Marketing Hospice A Core Competency in Competitive

Marketing Hospice - A Core Competency in Competitive Markets : Marketing Hospice - A Core Competency in Competitive Markets Kathy Brandt, MS National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization kbrandt@nhpco.org NHPCO: The Leader in End-of-life Education


Seminar Objectives: : Seminar Objectives: At the completion of this program, participants will be able to: Identify key components of a successful hospice marketing campaign Discern the advantages of provider and direct-to-consumer strategies Develop a comprehensive marketing campaign


Myths about Marketing : Myths about Marketing Marketing is sleazy Hospices don’t need to market We would need a marketing team Marketing is expensive


Marketing is Sleazy : Marketing is Sleazy No matter what you call it – just do it! Outreach Engagement Education Public/community relations Sales If you don’t get your messages out – who will?


Hospices Don’t Need to Market : Hospices Don’t Need to Market Your competition is marketing their service Even if you aren’t talking about your services, your competition is Talk about what you do – not what your competition does or doesn’t do


You Need a Marketing Team & You Can’t Afford Marketing : You Need a Marketing Team & You Can’t Afford Marketing Everyone can and should be marketing Staff, volunteers, referral sources and survivors Advertising can be expensive… marketing doesn’t have to be Empower your staff and volunteers and you are half-way there!


Heard it From… NCHPP : Heard it From… NCHPP …how to integrate marketing into all aspects of your organization’s programs.  We tend to think of “marketing” as that department over there that writes the ads and produces the newsletter.  How can we work at staff buy-in that marketing has a role in increasing the ADC, enhancing relationships with providers, etc.  I happen to think that “marketing” should be at the table when all that discussion is going on. NHCPP is free to all employees and volunteers of NHPCO member programs – learn more at www.nhpco.org/nchpp


Staff Role in Marketing : Staff Role in Marketing CEO Clinical managers Finance department HR Physicians Interdisciplinary team members Volunteers


Hospice Marketing Challenges : Hospice Marketing Challenges Differentiation – how we are unique Competing with larger programs ($$) Getting attention of physicians Overcoming negative marketing Staff investment in marketing “not my job…” NHCPP has free discipline and topic-specific list serves – learn more at www.nhpco.org/nchpp


Hospice Marketing Challenges : Hospice Marketing Challenges Need scripting Non-admits (ineligible) Family reluctance Service Prioritizing family referrals Referral source education Starting the hospice talk When to refer (earlier!)


Hospice Marketing Challenges : Hospice Marketing Challenges Demonstrating ROI with consumer marketing Reaching faith communities Cultural barriers - fear What is hospice? What’s included/provided? What do I have to give up? NHCPP Marketing/PR/Development Section – learn more at www.nhpco.org/nchpp


Marketing consists of the strategies and tactics used to identify, create and maintain satisfying relationships with customers that result in value for both the customer and the marketer.http://www.knowthis.com/tutorials/marketing/about_marketing/1.htm : Marketing consists of the strategies and tactics used to identify, create and maintain satisfying relationships with customers that result in value for both the customer and the marketer. http://www.knowthis.com/tutorials/marketing/about_marketing/1.htm


Marketers Focus on: : Target markets Products/services Promotion Distribution Access Pricing Competition Services Service excellence http://www.knowthis.com/tutorials/marketing/about_marketing/2.htm Marketers Focus on:


1. Target Markets : 1. Target Markets Market to consumers or providers? Who are you trying to reach? Who can impact the decision to select your services? What do these influencers know about your hospice?


Spheres of Influence : Spheres of Influence Person living with Family Co- workers Friends Media Merchants Neighbors Faith Comm Health & Human Srv


Market Research : Market Research Test messages, language, images Challenge assumptions Look for gaps between what is and what is needed Research in and of itself is an intervention Shoestring research


Your Target Market Has… : Your Target Market Has… A particular need What is it? Decision making power Who will say “yes” to hospice? Access to my services How accessible are my services?


