Sharing is caring!

Healthcare marketing is undergoing major changes as technology continues to advance and the customer data grows. It is no longer limited to a single channel or platform to build a brand and improve customer experience.

According to Zendesk, 87% of customers think brands need to put more effort into providing a seamless experience. 

With this data, healthcare marketers need to adapt to a marketing strategy that provides a seamless experience to patients to stay competitive and relevant. 

Omnichannel marketing has made it possible for the healthcare industry to move away from mass-based marketing and move forward to a personalized communication with consumers through multiple platforms.

So, what is omnichannel marketing? How is it revolutionizing healthcare? Let’s discuss that here.

What is omnichannel marketing?

Omnichannel refers to a cross-channel content approach to improve customer experience and drive better relationships across multiple communication platforms and devices — including traditional and digital channels.

This marketing sales approach acknowledges and addresses the reality that modern customers no longer want to be limited to a single platform. 

Hence, marketers need to improve customer relationship management by providing a seamless buying experience, regardless of the platform. 

Omnichannel marketing examples include:

• A customer receiving a sale or promotional messages on her mobile device while shopping in-store
• A customer receiving a cart abandonment email through email marketing
• A customer receiving retargeting ads for abandoned cart products

Components of Omnichannel Marketing

These are the four components that can guarantee a successful omnichannel marketing strategy:

• Marketing channels to increase your presence wherever there’s an audience. Software As A Service (SaaS) companies use purely online channels, while those in retail can maximize both traditional and digital platforms.
• Consistency of presence, communication, and strategy implementations to provide a seamless user experience.
• Personalization of brand messages and campaigns to attract and engage customers.
• Optimization of processes and marketing activities using relevant metrics.

Omnichannel Vs. Multichannel Marketing Strategy

A common question asked by most people is, what is the difference between omnichannel and multichannel marketing?

Multichannel marketing boosts the ability to spread the word and interact with potential customers on various platforms such as a print ad, retail location, website, promotional event, product package, or simply word of mouth.

Omnichannel strategy, on the other hand, promotes an integrated shopping experience to customers. They can shop online from a desktop computer, mobile device, or physical store seamlessly.

The Similarities

The only similarity between the two marketing approaches is that both involve a coordinated effort to engage consumers using multiple platforms.

To keep it simple, all omnichannel marketing campaigns can use multiple channels, but not all multichannel strategies are omnichannel.

The Differences

1. Channel vs. Customer

The multichannel approach gets the word out using the maximum possible number of channels. 

It’s simply about spreading the word as wide as possible to engage with more customers. Companies using multichannel marketing strategies adopt more than two channels, mostly via social media and email campaigns.

On the other hand, an omnichannel strategy holistically inter-relates channels to connect with customers. The purpose is to build stronger customer relationships by providing them with a wonderful experience with the brand throughout all channels possible. 

According to Aberdeen, companies with well-defined omnichannel customer experience management (CEM) marketing strategies achieve a 91% higher year-over-year increase in customer retention rate on average, compared to those without omnichannel programs. 

2. Consistency vs. Engagement

Omnichannel focuses on consistent strategies to achieve an excellent customer experience. A business using this campaign strategy must be diligent in making sure that their consumers experience the same satisfaction through each channel.

Multichannel marketing strategy focuses on engaging with more customers using multiple channels. 

3. Effort vs. Effortless

Omnichannel and multichannel marketing differ in how much effort a customer has to exert to have a good brand experience.

Customers need to exert effort when deciding which channel they’d like to interact with a brand. That’s the multichannel approach.

Omnichannel marketing, however, uses data to understand and eliminate effort from the customer experience while browsing through different channels. 

Why Use Omnichannel Marketing in Healthcare?

Healthcare marketing teams today struggle in building long-term relationships with patients. The modernization of the world has made target audiences fragmented, hence, the challenge in retaining patient engagement and loyalty.

To solve this problem, some healthcare brands made use of omnichannel marketing to:

• Present a personalized experience of their target customers with their brand.
• Deliver a satisfying customer experience using an endless number of healthcare marketing channels and social media sites.
• Keep their messaging and branding consistent.

Using this strategy not only helps marketers deliver content on different platforms. It also increases their focus on optimizing the entire patient and customer journey cohesively across all possible platforms.

A well-planned omnichannel marketing approach is a win-win for both patients and healthcare marketers for these reasons:

• Patients are happier with the personalized experience and benefits they are receiving
• Marketers succeeded in attracting and retaining more patients

7 Steps To Create An Omnichannel Marketing Campaign

1) Think Customer-First

If you’re a customer, what are the steps you go through before purchasing a product or service?

