by admin | Nov 4, 2019 | News
Agency receives high marks for Medicomp Systems integrated marketing, Lumeris and Health Catalyst public relations programs
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Nov. 4, 2019 Amendola Communications proved once again why it is one of the top public relations (PR) and marketing agencies for healthcare and health IT by earning Gold for two programs in two categories as well as an Honorable Mention for another in the 2019 MarCom Awards, an international competition for marketing and communication professionals. The agency, which recently celebrated its Sweet 16 anniversary, received a Gold award for integrated marketing for its client Medicomp Systems, a Gold award for public relations for Lumeris, and Honorable Mention for its PR program for Health Catalyst.
MEDICOMP SYSTEMS
“Amendola Increases Brand Awareness and Lead Gen for Medicomp Systems” was a Gold Winner in the Marketing/Promotion Campaign, Integrated Marketing category. The entry described how Amendola helped Medicomp Systems elevate its market presence and visibility as a thought leader with must-have solutions. The program centered around Medicomp Systems’ solutions, which are co-designed with physicians to transform the disorganized, complex arrays of medical information possessed by hospitals and health systems into structured, clinically relevant data delivered at the point of care.
Medicomp Systems’ solutions solve a major pain point for healthcare organizations frustrated by the difficulty of obtaining usable information from their electronic health records (EHRs). Playing off of that, Amendola developed simple, succinct messaging built on the theme “We fix EHRs where they hurt.” The agency then developed an integrated campaign that combined data sheets, eBooks, print ads, infographics, email blasts, trade show booth graphics, Jumbo-Tron displays and a website overhaul with a comprehensive PR program that delivered more than 25 media mentions, and 20 media interviews.
LUMERIS
Also winning Gold, this time in the Communications/Public Relations, Public Relations Program category, was “Lumeris Takes Advantage of Medicare Advantage Plans with Mutual of Omaha.” This program focused on promoting how Lumeris, a company that helps health systems, providers and health plans deliver value-based care and improve outcomes through population health management, was now collaborating with Mutual of Omaha across the country on the launch of its new Medicare Advantage plans, a fast-growing segment of the health insurance market.
Amendola created and executed a strategic and comprehensive PR program that included content creation, media relations, messaging through social media channels and paid digital advertising. The integrated program was designed not only to deliver specific support to Mutual of Omaha’s plans but also to increase the industry’s awareness that Lumeris is the must-have partner for organizations transitioning to value-based care. The program resulted in multiple interview opportunities for Lumeris, Mutual of Omaha and its customers, including 23 media interviews and Q&As in the first six months.
Additionally, within the first 24 months Amendola researched, drafted and distributed more than 25 separate press releases. The agency’s social media expertise resulted in dramatic increases in click-through rates for pay-per-click advertising, sponsored content, Outbrain and similar programs while reducing the cost-per-click significantly. Amendola also organized a webinar and created scripts for two Medicare Advantage-themed videos for the Lumeris website, created and executed a survey of health system leaders to gauge industry awareness and perceptions of Medicare Advantage plans, and developed an infographic highlighting the results.
HEALTH CATALYST
Amendola earned an Honorable Mention in the Communications/Public Relations, Public Relations Program category for “Revealing a Unicorn: Health Catalyst Joins the $1 Billion Club.” The program describes how Amendola helped Health Catalyst shift gears in 2019 from a focus on encouraging more health systems to look into the company’s unique Late-Binding Enterprise Data Warehouse and shortening the sales cycle, the agency was also asked to help Health Catalyst acquire an infusion of working capital through an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
To meet this need, Amendola embarked on a multi-pronged PR and content strategy that began with setting up interviews between company officials and reporters/editors in investor public relations. The strategy also included a continuation and expansion of the company’s award-winning customer success stories program, pitching interviews with company executives to educate healthcare leaders about general trends and timely topics, developing and pitching press releases and setting up meetings with key general and healthcare-specific analyst groups. In all, Amendola secured 19 interview opportunities, produced 18 press releases, six customer stories and three byline articles. It also created and submitted seven speaker abstracts and six award entries in six months, all of which helped lead to a successful IPO in July, 2019.
“While our main focus is always on delivering outstanding results for our clients, it’s also nice to be fated for those efforts by our peers,” said Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola Communications. “Our account teams work hard to develop creative, effective programs that help our clients stand out in the noisy, crowded healthcare field. These are just two of many examples. We are proud to accept these awards, and thank the judges for recognizing the quality of our work in integrated marketing and PR.”
Media Contact:
Marcia Rhodes
Amendola Communications
mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com
Ph: 480.664.8412 ext. 15
by admin | Oct 22, 2019 | News
Healthcare agency to elevate awareness programs for “care traffic control” and the orchestration of clinical logistics automation
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 22, 2019 Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and health IT public relations and marketing firm, announced that TAGNOS has hired the agency to provide strategic PR and content marketing services.
