If your marketing strategy isn’t data-driven, you’re not alone. Data has played a role in advertising for decades, going back to market research focus-grouping to understand feedback on branding. In the health care space, however, data is often underutilized due to fragmented systems and a lack of integration between marketing and clinical data. With over 97% of health care data still untapped, vast opportunities for creative, targeted solutions remain undiscovered.
The future of health care marketing lies in combining the potential of data with the power of human intuition to create targeted, personalized campaigns that resonate with specific patient demographics and health care providers. But even as access to real-world data (RWD) has become increasingly widespread, there’s still a gap between a company having data and actually implementing it to make data-based decisions. We can’t all be database analysts with a decade’s experience in interpreting health care data. It’s a shame because, if we were, we’d see more truly personalized, impactful campaigns and fewer brands switching agencies every few years.
The key lies not in firing everyone without a data science background but in making data more accessible across skill sets. Here are three steps to separating the wheat from the chaff and developing an effective data strategy for healthcare marketing:
1. Begin with a clear objective
When facing a sea of data, the first step isn’t diving in; it’s establishing a crystal-clear end goal. Before you touch the numbers, bring your creatives, data scientists and business strategists together to align on what you want to achieve. For example, you may want to boost prescriptions or increase market share among a specific demographic.
Don’t spend a dollar until you know how it makes you two. Anchored by an objective, your analysis becomes intentional: You can develop two or three hypotheses to explore and let the data confirm or disprove them.
This approach prevents endless rabbit holes and keeps your team focused. Maybe you think your creative isn’t resonating because it’s too broad: Can you use the data to segment more and create messages that engage different target audience personas?
2. Let data fuel your creativity
At its core, data analysis is about curiosity and discovery.
If the data shows that a condition disproportionately affects Hispanic populations, you can allocate additional resources to developing culturally tailored marketing materials. If it primarily affects young adults, social media and influencer marketing should take center stage in your strategy. On top of that, data insights can help tailor messaging by media channel.
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RWD also helps fine-tune your timing and geography. Peaks in seasonal conditions like allergies vary by region, so a data-driven campaign ensures you’re reaching the right audience at the right time. Tools like PurpleLab’s Cohort Report reveal not only how many patients have a condition but also important demographic details that marketers can use for highly targeted, relevant campaigns.
3. Keep empathy at the heart of your strategy
Data points represent real people, many of whom are facing life-changing diagnoses. After all, we’re not just selling products; we’re interacting with patients whose health is on the line.
RWD can be your tool for creating empathetic, effective messaging. For example, RWD can reveal what patients with challenging, lifelong diseases need to hear across their journeys, from diagnosis to remission.
This is where health care marketing becomes a delicate balance of art and science, requiring creative storytelling and data-driven insights. The art lies in crafting compelling narratives that build trust and connect emotionally with patients and health care professionals. The science involves using data to understand patient needs, treatment trends and behavior patterns, ensuring campaigns are targeted and effective.
Together, these elements help create marketing strategies that not only resonate but drive meaningful results in a highly regulated and complex industry.
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