Earned Media: Public Relations Strategies for Health IT

Public Relations operates under a new set of rules in today’s digital world.

PR is no longer something a business hires out to gain newspaper, magazine, radio, and TV buzz.

No, today, PR is EARNED on blogs, through social media, in podcast interviews, on guest blog posts, on webinars and Google+ Hangouts, and YouTube viral videos.

So, how do you go about earning media?

Health IT Public Relations: 3 Keys to Success

1. WHO is your target audience? The first question to answer is getting crystal clear on WHO you are trying to attract to your website and marketing/sales system. Do you provide software solutions for Emergency Rooms? Are your services targeted at multi-location outpatient specialty surgical practices? Knowing WHO your target audience is the first step in a strategic public relations approach. 

2. WHAT is your STORY? What Story do you tell about your product/service? More importantly, what story connects with your target audience? For example, Voalte provides communication solutions in busy hospital environments such as ER and critical care units. Nurses are the heros of the Voalte story, both on the company website and in industry publications.

3. WHERE does your target audience go for information? This is THE key question to answer when it comes to achieving PR success. However, many health IT marketers make a big mistake. They focus on answering this question first, without a clear understanding of WHO is the target audience, and WHAT is the message.

When you try to short-cut the PR process, a tactical, disjointed PR approach emerges. The focus is on quick wins.

As an example, a wearable tech firm has an opportunity to be featured in a TechCrunch guest blog post. However, the target audience for the wearable technology are people with chronic hypertension. They are older, over 65 years old, and trust the recommendations of doctors, specially their own doctor. They use technology, yet fear it. 

While the TechCrunch post might get lots of readers, it fails to connect with the target audience. Perhaps a WebMD or AARP, or getting on a panel discussion that appears on the National Council on Aging is a more effective fit.

While building and executing an effective earned media, public relations strategy for a health IT firm certainly involves more than answering these three questions. Without doing some serious thinking and research to get clear on these three basics, your PR chances for success are limited.

Let’s talk and see if we’re a fit to help you with your PR strategy. 

Schedule a Digital Health Consultation Today.