Marketing: It’s Not A Myth
By Jacqueline Colafemina
Marketing is something every company needs to implement
to be successful. Yet, something so vital is often treated
lightly and its importance is often underestimated by
businesses. Just as someone without proper training
shouldn’t perform a medical procedure, businesses
shouldn’t expect positive marketing results without
properly trained staff and an adequate budget to support
clearly defined goals. Marketing channels are becoming
less expensive and yielding lucrative results. With properly
targeted outreach, organizations can save money at a time
when budgets are quickly dwindling.
In The Digital Tools and Techniques Essential for Health
Care Marketing, Tom Mann, principal and executive vice
president of Love & Company, spoke about the various
ways organizations can utilize marketing in a time where
resources are becoming increasingly limited.
There are five key areas that can be optimized:
1. Website usability
2. SEO management
3. Paid searches
4. Analytics
5. Social media
Statistics show that 60 percent of digital leads now come
from a mobile device so optimization is vital to your
organization’s success. Having an optimized website can
also increase where your website shows up in a Google
or paid search, and drive users cross-promotionally from
social media to your website.
There are several offsite marketing methods that still hold
a place in business today and those include:
• Directory listings
• Public relations management
• Blog posts
• Reviews
• Social media contests
• Syndicated content
As quickly as technology changes, marketing methods
need to keep pace if organizations are to remain
competitive and reach target markets. Just like WebMD
doesn’t give you your doctorate, being able to use a
creative suite doesn’t make you a marketer or graphic
design specialist. Make sure your organization is directing
resources appropriately and investing time and effort to
get optimal results.
The five areas directly relate to
an integrated marketing strategy
that focuses on four main goals
with the public: retaining, attracting,
converting and closing. In terms
of money spent on reaching these
four main goals, organizations
shouldn’t exceed a few hundred
dollars per month for media or
online related ventures. Costs
that are associated with online
marketing includes, pay per click,
SEO management, social media
advertisements, boosted posts and
website management.
Rather than spending more
money, more time should be spent
optimizing the website to be
user-friendly for use by any device.
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