Friday, May 27, 2011

The Golden Rule of High Gas Costs

We are all painfully aware of the increased cost of fuel and sometimes there is no choice left but to pass some of that increase on to customers. Just last week I read an article on the HME News website about high gas prices impacting delivery and shipping costs for providers.

Obviously no one wants to pay more for the same goods and services; informing your patients of higher rates, even just a few cents, can feel like a balancing act. It is important to keep them informed yet you want to keep them happy. Though it may not seem like it, this is a mini marketing exercise for you! Any time you have communication with a customer there is an opportunity to strengthen or weaken your brand. If you do have to increase pricing due to fuel costs, be up front with patients. Let them know you are actively monitoring costs to continue to provide a level of service they have come to expect from your company. 

However you deliver your message (email, statement stuffers, phone calls, etc.) the most important element is to be clear in your communication. Building trust with customers is important for repeat business. If you are ever in doubt, use The Golden Rule: Picture yourself as the patient. Would you be satisfied with your own communication? If your answer is "yes," then you're probably on the right track. If your answer is "no," readjust... or get a hold of me!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Element #1 - Read, Read, Read

I was fortunate to have some great teachers along the way who exposed me to articles and books written by philosophers, psychologists, politicians, scientists and artists. I didn’t always agree with the opinions I read but, among other things, it taught me there are always multiple sides to every issue.


The same is true with marketing. Marketing is a buzz word right now which means there is a lot of information from a lot of sources. Read everything you can - even if it doesn’t seem to relate to you, even if you disagree with what you read. If you are new to marketing, reading will help to familiarize you with some of the basics. If you’re already a pro, reading will keep you current and spark some new ideas. Simply ‘Googling’ topics and searching through the results is a great place to start. Here are a few of my favorite resources to get you started:


HME Business (April 2011) Editor's Note
HME Business
More likely than not, you are familiar with HME Business. There is plenty of information on their website and you can also subscribe to the magazine for free. It isn’t dedicated to marketing but mentions it frequently. In fact, the April 2011 issue Editor’s Note (written by editor David Kopf) is all about ramping up HME marketing efforts.


Marketing Profs
This website has a wealth of information broken down into brief, easy to understand articles. Sign up for a free membership, you will learn a lot!


Entrepreneur - Sales & Marketing Section
Dedicated to small business, this website has a lot of information for business owners about marketing and beyond. The Sales & Marketing section contains resources from how (and why!) to create a marketing plan to tips for improving your social media.


You’re doing all this reading... but now what? Start applying your new marketing savvy to what you’re already an expert in: your company. If you get excited by a sales idea you read about, ask yourself how that works for your patients. Did learning about company blogs interest you? Start writing about topics relevant to your patients or referral sources. Just remember to trust yourself. If you get stuck, send me an email!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Find Your Formula

I’m a science nerd at heart. Before discovering marketing & design, I started my college career on the path of a biology major so it’s no surprise my approach to marketing is a bit, well, scientific.


Marketing strategy is like a chemical formula: a series of elements mixed together in specific amounts, sometimes at specific times, to create a desired end result. All the vehicles for marketing - advertising, brochures, social media, promotions, etc. - are like the elements in your formula. The trick is experimenting with the combination of elements until the result is just right. I created Laboratory Marketing to help other people discover how to experiment, how to find their formula.


Be sure to look for the articles tagged with “elements” on the Laboratory Marketing blog. Coming soon, there will be a series of articles on the focusing on different tips, tricks and suggestions you can incorporate into your marketing strategy. If you ever have any questions about what you read here, please leave me a comment or send me an email!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Jumping In

I quit.

It's funny how two little words that seem so final, so permanent, can leave so much to question. But that's what I did. I quit. I quit my full-time, steady paycheck, sit-at-my-desk marketing job to pursue this new adventure I've called Laboratory Marketing.

As any good business owner knows, one of the first rules of marketing is to know your target audience and "everyone" or "people who need it" are not going to cut it. Laboratory Marketing is focused on the medical community, especially home/durable medical equipment companies. I've worked on national automotive accounts, launched an energy drink, created campaigns for universities, promoted a brewery but there's something about the HME industry that seems to be calling. 

I will admit it's a little scary. (My husband will probably tell you the same thing...) But beyond that initial scary is only excitement! There are two things I love most in my professional life: one of them is marketing. It only makes sense to share it with "people who need it," right?

I'm jumping in with both feet. Stick around... it's going to be a great journey! 

And if you're one of those "people who need it," what are you waiting for? Send me an email!