Marketing Methods in the Electronic Medical Record to Stay Competitive

The Electronic Health Record (EHR) software industry has seen a deluge of new competitors. And that shouldn’t come as a surprise to companies marketing these services. Here are some marketing methods in the electronic medical record market to help you stay competitive. In 2015, the Global Digital Health Market generated $51.3 billion. Moreover, Global Market Insights claims this industry will experience 25.9% annual growth from 2016 to 2024. For EHR marketers, this saturated and highly-competitive industry can be a real headache. But that doesn’t mean market saturation has to be a bad thing. Yes, it means there’s plenty of demand, but it also means there’s potential for innovative companies to scale.

Here are some proven marketing methods in the electronic medical record along with customer-centered, inbound-driven tactics successful Electronic Health Record (EHR) software companies are using to benefit from this saturated market:

1. Create valuable as well as useful content

Supplying instructional content regularly is one of the most efficient means of driving website traffic. By creating 2 weekly blog posts (at a minimum), these EHR companies provide helpful, valuable, and memorable content to their potential clients. Do the same. And don’t neglect your keyword research. Incorporate your long-tail keywords into all of your content, including titles. But don’t limit your content to social media and blog posts. Sprinkle these into your content strategy:

• eBooks
• White papers
• Case studies
• Industry reports
• Webinars

Webinars are especially useful in building relationships with prospects through live Q&A sessions.

2. Incorporate influencers into your content

More often than not, decision-makers consult industry leaders before purchasing new technologies. These influencers’ opinions carry weight. And a study from Tomoson found that influencer marketing has become one of the most powerful tools for acquiring customers online. How do you find your EHR industry influencers? Obviously, the first step is identifying clearly your target customer. After that, it’s pretty straightforward:

1. Identify their pain points
2. Find the forums where they discuss these challenges
3. Find the social media groups they turn to for advice
4. And identify the people whose opinions they value

The latter are the influencers. You can try and reach out these influencers yourself, or you can turn to some tools that help simplify influencer marketing – FollowerWonk, BuzzStream, GroupHigh, and MuckRack, for examples. Consider including influencers in your Content and Inbound Marketing Strategy.

3. Promote how-to content

Your potential customers want simple and actionable solutions. Meaningful how-to content – whether blog posts, videos, or animations – delivers the kind of information your target audience craves. Optimize your blog posts for Google, and keep them around 600 words or longer. And videos should be quick, engaging, and to the point. This gives the impression that your EHR solution is not only easier to use and implement, but it also improves the chances your prospects will buy. Consider Medical Realities. They’ve created a virtual reality tool for training medical students. And to capture the attention of their prospects, they posted a 360-degree YouTube video of their technology in use.

4. List your company in relevant health-related directories

Dozens of directories are available for listing your Electronic Health Record (EHR) software company. For example, Global Health Insider lists health and medical companies that target lab, immunology, and rehabilitation technologies. Companies can list their telephone numbers, email addresses, and websites. By including your EHR company in these kinds of directories, you improve its Google+ ranking, enhance your web presence, and gain an edge on the competition.

5. Participate in forums and blogs

Search Google or BoardReader.com. You’ll find numerous forums relevant to EHR. Pay attention to those forums with the most engaged followers. Your target audience will likely turn to these boards to inform their buying decisions. When you find questions about problems your company could solve, share your answers. And provide a link back to your website. When these forum users begin to recognize you as an industry authority, you improve the chances they will come to your company when the need arises.

6. Submit articles to health and medical journals

Content Marketing Institute found that 80% of B2B buyers prefer articles over ads when making decisions about a product or service. This is especially true of health and medical professionals who must remain up-to-date on the latest findings and technologies in their field. Among the most influential journals in the health and medical field are:

• Harvard Health Journal
• American Journal of Preventive Medicine
• Journal of Adolescent Health
• Mayo Clinic Proceedings
• The Lancet

To better position your company as an EHR authority, encourage your in-house thought leaders to publish in the online versions of these journals. Bonus: you’ll gain valuable backlinks.

7. Create your own social media groups

For all the marketing power social media provides, creating your own EHR-specific could very well be one of the most effective means of engaging potential customers. If that’s something you simply haven’t got the resources to moderate, then join an existing group. For example, consider the Innovations in Health group on LinkedIn. Though created by Philips Healthcare, the group has drawn nearly 150,000 health and medical professionals who discuss the latest technologies and obstacles in their industry.

Summary

Differentiating your Electronic Health Record (EHR) software company from its countless competitors requires you leverage available opportunities in content marketing and online health and medical communities. This means positioning your company as a leader. Distribute the informational content your target audience desires. That is something you should be working with your company’s EHR experts to create and distribute. And, honestly, we have made it sound a bit too easy. Many of these tactics require more time and energy than most EHR companies have available. And yet they are crucial. We at Responsify are here to help. We team-up with EHR marketers to build winning strategies, provide support, and assist in executing the tactics that will help your company differentiate and succeed in this saturated market. And, of course, that means boosting website traffic and converting quality leads into satisfied customers. Let’s talk. To find out how your EHR company can not only compete but also thrive, request your free strategy session now. We’ve got your back.