Hospice Market Research : Hospice Market Research Service Where people die Non-admits Referral sources Messages - focus groups Survivors Non-admits Health fair/community event


Survey Staff and Volunteers : Survey Staff and Volunteers Tell me about our organization. Who do we serve? What services are available? How can I learn more? How can my Aunt Jane access services? What are we doing right? What could we improve?


2. Products/services : 2. Products/services What are you selling/promoting? HMB? Palliative care? Community service? Is your program marketable? Does it have a good/great reputation? See a need, fill a need? How do you learn what the community needs? What do you provide that no other program has? What makes it unique?


3. Promotion : 3. Promotion How do people learn about your services? When you add a new service how do you promote it? What is your ROI for each promotion? Do you have different strategies and tactics for different audiences?


Types of Promotion : Types of Promotion Advertising Media planning Public relations Sales Community engagement


It’s Advertising if it is… : It’s Advertising if it is… Paid Public Non-personal Persuasive Promoting products (to existing and) potential customers


Advertising : Advertising Why You control the message, placement and timing Potential huge exposure When Need to reach large, new audiences Have money What Event Specific Message Image Presence


Hospice Advertising Ideas : Hospice Advertising Ideas Clip ad Inserts Yellow pages Online Bill boards Wearable Signage Bookmarks Movie theater screen Mass mailings


Media : Media If you want/need to control the message, pay for an ad Invest in relationships Learn about needs/motivations Pitch soft stories – complete package Identify your key message and work it into every answer Remember - no control


Hospice Media Ideas : Hospice Media Ideas Stories you can pitch Ride-alongs Volunteers (children, celebrities, pets) Hospice heroes Local spin on national story – hospice month, LIVE campaign Press releases New programs, services, people, space, recognition Photo ops Teen volunteers sort 1,000 donated teddy bears


Public Relations/Outreach : Public Relations/Outreach Friend raising Create visibility Develop distribution channels Thanks… PR doesn’t have a short-term ROI It’s all about relationships


Does Everybody Knows Your Name? : Does Everybody Knows Your Name? “Good afternoon hospice, how may I direct your call?” “My name is Terri and I’m with the Blue Team…” Email signature line, fax cover sheet T-shirts, bags and pens, oh my!


Put Your Best Foot Forward : Put Your Best Foot Forward No 2nd generation photocopies!!! Nothing leaves the building without 3 sets of eyes Test, test, test Badges in Publix (Safeway, Giant, Food Lion, etc)


Hospice PR Ideas : Hospice PR Ideas Join Civic Community Host Meetings Trainings Web site Support Volunteers and staff Dollars


Hospice PR Ideas : Hospice PR Ideas Tax Day (Hospice of the Western Reserve) Realtors (Nathan Adelson Hospice) Caregiver training Nursing home support groups VA outreach K-12 school curriculum Library/resource center Workplace outreach LIVE campaign www.caringinfo.org


Sales : Sales Focus on rapport Ask open-ended questions How did the last few referrals go? What can we do better? Differentiate from competition Here’s what makes XYZ hospice different … Bring something new each visit Information, follow-up, a smile Solution positioning Here’s how we can help you reduce after-hours calls from family caregivers… Close the deal So the next time, you’ll call us?


Maximize Each Contact : Maximize Each Contact Talk about what’s new If they ask for elephants, bring them peanuts too Promise something for next time, so you have a reason to come back!


Hospice Sales Ideas : Hospice Sales Ideas Prescription pad for hospice Brochure racks Monthly calendar of targets Welcome wagon – thrift store


Community Engagement : Community Engagement Involve community in improving EOL care – find out what changes people want Promote individual and community action Join the It’s About How You LIVE national campaign to improve EOL care – it’s free! www.caringinfo.org


Hospice Engagement Ideas : Hospice Engagement Ideas Coalitions Community caregiver networks Book clubs Advance directive facilitators Town hall meetings LIVE campaign toolkit www.caringinfo.org


4. Access : 4. Access Is your hospice ETDBW? What do the non-admits tell you? What do the short LOS statistics tell you? Who isn’t being served? Why? Who isn’t referring? Why?