Since omnichannel prioritizes consumers, the first step to create a successful strategy is to change your perception of the patient’s journey. 

Evaluate all the touchpoints or steps your target audience goes through before they become your patients or customers. 

Upon evaluation, think if these touchpoints provide a consistent customer service experience. If not, bring all concerned teams on the same page to work on the necessary changes together.

Your staff should have a customer-first mindset so they can implement more engaging strategies.

2) Know Your Customers

Evaluating customer journey is one thing. Gathering an in-depth understanding of your customers is a different step.

Define your buyer personas — their wants, needs, behavioral patterns, demographics, habits, preferences, and goals.  

From there, you can use data analytics tools to analyze and identify patterns. Once you fully understand your target audience, you can create a more appropriate and impactful marketing campaign.

3) Use the Right Tools

Choose the right tools and solutions in your MarTech stack to connect with your audience. Here are our recommendations:

• Content Management System (CMS)
• Customer Relationship Management Software (CRMS)
• Marketing Automation Tools
• Social Media Management Tools
• SEO tools
• Other quantitative and qualitative analysis tools

4) Audience Segmentation

Segment your audience based on their demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics relevant to your business goals. Doing so will help you tackle marketing efforts effectively.

You can segment based on buyer personas, paths to purchase, subscription status, and more. 

5) Personalize

Once you’re done with the groundwork, you can start executing your plans. Personalizing campaigns makes customers feel more valued.

Using the right data and tools, you can deliver personalized content and establish a 1:1 connection with your target audience.

Doing so will improve patient experience, boost brand loyalty, and convert higher revenue. 

6) Be Consistent Across All Marketing and Communication Channels

Be present on the platforms that your customers use. Don’t make them do so much effort to reach you.

Be consistent in branding, design, and messages across all platforms so your consumers will not be confused. 

7) Track Your Success With the Right Metrics

Use the right tools to track the right metrics, report accurate data, and derive actionable insights about your omnichannel campaign. 

Benefits of Omnichannel Marketing Strategy In Healthcare

As most customers today prefer to engage in an integrated way, healthcare marketers need to be where their potential patients are. Hence, adapting to omnichannel healthcare marketing is critical.

Here are the key benefits of an omnichannel approach to healthcare marketing:

Greater Exposure

Using multiple marketing channels makes it possible for your brand to connect with more consumers. Reaching out to more potential patients will also increase the spread of word-of-mouth marketing. 

With omnichannel marketing, you can target audiences via email marketing, social media, and other channels where they can share your message with their family and friends.

Boost Patient Engagement

Patients nowadays prefer engaging across various platforms through multiple devices. Strategizing your omnichannel marketing campaign can boost patient engagement and conversion rate. 

Impactful Messaging

Aligning the strengths of your brand image with the benefits of using multiple marketing channels will help you deliver a more impactful message. 

To do this, you need a well-crafted social media post or email campaign delivered using an omnichannel approach to reach your potential patients. 

Lead Acquisition

Since omnichannel marketing allows you to reach more target patients, you’ll eventually generate more leads. Once your audience sees your content on various platforms, they’ll be interested to call your office for an inquiry or appointment booking. 

This marketing strategy makes it easier for you to collect audience data and preferences. You can use the data to create more impactful messages that will drive leads.

Increase In Conversion Rates

An increase in lead acquisition also brings more conversion rates and higher return on investment (ROI).

Consistent marketing campaigns across multiple platforms to connect with the right audience will greatly increase their decisions to choose you as their healthcare provider.

Generate More Patients Using Omnichannel Strategy!

For traditional healthcare marketers who are used to tried-and-tested platforms, adapting to multiple channels with a broader and integrated approach might feel overwhelming.

Omnichannel marketing can be challenging but with the right approach to it, you can win more patients. 

A healthcare brand doesn’t need to be seen everywhere. Instead, you need to make strategic, coherent, and relevant approaches in selecting the channels that will bring you the maximum benefit.

• Project a consistent brand voice
• Make your website and pages accessible regardless of the device
• Give more importance to patient experience
• Test and persist your omnichannel marketing efforts

To make the most out of your strategies, consult an experienced healthcare marketing expert.

Got any questions about omnichannel marketing? Ask us in the comments section below, and we’ll get back to you the soonest!