CLARITY IN COMMUNICATION

Many hospitals use the term diagnostics to refer to their imaging technology. Consumers, however, may see diagnostics as something else entirely. This can seriously undermine your marketing efforts.

DIAGNOSTICS UNDEFINED
Our Pulse360 survey revealed that consumers have an expansive variety of services they consider to be diagnostics. When asked, nearly a quarter of respondents said diagnostics meant blood work. The next largest group, 22 percent of respondents, thought of ultrasound. From there, responses fragmented into several directions from CT and MRI to mammograms and X-rays. The consensus was that there simply was no consensus.

START WITH THE END IN MIND
This consumer confusion can render any marketing effort ineffective. In advertising, the message is king. And the key to crafting an effective message is to start with the end in mind. Ask yourself, “What do I want the consumer to think after seeing this ad?” Your answer is your core message. Clearly identifying and defining this message is the first step to successful communication.

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS WISELY
The second step to effective communication is clearly conveying your message. Here, it’s important to remember that there are two parts to every communication: sender and receiver. To be an effective sender, you must choose words that your receiver will completely understand. Even a commonly used industry term such as diagnostics can convey a very different message than you intend.

If you are ever unsure about a term, ask your consumers. Find out if they define the word the same way you do. Or, give us a call. We may already have tested it in our Pulse360 research.

If you would like to learn how The Adams Group and Pulse360 can impact your hospital’s marketing program, please contact our president, Wayne Adams, at 888-765-1223 or email wadams@adamsgroup.com.

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