Marketing has historically targeted male consumers. The tide has changed and many businesses are realizing that women make the vast majority of purchases, including health care decisions. If you are not already targeting your female audience, here are some reasons you should.
Women currently control more than 60% of all personal wealth in the U.S. They are projected to control two-thirds of consumer wealth over the next decade. Women are making 80% of healthcare decisions for their family. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation report, women are choosing their children’s doctors (85%), are taking them to their appointments (84%) and are ensuring they get the prescribed care (79%).
What this means to you is that even if your target audience is male, you should still market your practice in a way that resonates with females. They are ultimately going to be the final decision maker for their family.
Get Social
Women are online and are influencing the buying decision of others. According to Pew Internet Project (PIP), 70% of women are using social networking sites. They are using these sites to seek the advice of others and to provide recommendations. Peer-to-peer recommendations are highly sought after by women. Approximately 35% of women trust product reviews more than a review that is posted on a companies website. Having an active social presence provides a forum for patients to share reviews, ask questions, learn and share with others.
Get Found
A medical website is as important today as having a phone number. A website is a window into the practice. While researching medical providers and facilities, women are taking a peak into the practice by first viewing their website. The site should contain not only contain contact information and services offered, it should also have a variety of tools at the visitors disposal. It should include information on the provider(s), informational videos, FAQ’s, information request forms and an appointment-scheduling feature. Many women are looking at websites after hours. Having a way for potential patients to reach out to the practice during this time will help boost conversions.
Get Blogging
According to PIP, nine out of ten adults find the information shared by health professionals to be more helpful that information shared by a lay person. This means that the more information shared by health professionals online, the more informed the community. Having a blog is an excellent ways to share compelling, relevant content. You are your medical specialty expert. Share information surrounding your specialty with others in a fun, engaging manner and over time you will gain loyalty, followers and patients.
Get Mobile
The majority of searches online are executed through mobile devices, 17 million of which are for health information. With one in three phones being smartphones, it is essential for practices to have mobile ready or responsive websites. Women are not going to want to pinch to zoom to view your content and will most likely move along to a competitor’s site that is responsive.
By considering the needs of the female consumer when marketing, medical practices, facilities and providers can win the respect and loyalty of patients, prospects and their community.