The new marketing hybrid

Integrating Traditional Skills with New Media Savvy

As hospital marketing departments address evolving new media channels, new skill sets are needed to supplement traditional marketing expertise.  This may mean reconfiguring the responsibilities and job description of an existing staff member, or if the budget allows, hiring a new staff person solely dedicated to new media.  Elizabeth Scott, President and Principal Strategist, Raven New Media and Marketing, Louisville, KY, shares the following insights for developing and deploying this new “hybrid marketer.”

1. Define the role:  This person will be responsible for implementing and monitoring the organization’s new media strategy.  That includes creating and managing web-based content in new media formats, in accordance with usability principles for content and navigation, site standards, and posting policies.
2. Identify the required skills:  Skills are specific and dynamic, and include expertise in creative writing; online project management; e-business; search engine optimization; CRM; microsite development; and web monitoring, metrics, and analysis.  When work includes social media, expert-level experience with blogs, communities, wikis, RSS, mobile media platforms, multimedia online film and audio management, and other social media tools as they emerge is also required.
3. Create an appropriate job title:  Consider web-themed titles such as “Interactive” or “Online” Marketing Manager; those focused on media types such as “Multimedia” or “New Media” Manager; or those targeted at social media such as “Social Media” or “Community” Specialist.  Avoid using the term “manager” for social media titles since, by definition, social media or communities are not managed internally by the organization.
4. Recruit candidates from non-traditional sources:  Experts in this field are “wired” so look for them on web job boards, social media user groups, and networking sites like LinkedIn.  They are attracted to creativity, fun, and a gaming mentality, so consider posting a recruitment video on YouTube.  And don’t assume that anyone with a MySpace page is fluent in new media—work with an expert to develop a skill test for this role.
5. Invest in ongoing training and education:  “Groom and grow” your expert by engaging a consultant with new media expertise or a seasoned expert from another health system as a coach or mentor.  Have your staff person attend conferences or complete online courses.  Sites such as eMarketer.com are also helpful.
6. Integrate the new role into the department:  Make it clear that this is a collaborative role that feeds and supports other marketing team members.  Create “share” sessions with colleagues on a regularly-scheduled basis and don’t allow silos of information.  Insist that the new role demonstrate value to the system quickly and regularly in order to maintain and grow the program.

Source: Elizabeth Scott can be reached at escott@ravennewmedia.com

What elements are necessary to implement a successful awareness campaign?

Awareness campaigns are often the first step to introduce your audience to a new service, staff member, program or facility.  Unfortunately, awareness campaigns have been used as a stand-in when more substantial marketing, branding, credibility or trafficking campaigns may be needed. 

By definition, awareness campaigns are designed to build familiarity and create top-of-mind brand affiliation.  Do not count on an awareness campaign to do more than it is designed to do.  It is not the best method to convey complex messages, emotional appeals, branding messages, lists of services, building credibility or traffic.  Awareness campaigns should leave your audience with a simple name and affiliation that can be recalled when they need it. The very succinct message or name should have a sustainable ring that stays with your audience – “Remember X when you need it.”

A progressive, modern awareness campaign has:

1. Support from top management. Leadership must walk the walk, talk the talk and reinforce the message constantly.
2. Measurement/metric thresholds that can be repeated with exacting accuracy before the campaign, three months, six months, one year and several years later to account for trending and awareness campaign investments.
3. A simple name, icon or message. If you have more than three words for your audience to remember, your statistical chance of unaided recall is significantly diminished.
4. Longevity.  Your awareness message needs to be an essential element in future marketing, branding or communication campaigns. It doesn’t have to dominate future campaigns, but it must be present.
5. A viral appeal. The best awareness campaigns are repeatable by your audience.  If you don’t use your audience to springboard your message, you’ve missed out on a million-dollar opportunity.  They spread the word.
6. Natural integration ability.  In our modern world of communication, your message has to be not only compatible with social media, existing web messaging as well as traditional modes of message delivery, but also include incentive for your message advocates to persuade them to incorporate the message into their own social communications. 
7. Easy access to more information. Don’t forget to include a “go to” element – a site, microsite, phone number, etc.
8. Unaided recall.  If your audience can’t remember it, you’ve wasted your time and money. There is no such thing as an awareness message being short or too frequent.

Follow these guidelines and you will have a productive and measurable awareness campaign.

Elizabeth L. Scott
escott@ravennewmedia.com