Take Five: 5 healthcare marketing predictions in 5 minutes

As we approach the final days of 2021, I’m ready for a year-end pause—a “take five,” if you will. It’s time to take stock of our wins, derive lessons from our losses and consider how to start 2022 recharged with a full tank of “let’s DO this.” (Maybe that’s just me.) My new year preparation process also includes outlining a few predictions. Given the challenges of the last two years, I’ve found that sharing my thinking with others not only helps refine my own perspective but can also contribute to the collective consciousness in meaningful ways.?

At Cedar, a consumer financial engagement platform for healthcare providers and payers, we’ve achieved thrilling milestones in the last 12 months, like raising a $200M Series D funding round and acquiring OODA Health. As a tech unicorn valued at $3.2B, we must continue to innovate our products and messaging, drive growth and bring the best possible experience to healthcare consumers as well as those who serve them.??

With over 20 years as a marketer, the last 6 in healthcare, I’m more hopeful than ever about the future as my team strives to make an impact in an industry that has traditionally been slow to change.?

1. The line between B2B and B2C marketing will continue to blur

As the role of the consumer has changed in healthcare, burgeoning direct-to-consumer (DTC) organizations have flooded the market. Companies and health systems that serve patients have started to filter marketing strategies through a different lens. This is not the “we tell you what’s best and you’re gonna deal with it” ways of the past—the tone is much more collaborative, empathetic and educational. (We’re all healthcare consumers, after all, even if we’re also business leaders.)?

By connecting to the patient perspective, even in B2B marketing, messages resonate more. We’ve found success at Cedar speaking through the lens of the healthcare consumer and staying closely aligned to consumer needs when talking to organizations interested in our solution. I think we’ll see more of this next year as healthcare companies realize that reaching the consumer is long overdue.?

2. Hybrid is now a way of life

Despite widespread vaccine availability in the U.S., COVID-19 is still very much impacting individuals and crushing hospital capacity. Some of us are back in the office—sometimes. Some of us never left in the first place. And some of us will never have to leave our couches to work again.?

This variation means many professionals will still be shackled to their screen all day, conducting virtual meetings, attending digital events and trying to build connections with colleagues and prospects while praying to the wifi gods for audio clarity.?

As public health uncertainty abounds, marketers must weigh virtual fatigue against new variant virality. But it goes beyond that. Many people have family commitments to juggle and hellish commutes to consider. Others shudder at the thought of yet another virtual wine tasting event and are eager to return to in-person activities.?

To meet target audiences where they are (all over the map), marketers must offer more options. Take a hybrid approach. Virtual, on-demand, IRL, you name it. That means more work, more complexity and more budget, but it will also be the only way marketers can deliver results in the coming years.?

3. To break through the noise, outbounding efforts will have to be personalized

Like many of you, my inbox is full of copy-and-paste emails from vendors and sellers. As a victim (ahem… prospect) of these campaigns, I find the aggressive sales tactics annoying, but I actually open many of these emails just to see what I can learn from others who are also trying to connect with enterprise buyers. Are the value props relevant? Do they use a groan-worthy pick-up line? Does it include an embedded video of someone waving at me with a sign that has my name written on it? (Please stop doing that!)?

At best, these emails are too generic. At worst, they’re full of typos and incorrect information that damages the offending company’s brand. There’s a real opportunity for healthcare marketers to personalize their outreach—even if it just takes a few minutes to research someone’s role and key pain points. Keep the message on point and authentic. Those who bring value through every interaction will see the best conversions. Given how much clutter we receive every day, a little effort can go a long way. In the future, this will actually be a requirement to find any level of engagement with prospects.?

4. Tech backlash will keep marketers on our toes

The proliferation of misinformation across tech platforms has changed the way we communicate. The steps tech giants will take to curb misinformation isn’t clear yet, but marketers will need to stay nimble to respond. We are part of the problem here, don’t forget.

We’ll see a resurgence in some traditional channels (like direct mail and OOH) and further reliance on trusted influencers to reach key audiences. Ethics in marketing must remain top of mind given the significant influence we have on consumer beliefs and behaviors. We must be careful not to add oxygen to a fire that could have dangerous ramifications for public health.?

5. Living your mission and values will matter more than ever to recruit and keep talent

“The Great Resignation” has changed the way marketing leaders build their teams. Perks like unlimited vacation and free lunches may be table stakes now, especially for those in health tech. To attract the best talent, companies need a clear mission that’s easy to get behind and a position on DE&I that goes beyond lip service.?

At Cedar, we put a spotlight on DE&I initiatives in 2021, starting three employee resource Groups and launching an anti-racism pledge along with public goals to keep us accountable. And this is just a start, an early signal of our bigger commitment to this imperative.?

Healthcare companies may have a leg up over other industries when it comes to mission, but top talent knows how to discern between marketing fluff and a company that truly empowers employees. Many times, this can come down to representation. Centene, for example, has been lauded for its commitment to a diverse workforce. As of January 2021, Centene reports 75% female employees with 64% in supervisory positions. People of color make up 50% of the workforce; 36% in supervisory positions. Additionally, 42% of Centene’s board of directors identify as women or people of color.?

In 2022, hopefully those numbers won’t seem so unique.

Have any predictions you’d add to this list? I’d love to read them in the comments. Most importantly, I hope you get to take a pause of your own to reflect and relax before the year ends.