Our approach to laying a foundation is industry agnostic - and we’ve done that on purpose.
Regardless of your company, stage of growth or audience, relationship building and simple communication is key; and a messaging foundation gives you all that, effortlessly.
However, healthcare does add a layer of complexity to any message and that is due to its stakeholders. Their pain points, motivators and even name preferences vary from state to state and system to system; And failing to recognize these factors is often what leads many founders to struggle through their growth (check out the Founders Survival Guide for more information).
Remember - there is a lot at stake. Relationships are the key to forging partnerships, aligning with key health systems and securing an anchor investor. And if you use the wrong word or fail to connect with the pain point of your audience, the relationship you are working to build dies (along with your business).
Luckily, there is hope.
Here are three elements to include in your message design.
Layer them on top of the messaging foundation framework so in addition to a fantastic content strategy, you’ll also master the art of crafting a healthcare specific message.
1. Communication Goals
Goals provide direction for your communication efforts; So, before designing a message or learning about your stakeholders, consider what you’d like to accomplish and how. Are you raising awareness about a particular health issue? Or educating your stakeholders about a service you sell? Are you asking clinicians to shift their workflow? Establishing clear goals not only helps you craft the right message but it helps you identify who to target. Who is the decision maker? Who is the influencer? These are critical components to define and without a goal, you won’t know where to start.
2. Motivators
What does your audience want or need? Do they struggle with fear? Does your product solve a problem for some and create a challenge for others? In the hospital for example, a service that may help the C-suite may cause concern for the clinicians on the floor. Dig under the surface to discover the motivation behind your audience’s thoughts, feelings and actions. The rest of your strategy will fall into place from there.
3. Stakeholder-Specific Language
Recognize the power of words. Each word has the capacity to connect with a feeling, or motivate a behavior. If you are communicating with patients, for example, you will want to use language that is compassionate and empathetic. If you entered a health system where physician assistants are called advanced practitioners and doctors are never called providers, you’d better know that before trying to build trust. Knowing your audience, intimately - and the specific challenges they face - helps you choose words which meet them where they are.
By keeping these three things in mind, you can communicate empathically, building lasting relationships with your stakeholders & build an even stronger Messaging Foundation.
For more information on messaging foundation and its power to help you grow, visit https://www.jessicaovadia.com/about