Open Every Door : Open Every Door Expand your business hours Provide names to people “to schedule a consultation, call Jane at 555-1212” Don’t ask “how can we afford” instead ask “can we afford not to” Answer every question


5. Competition : 5. Competition What services do they offer? What don’t they offer that you do? What are their marketing messages? What are referral sources saying about them? What is their patient mix?


Star marketer shares secrets; taking toughest patient one way to grow referrals : Star marketer shares secrets; taking toughest patient one way to grow referrals One of Muselin's best strategies was to learn as much as she could about the competition by asking the referral source how things are going with the competing agency at every opportunity… She also made it clear the VNA would be willing to take patients the competing agency rejected. … home health online, Sept 9. 2005


Getting to Know You : Getting to Know You Get on a mailing list Attend events Join community groups Work together Competition – isn’t always a bad thing…


6. Service Excellence : 6. Service Excellence My pleasure, empowerment and other gold standards http://www.ritzcarlton.com/corporate/about_us/gold_standards.asp No bad days – backstage/front stage We are all each others customers Follow thru on all promises Which is easier to market - Ritz Carlton or Howard Johnson?


Just Do It : Just Do It Create a plan Communicate it Implement it Evaluate it Revise it


Create the Plan : Create the Plan Who is the target audience? What is your goal/objective? - What does success look like? What strategies (tactics) you are using? Which promotional pieces (tools) are being used?


Consumer Marketing Vehicles : Consumer Marketing Vehicles Newspaper ads Radio ads Yellow page ads Bookmarks in libraries or bookstores Billboards Community presentations Brochures (rack) Posters Newsletter articles Public service announcements Signage Web page Web marketing Exhibits What else?


2. Communicate the Plan : 2. Communicate the Plan Share the plan with staff and volunteers What is the core message? How can staff be involved? How to track their efforts? - outcome measures


Example : Example Target audience – faith communities Objective – via 10 speeches talk about EOL issues (see core message) Tactics – direct mailing to faith leaders, follow-up phone calls Tools – speakers bureau Core message – volunteer for hospice, refer family and friends, plan before crisis How can they be involved? Promote in their faith community, sign up to do a talk Outcome measure - # of speaking requests, # of presentations given


3. Implementation : 3. Implementation Focus on 5 key audiences and get to know each! Map out a 12 month plan Partner with other organizations to expand market base and reduce costs


4. Evaluation : 4. Evaluation Track success!! It all adds up! Set realistic goals and stretch Use numbers and stories Measure outcomes directly related to marketing efforts Differentiate program objectives and marketing objectives “No measures, no money”


Closing Thoughts… : Closing Thoughts… Language Image Make marketers Revise every job description - include marketing


Tools You Can Use : Tools You Can Use A Guide for Clinicians - Marketplace It’s About How You LIVE campaign --www.caringinfo.org LIVE – At Work Outreach Guide Latino Outreach Guide Advance Care Planning Outreach Materials http://www.knowthis.com/


Slide54 : Casarett, D. J. et. al. Ann Intern Med 2007;146:443-449 Factors That Are Associated with a Limited Prognosis and That Should Trigger Consideration of Hospice in Selected Diagnoses*


Slide55 : Casarett, D. J. et. al. Ann Intern Med 2007;146:443-449 Useful Language for Hospice Discussions


Nhpco.org/access : Nhpco.org/access Inclusion and Access Toolbox Increasing Access to Underserved Communities Children   Corrections Disability  Disease Ethnic Faith Geographic Veterans   Workplace Increasing Access through Provider Partnership and Outreach Assisted Living Home Health Hospices Hospitals Long-Term Care Physicians Senior Living (CCRC) Outreach and Marketing Tools and Tips 2006-2007 Outreach Guide and Materials: NHPCO’s Community Outreach Tools and Resources Caring Connections LIVE Campaign  Caring Connections Outreach Resources