion arises.
5. Customize All Collateral
This may go without saying, but it’s very important to remember that a “one size fits all” marketing approach is not the way to go, especially with physicians. Consider how you can customize your content to appeal to the needs of individual referring specialists, whether it’s by highlighting a particular treatment or a new clinical solution, know that the more you hone in on your target audience, the more likely you’ll be able to speak to their most pressing needs.
In addition to placement, frequency is important as well. Marketers should adopt drip campaigns that have appropriately timed touchpoints.