TAGNOS, located in Aliso Viejo, Calif., develops leading clinical logistics automation for hospitals and clinics. TAGNOS’ software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform is designed to orchestrate hospital workflows by infusing AI and machine learning into the practice of medicine to improve the patient experience, reduce wait times, improve staff efficiency and optimize supply and equipment utilization.
Amendola Communications CEO Jodi Amendola said: “TAGNOS offers a unique and proven clinical logistics automation solution that can be used in hospital and medical systems nationwide, with the potential to expand in other outpatient and emergency settings. We are looking forward to helping them expand their industry awareness and lead generation capabilities through valuable, strategic PR and marketing communications.”
Specific to operating rooms (ORs), the patented TAGNOS OR workflow solution aggregates and analyzes data from radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on patient wristbands, as well as information from hospital systems, to provide real-time insights into patient journeys through the surgical suite. According to TAGNOS, with its OR solution, hospital systems can realize a reduction of more than 12% in OR turnover times.
For emergency departments (EDs), TAGNOS ED workflow solution uses a machine-learning and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven application and location data to smooth unpredictable settings by making sense of patients and data, providing unified workflows, and improving team communication.
The solution is also used for hospital and medical center enterprise-wide asset tracking, allowing clinical personnel and staff to find needed equipment without unnecessary footsteps. Insights are communicated via the TAGNOS app to OR/ED teams’ handheld devices, eliminating the need for other time-consuming activities such as telephone calls, computer logins or physically tracking down team members.
“We were drawn to Amendola’s expertise in healthcare and health IT as well as their insider perspective based on the team’s work with major health systems,” said Neeraj Bhavani, CEO and founder of TAGNOS. “Amendola’s media and analyst relationships as well as their industry accolades for their strategic approach to PR and marketing are already bringing us results. Our relationship will enhance TAGNOS’ ability to spread the word about our proven solutions for orchestrating healthcare delivery.”
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About TAGNOS
TAGNOS is the clinical logistics automation solution healthcare teams use to orchestrate the functional aspects of care delivery. Our company offers a wide range of products and services designed to support OR and ED patient flow as well as asset and supply management. TAGNOS is the only company with an AI application that uses machine learning combined with real-time data capturing capabilities to provide a system that continually updates and adjusts its operational intelligence to provide sustained improvement. Our system is configurable with custom notification and escalation workflows and flexible communication options including iOS or Android app, SMS or integration with existing mobile platforms. By transforming raw data into actionable intelligence, TAGNOS helps hospitals and health systems Orchestrate Excellence. For more information visit tagnos.com, or follow on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Media contact:
Chris Currington
Amendola Communications
314.799.1987
ccurrington@acmarketingpr.com
by admin | Oct 10, 2019 | News
Industry’s top public relations and marketing agency commemorates anniversary with $100,000 in-kind donation to the Help In Healing Home Foundation
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Oct. 10, 2019 As the healthcare industry makes a generational shift to preventive, value-based care, one public relations and marketing agency more than any other has helped promote the visionary organizations driving this significant change. Amendola Communications, an award-winning full-service, data-driven marketing and PR agency, is proud to announce its “Sweet 16” anniversary year in business.
Healthcare is the top economic driver in the United States and increasingly around the world. The global market for preventive healthcare technologies and services alone is expected to reach $432 billion by 2024, according to evaluations from Grand View Research. Amendola has added dozens of companies from the sector to its client roster, and presently serves over 50 healthcare and healthcare IT clients. In 2018, Amendola ranked 3rd largest agency in the Phoenix Business Journal’s “Largest Phoenix-Area Public Relations Firms.”
“I often marvel that we started out with just a handful of employees and customers, and here we are today as the top agency in our industry with over 50 accounts; most of whom are full-service clients. That is the power of hard work and dedication and a true reflection of the talented team here at Amendola,” said Jodi Amendola, the agency’s CEO.
Giving back to the healthcare community
In honor of its 16th anniversary, Amendola Communications is making a $100,000 in-kind donation to the Help In Healing Home Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides an affordable “home away from home” to recuperating patients and their families.
“We feel so fortunate to be in a position to use our healthcare marketing and PR expertise for such a compassionate cause. I strongly believe in giving back, especially to patients and the healthcare profession that cares for them. They are the motivation driving everything our clients do,” Amendola added.
16 years of promoting breakthrough companies
Amendola helped put some of the most important healthcare and healthcare technology companies on the map, from early stage startups to publicly-traded companies. By extension, this has expanded the recognition and use of predictive analytics, machine learning, automated communication between providers and payers, integrated healthcare coordination, air medical transport, evidenced-based chiropractic care, and many, many other impactful solutions.
