by Matt Schlossberg | Jan 9, 2019 | Blog
This year’s HIMSS Annual Conference & Exhibition (aka HIMSS19) in Orlando will be my eleventh seven as a HIMSS staffer and four as a public relations liaison for vendor clients. The HIMSS Annual Conference has become the NFL of health IT there is no real offseason and it gets bigger every year.
For the past several years, HIMSS has regularly attracted more than 45,000 attendees and 1,500 health IT vendors from around the globe.
If it sounds massive and daunting that’s because it is. If you were to visit every booth in the cavernous exhibit hall for only 10 minutes, it would take you 168 hours non-stop seven full days to complete your mission. Some attendees have complained that the show has suffered from the sprawl, while others view it as a cornucopia of selections that can be personalized to suit specific needs.
For vendor exhibitors, HIMSS represents one of the year’s most significant challenges for event planners, marketers and public relations professionals. Exhibiting companies invest an insane amount of money (and it’s a lot of money) and time (lots of that, too) in making the show a success.
There is certainly a lot of low-hanging fruit to increase your visibility at HIMSS19: Thoughtfully incorporate HIMSS19-branded social tags into your social strategy; develop a content calendar specifically for the show; and promote HIMSS19 tools like the mobile app HIMSS Circles that attendees can leverage to find your booth and education sessions.
That’s all great. However, the focus of this post is on a rather under-reported challenge most exhibitors will face separating the “tourists” from quality business leads.
Tourists are those herds of non-decision makers, culled from the unending flow of foot traffic, who visit your booth largely to acquire food, drinks and/or a free keychain. They also absorb an inordinate amount of your sales staff’s time the same sales staff who ate up a huge chunk of your budget in travel, lodging and registration fees to rope in new business prospects.
You are never going to completely eliminate tourists, but there are some useful strategies that can both slow the flow of the uninterested and attract the demographic population that is more seriously interested in your solutions.
Identify Your Targets Early. Generating quality business leads requires outreach well in advance of the show. One of the recommendations we pound into first-time attendees is the importance of creating and keeping a schedule to avoid mission creep. With all the exhibits, education and networking events to say nothing of all the stop-in-chats with peers in the hallway, HIMSS can be very distracting. Schedules fill up quick, so it’s important to connect with your leads as soon as possible. Consider investing in the HIMSS attendee list (not cheap) or utilizing a native or other third-party list to get leads scheduled to visit your booth. This also allows your staff to prioritize interested parties over passers-by.
Schedule Education and Demos. Are you noticing a scheduling theme here? I’ve noticed a number of vendors running little demos on an endless loop. They don’t seem to ever attract much attention. Instead, consider hosting scheduled education sessions and demos at your booth. Why? Scheduled demos can be easily promoted both before and during the show, making it easy for attendees to schedule time for a full presentation. Incorporate show-time signage into your booth. Speakers should be equipped with an A/V system, so a large group of attendees can see and hear everything you say. You should also film your presentation for distribution in press releases and social channels after the show, to reach an even bigger audience.
Hire a Tourist Wrangler. Reserve your most knowledgeable staff to handle serious prospects. Use lower level staff to handle visitors who may only be interested in asking a few perfunctory questions in order to obtain your swag. If a tourist turns out to be a legitimate lead, escalate them to the sales staff.
You are never going to completely eliminate tourists, but these strategies that can both slow the flow of the uninterested and attract the demographic population that is more seriously invested in exploring your solutions.
by Megan Smith | Jan 2, 2019 | Blog
I have a confession. I truly believe in the underlying meaning of cliches: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. All that glitters isn’t gold. Read between the lines.
But my favorite is that content is king. To me, the content and the strategy for leveraging it make or break a campaign in a heartbeat. You can have the best survey results in the world, but without a thought through and well-defined content strategy behind it, that survey will not help your business objectives.
For years, I have loved the challenge of determining how we can use the messages in a planned piece for email, visuals, paid placements, microsites, press releases, media interviews, roundtables and more. A good campaign is an integrated one where all of the pieces play off of each other. But how do you even start to plan such a campaign? In my experience, good content strategy that results in a truly integrated campaign follows the same process each time.
