Comments on: The Marketing Enigma http://takingthehelloutofhealthcare.com/blog/2009/02/15/the-marketing-enigma/ Healing Environments, Innovation and Health Leadership Mon, 21 May 2012 18:11:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Maggie Barnes http://takingthehelloutofhealthcare.com/blog/2009/02/15/the-marketing-enigma/comment-page-1/#comment-327 Maggie Barnes Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:15:50 +0000 http://takingthehelloutofhealthcare.com/blog/?p=747#comment-327 I'm the director of advertising for a hospital. When I got here, I had a staff of four. Now, it's just me and I strongly suspect I will lose my job before the snow melts. I am trying to bridge my facility into non-traditional forms of communication like the social medias to keep our profile up without spending a lot of cash. I'm also hoping to prove my worth to a CEO who doesn't know a radio flight from a FSI. I’m the director of advertising for a hospital. When I got here, I had a staff of four. Now, it’s just me and I strongly suspect I will lose my job before the snow melts. I am trying to bridge my facility into non-traditional forms of communication like the social medias to keep our profile up without spending a lot of cash. I’m also hoping to prove my worth to a CEO who doesn’t know a radio flight from a FSI.

]]> By: Nick Dawson http://takingthehelloutofhealthcare.com/blog/2009/02/15/the-marketing-enigma/comment-page-1/#comment-326 Nick Dawson Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:14:19 +0000 http://takingthehelloutofhealthcare.com/blog/?p=747#comment-326 Nick, Great article! I particularly appreciate hear that marketing takes on increased importance in troubled times. One of the questions I have been mulling over is what form that marketing should take. It seems like this is the perfect time to heed the advice of The Cluetrain Manifesto and start developing 1-on-1 relationships rather than posting more billborads about being the top cardio program in a given region. Your point about making sure any reductions are implemented intelligently is a salient one. While its not always black and white, making a decision based on data analysis has got to be more accurate than taking a swipe at non-patient services. Thanks again for the insightful post! Nick,
Great article!
I particularly appreciate hear that marketing takes on increased importance in troubled times.

One of the questions I have been mulling over is what form that marketing should take. It seems like this is the perfect time to heed the advice of The Cluetrain Manifesto and start developing 1-on-1 relationships rather than posting more billborads about being the top cardio program in a given region.

Your point about making sure any reductions are implemented intelligently is a salient one. While its not always black and white, making a decision based on data analysis has got to be more accurate than taking a swipe at non-patient services.

Thanks again for the insightful post!

]]> By: Mike Russell http://takingthehelloutofhealthcare.com/blog/2009/02/15/the-marketing-enigma/comment-page-1/#comment-325 Mike Russell Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:01:41 +0000 http://takingthehelloutofhealthcare.com/blog/?p=747#comment-325 Nick, I think you’ve hit the motherlode here. The erroneous idea that marketing is a cost center, rather than (the correct understanding of it) as a profit center, tends to be one that even smart organizations are most susceptible to falling into during times of financial challenge. Of course, this isn’t specific to healthcare. As you note, clients can benefit greatly by seeking out guidance and mentoring from companies like yours and Cathy Corathers' that can help them identify areas to improve their operational efficiencies, adopt better revenue management practices, etc. *without* throwing out the top line marketing/business development baby with the bottom line cost containment bathwater. In my experience, it's all about making smart decisions, not just ones that "seem" right at the time. That's where the creative insights and sound judgment needed to make those critical distinctions come into play. Ultimately, they're the secret sauce that makes all the difference between success and failure. Nick, I think you’ve hit the motherlode here.

The erroneous idea that marketing is a cost center, rather than (the correct understanding of it) as a profit center, tends to be one that even smart organizations are most susceptible to falling into during times of financial challenge. Of course, this isn’t specific to healthcare.

As you note, clients can benefit greatly by seeking out guidance and mentoring from companies like yours and Cathy Corathers’ that can help them identify areas to improve their operational efficiencies, adopt better revenue management practices, etc. *without* throwing out the top line marketing/business development baby with the bottom line cost containment bathwater.

In my experience, it’s all about making smart decisions, not just ones that “seem” right at the time. That’s where the creative insights and sound judgment needed to make those critical distinctions come into play. Ultimately, they’re the secret sauce that makes all the difference between success and failure.

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