“Amendola has been our full-service agency partner for three years now. They understand our messaging and how to approach the market in many cases better than we do,” said David Lareau, CEO of Medicomp.
He continued, “I chalk up our public relations and marketing success to two factors. One, Amendola knows the healthcare and healthcare IT industries inside out and delivers the media results and marketing creativity to prove it. Two, and just as important, the agency is a true believer in our own mission to upend the status quo.”
JaeLynn Williams, executive vice president at Air Methods, also weighed in. “A year with Amendola exceeded our expectations. We were just starting to build out our marketing and communications team and Amendola really helped us bridge key gaps as that team came on board,” explained Williams.
She continued, “While we were looking for a PR partner, what we got was a group who today helps us with our PR, social media, digital marketing, content marketing and has also helped us with messaging and crisis communications. Amendola is an excellent complement to our new marketing team.”
Jay Deady, CEO of Recondo Technology, said Amendola is his go-to PR agency for healthcare technology. “The agency has worked with me at three different companies now. For Recondo Technology, Amendola’s extensive media relationships and relentless focus on getting meaningful media opportunities for us has kept our message well ahead of the competition’s for years,” Deady noted.
Another client, Leslie Falk, senior vice president at Health Catalyst, explained why Amendola has been one of the company’s trusted communications agencies for more than seven years. “Our Amendola team has extensive PR and marcom expertise. They are wise, responsible and innovative; and committed to the success of our clients and our organization,” said Falk.
Every year, Amendola helps its clients amass billions in media impressions, securing placements in top-tier trade and national publications that span from Healthcare IT News, Becker’s Hospital Review, STAT, Modern Healthcare, and Healthcare-Informatics, to USA Today, the New York Times, WSJ, The Hill, Barron’s, Harvard Business Review and countless others.
In addition to PR, the agency offers full-service programs that include digital and content marketing, lead generation and sales enablement, social media, branding, crisis management and design/marketing communications.
Industry recognition
Along with client accolades, the agency has picked up plenty of awards over the years, including from PRNews, Bulldog Reporter and PRSourceCode. The agency has also garnered considerable recognition from the industry and top editors and reporters. Last year, PR News named Amendola CEO Jodi Amendola one of the Top Women in PR, while giving the agency an honorable mention in the Platinum Awards for content marketing work for Health Catalyst. Other honorable mentions in the category included Coca-Cola, Liquid Plum-R and Johnson & Johnson.
“I’ve worked quite a bit with Amendola staff over the past 15 years and I must say they are professional, thorough, helpful, and will go far out of their way to get me everything I need to help put together a good story,” affirmed Bill Siwicki, managing editor of Healthcare IT News.
Help In Healing Home Fundraiser
Amendola encourages its friends and colleagues in the healthcare industry to support Help In Healing Home. Learn more at www.helpinhealinghome.org. Those in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area can meet organization officials at its Nov. 4 Community Breakfast Fundraiser. Register for tickets at https://www.classy.org/event/community-breakfast-2019/e237208.
Media Contact:
Marcia Rhodes
Amendola Communications
mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com
Ph: 480.664.8412 ext. 15
by Stacy State | Oct 2, 2019 | Blog
We all have strengths and whether we admit it or not, we all have weaknesses. For one, I can’t seem to make a grilled cheese sandwich without burning at least one side. Lucky for me, there are people that not only cook grilled cheese to perfection, but they’ve done so well they’ve opened entire businesses to support this one simple menu item.
Outsourcing we all do it, nearly every day. I, for one, often “outsource” my cooking whether it be to family members or to nearby restaurants.
According to Dictionary.com, outsourcing is a verb meaning to purchase (goods) or subcontract (services) from an outside supplier or source. Unfortunately, the word “outsourcing” often sparks a negative connotation. In reality, it’s simply working with others to provide goods or services to enable one to focus on their own strengths.
The Benefits of an Agency
In 2017, the entire outsourcing market was worth $89 billion and has only grown since with both large and small companies outsourcing various components of their business. Frequently, companies choose to outsource all or pieces of their marketing and public relations efforts.
Some reasons companies may choose a marketing and PR agency include:
- It can be difficult to find the best talent, at a reasonable price. Hiring an agency that specializes in your field can afford you multiple experts at a lower cost.
- Faster Turnaround. With domain knowledge and available tools, a team of experts can produce results faster.
- Tools and Technology. An agency has access to the latest marketing and public relations tools and technology required to execute flawless campaigns with robust reporting.
- Staying Focused. This is especially true of smaller companies or high-growth companies. If information technology is your specialty, let your teams focus on internal development and support while outsourcing tasks that supplement your company objectives while allowing your team to stay focused on their initiatives.
- Last, but not least it is often more financially viable to outsource all or pieces of marketing and public relations rather than staff an entire team. Depending on a company’s size and growth trajectory, an internal marketing and PR team may consist of 1-2 or as many as 20+ internal employees.