Establish a goal for the content With any campaign, you need to know what you are trying to accomplish and how are you going to measure success. Are you trying to get new leads? Is your goal to gain share of voice in the media in a new vertical? Do you want potential investors to see how you are filling an industry gap so that they will consider being part of your next round of funding? Once you determine the marketing goals, you can determine what type of content to create.
Focus on addressing a concern for your target market With a goal established, you should know better who you are targeting. Let’s assume that you are a revenue cycle management (RCM) vendor that has traditionally been in the hospital space but are now moving in physician practices this is a fairly crowded market so you need to focus on cutting through the noise. To do that, you know that physicians want more information about time to collections and data on the increase in patient self-pay and how that is impacting their bottom line. This will be the central theme of your content.
Define the seminal piece of content that you will create If we continue with the RCM idea above, you may create a survey about the impact patient self-pay has had on the bottom line for physician practices. Then you can create a report on the results that leverages visuals and analysis. It is critical to understand what the first piece of content you will create will be you will need to focus on creating that so that other content can spin off it easily
Let your imagination go wild with how you can use that content Now that you know that you are creating a report based on survey results, take time to think through how it that will be further leveraged. In addition to the traditional press releases and byline articles about the results, some potential options include:
- Media interviews with embargoed pre-pitching to key media so that you generate a buzz
- Email campaigns to potential leads to show the data that you have collected
- Sponsorships on industry websites this could include “gating” a version of the content to get new leads (people interested in the content provide their name and contact information to qualify for access)
- Paid digital ads that point back to your website for further leads using Google ads, LinkedIn promotions and more, you can accurately target prospects who may be searching for your content
- An interactive microsite that highlights the data that can drive retargeting efforts
- Layout a timeline of when all the content can be created and disseminated Once you confirm the exact content you will produce, it is time to create a development and dissemination timeline. At the launch of a campaign, you need to know exactly when content will launch this would include the seminal piece and the initial promotional pieces such as a press release, social content, email blasts. You can then divide the paper into snackable visuals and create infographics, articles and sponsored content so that can continue to capture leads. The goal will be to continue to provide fresh insights or analysis of the data that will encourage people to download the paper and fodder for the digital team to use for paid marketing. But you must have a calendar of when each piece and each channel will be engaged to keep the campaign on track.
- Measure, measure, measure As you did in the beginning, you should have established how you will measure success. Whether that is new leads, greater share of voice or other metrics, you need to start measuring sooner than later so that you know what channels are or are not working. So set a standard process for reviewing metrics and making tweaks to the entire plan.
By following these steps, you will be well positioned for a strong integrated marketing campaign that leverages the value of your content and thought leadership.
by Philip Anast | Dec 19, 2018 | Blog
In Stephen Ambrose’s book “Undaunted Courage,” readers learn about the courageous Lewis and Clark Expedition, and the advanced planning and preparation that went into such a grand, historic adventure. It got me thinking just how important a fraction of such planning is for a client’s public relations program.
Depending on the nature of the agency/client relationship, PR plans can go many different ways.
But there are some key objectives necessary for every plan. They include:
- Setting the parameters of a PR program and the appropriate expectations of results with clients
- Providing guidance on program priorities
- Establishing a roadmap for tactical execution
Usually, the account executive spearheads the development of a plan in conjunction with other members of an account team, and certainly with the insights of the client’s PR and marketing leads.
From my perspective, each PR plan should be original to a client, given its circumstances, yet still draw upon the best practices of the agency.
Furthermore, the account executive should confirm the form-factor of such a plan. Is a narrative proposal in Word, a PowerPoint presentation, or an Excel spreadsheet with tabs the best way to communicate the agency’s thought process? Ask your client before embarking on one vs. another.
It should go without saying, but any plan should be built on sound research, outlining key issues and trends related to a client’s business and market space, and include target audiences, competitors, and influencers. Brainstorming among client team members is one effective way to generate fresh ideas, and to develop strong communication goals, strategies and tactics in support of the client’s overall business objectives.
