Marketing agencies work around the same premise – advertising campaigns, prospecting, creating optimized content and more.
But a medical marketing company does business differently than regular marketing companies, mostly because of how sensitive and niche the healthcare field is. Since 77% of people look for doctors and healthcare services online, the importance of hiring a medical marketing agency to improve your digital footprint is essential.
Here’s how to choose one.
1. Do a Background Check
A good medical marketing company will surely display a portfolio of their successful collaboration with clients and its digital footprint in the industry. Check the funnels they’ve successfully built and ask for the possibility of incorporating healthcare SEO support for your business.
2. Ask Questions about Previous Clients
This is a great way to see how the agency can cope with unexpected problems and how they solve client communication. The client’s portfolio sure looks neat on their webpage, but don’t think that everything goes as smoothly always.
3. Search for Experience in Healthcare
Doctors and hospitals have very different marketing methods than companies in other industries. Many regulations surround the healthcare industry, and more profound ways of communication without risking jeopardizing the patient-doctor relationship are necessary.
4. Discuss the Market
A competitive and capable medical marketing agency should be aware of the recent trends in healthcare marketing. Despite a successful portfolio of clients, checking the agency’s current position on the latest trends can be deal-locking or deal-breaking criteria.
5. Meet the Team
Employees come and go, but in the field of marketing, experienced marketers and managers should be the foundation. They are the ones that follow the current market trends and needs and the ones that should come up with solutions. An agency might have a good reputation, but if it has a high turnover of marketers, it might reflect badly on the consistency of your campaigns.
6. Understand their Personality and Style
The phrase “the way we do business here” is a common thing to say – and it’s completely true. Though medical marketing agencies offer the same services, more or less, the way they do business is highly dependent on the type of personalities included in the team.
7. Be Realistic
Advertising is basically sweet-talking into making a deal. If agencies are promising you some too-good-to-be-true deals, don’t fall for them. Then again, be realistic about your expectations, and discuss possible and realistic results instead of looking through pink glasses.
8. Demand a Specific Payment Plan
Before risking a high first invoice, don’t hesitate to ask about the agency’s charges and rates of doing business. Compare them with your budget, and see if you’re able to match the offer.
9. Discuss your Investment Returns
Advertising isn’t a one-way street. It should pay off more than the service, which is the entire concept of marketing. Discuss the expected return-on timeframe and the campaign options to make sure your business can survive until the investment starts paying off.
10. Check more Competitive Agencies at Once
Before choosing the perfect medical marketing agency, discussing your goals with a few top competent agencies is absolutely crucial. At the end of the day you need to find a reliable marketing agency that will be able to position your business in the right way.
Choosing an All-in-One Medical Marketing Agency
Digibiz is a medical marketing agency that’s been successfully working in competitive healthcare marketing for more than 15 years. We offer different solutions for small practices and private hospitals – from SEO optimization, website development and new patient lead generation all the way to different styles of digital marketing concepts.
Contact our team of devoted marketers and innovators, and discuss your plans and needs.