Leaders must remember that it’s not an “all or nothing” scenario. If you have internal teams to handle most of the marketing and PR efforts, but you need the other 20%-40% managed externally, most agencies can fit your specific needs into a customized plan.
How to Decide
Even as a highly regarded marketing and public relations agency, we recognize that outsourcing these critical business needs is not for everyone. In a recent Forbes article, Jodi Amendola of Amendola Communications discusses the four criteria and questions to ask before choosing an “outsourced” marketing and PR agency.
The four most important questions include:
- Do you have clearly defined goals that you want your agency to achieve?
- Do you have someone that can act as your corporate liaison?
- Is your company’s culture accepting of new ideas and concepts?
- Are you okay with not being completely in control?
The last two are of particular importance. Whether you have an internal marketing staff already or will be relying solely on an agency, the culture of the company and willingness to accept an outside agency as part of your team is the key to success. The more you accept an agency as part of your team the easier it is for your employees and the agency to align with the business objectives and achieve goals.
In the most successful relationships, companies perceive their marketing and PR firms as an extension of their own teams. As with the existing marketing associates, agencies must also be held accountable for achieving defined goals and measured on their successes.
In summary, every company has its strengths and weaknesses. Josh Kaufmann, a famous business and entrepreneurship author, once said, “For everything we don’t like to do, there’s someone out there who’s really good, wants to do it and will enjoy it.” If you can find one of those, you’re ahead of the game.
by Chris Currington | Sep 25, 2019 | Blog
You have a piece of fantastic news. Congratulations! But what are you going to do with it now so you can get maximum exposure of it?
We hear many times, “I have a great story, let’s write a press release!” Could be a new solution offering, the latest customer success story, or perhaps even a new hire who has a lot of experience and is of high caliber. This always leads to bigger questions, such as: “How does it fit into your broader marketing efforts?” or “What does publicizing this do for you?”
Anything that is truly newsworthy isn’t a one-off “mention.” It’s what you do with it afterward that creates the bigger buzz and gets the most attraction for your company or organization.
Use it to create broader campaigns
This is especially important for a new solution or product launch. You’ve taken the time to go through the tedious development and testing phases, which is great for the worth of the product. But, do you really just want to issue a press release, or do you want to use the news as a springboard for broader exposure? Consider what you’re going to do after the press release has been issued.
Today, social media and advertising can be excellent ways to capture leads and generate sales. Tie whatever news you’re creating to the appropriate social channels and use them to keep promoting the product offering. And consider how the news translates to the customer journey. If you want to attract customers to your website, ask yourself how you will use the news you create to drive traffic there.
Remember where it falls into integrated marketing efforts
Just because you have a new piece of news doesn’t mean it shouldn’t tie into your broader marketing efforts. Many industry publications provide their annual editorial calendars. These can be incredibly important as you develop your news cycle and combine it with your paid media efforts.
For example, let’s say a trade publication has dedicated its March issue to a topic that matches perfectly with the research being performed by one of your thought leaders. You may want to consider skipping the news you’d planned for him or her in January and wait until the publication’s March issue. This way, not only are you releasing the news publicly, you’re more likely to get an interview by the publication at the same time, increasing the exposure for your thought leader even more.
Keep the next campaign in mind
If you want to use your news as a way to reach your target audiences, consider having a cadence of news releases, and have them coincide with various campaigns. This is a great way to promote your products and/or solutions throughout the year. For example, you can look at your integrated calendar, and have press releases occurring every month. But don’t let the releases stop without further promotions. Have an entire calendar of items happening – and remember that it doesn’t matter if they’re overlapping at various times.
This is also where your automated marketing efforts can produce excellent results. Have a press release prepared, plan to issue it, then follow it up with an infographic that brings people to some form of gated content. Keep doing this throughout the year, and you could possibly have a never-ending list of leads constantly coming to you.
Remember what’s newsworthy and what’s noteworthy
Just because someone comes to you with something they feel is newsworthy doesn’t necessarily mean it is. What’s harder is trying to convince him or her that what they have in mind may not capture their audience as compellingly as they intend. Finding the right outlet may be the best way to convince them that there could be a better – and less time consuming – way.
For example, a company could spend thousands of dollars recruiting a new senior vice president. They find the ideal candidate, with the right education and background, and they want to point that out to their competitors. So they propose a news release. However, industry publications and business journals throughout the country have new-hire and people-on-the-move sections. Perhaps it would be a lot easier writing up something simple, having it placed in one of these outlets, and then promoting on the company’s website and through social media. You may find that you get the same, if not better, results with a lot less effort and expense.
When planning your overall news cycle, keep these things in mind: newsworthiness, breadth, integration and the big-picture campaigns. Don’t let your stories fall flat when there are so many ways to promote them and easily available to you and your organization.
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