A detailed PR plan should consider the following program elements:
- Situational analysis
- Share of voice and social amplification
- Influencing the influencers
- Target verticals
- Target audiences
- Business goals
- Communication goals
- PR strategies and recommendations
- PR tactics (may include such things as editorial calendars, and speaker, award and event research based on the program’s direction)
- Target influencers (media and others)
- Budget
- Calendar of activities
- PR metrics
- Any optional program elements for client consideration, such as analyst relations
At its heart, a PR plan establishes the communication objectives, strategies and tactics toward reaching a client’s business goals. Such materials are crucial to ensuring that all key constituencies from executives to line-of-business and marketing leaders are aligned with the direction of the program. Such a plan serves as a beacon, and ensures that everyone agrees with the program’s elements, metrics, budget and results.
And much like Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and the Corps of Discovery, achievements will be celebrated.
by Brandon Glenn | Dec 12, 2018 | Blog
While every tool in the PR arsenal from press releases to bylines offer value in generating attention, a strong case study has the potential to stand above the rest as a real-world example of how a vendors’ product helped a customer solve a vexing business problem.
A strong case study can help a company begin to move beyond talk to illustrate action specifically the positive outcomes, enhanced revenue or cost savings a prospect can achieve by taking the action of implementing your product. Customers want to know you have experience solving problems just like the ones their company is currently experiencing, and a case study provides the perfect opportunity to demonstrate exactly what your company and product accomplished to deliver value to a similar organization.
A well-executed case study must tell a story. In this story, the hero is the customer that boldly and courageously implemented your product to better serve her own patients or customers. The vendor plays the role of the humble servant, providing support and guidance to help the hero accomplish her goals and save the day.
In its most basic form, a case study’s story consists of “Problem -> Solution -> Results” but a strong case study requires more. Think of it as a job interview in which your primary challenge is to convince a prospect why your product is the one she should hire for the position.
When developing your next cast study, be sure to include these four essential elements:
- Customer quotes: Don’t just tell us how the customer feels about your product, show us by using the customer’s own words. A customer’s own words always carry more weight and create a greater impact than what a vendor says about its own solution. The best way to obtain valuable quotes is to interview end-users of the product.
- Quantified results: Nothing is more demoralizing for a case study consumer than to feel interest and curiosity while reading through the introduction, problem and solution sections, only to come to a disappointing results section that contains vague language of improvement and no key metrics. It’s a sure way to turn off a prospect who was beginning to consider your solution. After implementation, did your solution help the customer make money, save money, see more patients, or improve operations in some other quantifiable way? Let us know about it in as much detail as possible. While some customers are understandably reluctant to share specific dollar amounts, they’re more likely to approve of using percentages, such as “grew revenues 50 percent one year after adopting the solution.”
- What’s next: It isn’t lost on most people that a case study must include detailed information on how a customer has already used a vendor’s solution, but it’s easy to forget to include details about future plans. Does the customer plan to expand use of the solution with a new patient population, offer it at a new location or purchase a complementary product? Including this information will help prospects conceive of a long-term strategy for their adoption of your product.
- Call to action: Another easy-to-forget aspect of a case study is the call-to-action (CTA), which provides the vendor with an opportunity near the end of the piece to request a specific action from the reader. Whether you’re offering the reader more content to consume or a free giveaway, or asking them to fill out a form, be sure to make the experience as easy as possible for the user to complete.
Wherever your latest prospect is in the customer journey, a solid case study holds the possibility of providing that nudge to take the next step. When you sit down to plan out your next customer case study, don’t forget these four essential elements.
by Ken Krause | Dec 5, 2018 | Blog
The writing “Bible” for public relations is the AP stylebook. Anytime a PR professional (or anyone writing for media publication for that matter) is unsure of what to do, such as whether to capitalize an executive’s title in a press release, a quick glance at the print or online version will provide the correct answer. (For the record, the answer is “no” as this blog post points out.)
This reliance on the AP stylebook can lead one to think that its rules are all set in stone. But one would be wrong, as the post, “10 Recent AP Stylebook Changes and Reminders You Should Know About,” from Cision points out.
Whether you are debating whether the correct spelling for a particular type of wine is syrah or shiraz, wondering whether someone who uses the emergency department a lot should be labeled a frequent flyer or frequent flier (the former is correct), or how to use a number in a headline (use numerals for all, even though in the body you write out one through nine and then go to numerals from 10 on), the AP stylebook has the answers. And it’s continually being adjusted, so don’t assume!
To make sure you’re on top of your AP stylebook game, be sure to check out the full post here.
by Stephanie Janard | Nov 28, 2018 | Blog
I’m at that point in my career in PR as an agency account director that I can take a clear-eyed stock of what my job is really like and entails. I’m fascinated by some of the main characteristics I don’t think they’d necessarily be noted in a class on PR, yet they are undeniably the best perks of the job. Here they are, in no particular order:
#1. PR is a career you can explain to your child in one sentence. This is surprisingly difficult for many jobs and careers, but in my case, it’s pretty simple. Here’s what I told my son, who was about 9 at the time, when he asked me what my job was: “I help get people in the news.”
Now, his follow up question, “Why?” required a more extensive explanation. But the job description itself remained a piece of cake
#2. People are (mostly) quick to respond to your emails and calls. Well, maybe not reporters, alas. But effective PR requires quick, responsive action and the thought leaders I communicate with on a daily basis understand that. Also, I’m communicating with them about interesting media opportunities. In short, people have a reason and a desire to quickly respond to their publicist.
#3. You’ll be a problem solver. If you are thinking about a career in PR, prepare to make judgment calls all day long. This is fairly terrifying at first, but you’ll never be bored. Throughout your day, you will be confronted with one decision after another to make. Should you pursue the media opportunity that just came across your desk? How do you fix someone’s problematic edits to a press release without insulting them? Your client’s customer who agreeably sat down for an interview with a top trade publication just emailed you asking to see the article before it’s published–something you know most reporters won’t agree to. How do you respond?
These are just some of the issues I’ve had to address in the last 30 minutes. In case you’re interested, here’s how I solved them: I researched the website traffic numbers of the media publication, plus the reporter’s past articles, and also sent out a query to my colleagues at the agency to see if they’ve worked with this reporter. I tactfully explained to the client why I thought we needed to tweak the language, and provided some alternative phrasing. And I explained to the client’s customer that reporters generally don’t share articles, but we can ask if quotes can be shown ahead of time.
After a while, you get pretty good at thinking on your feet. Just don’t ever be hesitant to ask for feedback from your colleagues. We’ll never know it all, and if you work with a smart team, you’ll get lots of great ideas. Don’t be afraid to ask, and of course, don’t hoard your own knowledge. Share the wealth.
#4. You can change the course of history. If you are doing your job, you are absorbing a tremendous amount of knowledge about your industry niche. Pairing this with your client’s own mission, you can shape the court of public opinion. Right now, I’m involved in explaining, educating and advocating for healthcare’s shift to value-based care, which could have implications on our health for decades or even centuries. If all goes as planned, we’ll have physicians pay as much if not more attention to keeping us well as they do to treating us when we’re sick. Our life expectancies could become significantly longer.
One caveat: I won’t get credit for any of this. Publicists usually aren’t publicly known faces. Well, except for one brief shining moment in the early 2000’s.
#5. You will get to meet and speak with people you might never have crossed paths with in a different career. In my four years at Amendola Communications, I’ve sat in a user meeting for nuclear medicine physicists; had dinner with a celebrity OB-GYN; and work regularly with a young woman who has scaled the heights of Kilimanjaro. I also frequently interact with thought leaders and executives at the top of their game, brilliant physicians and nurse leaders and some of the most dynamic communications professionals in the PR industry today. Pretty invigorating!
Public relations really is one of the most interesting careers one could tap into. Still, it’s not for the faint of heart. As with any results-driven profession, there is stress and self-doubt and many highs and lows…sometimes, all of this within a 30-minute time span. But here at Amendola, we’ve got that covered too: an always full chocolate drawer.
Yep, this job is pretty sweet.
