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How Can Group Purchasing Organizations Help Hospitals Bottom Line?

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One of the staples of the healthcare and hospital supply chain is the GPO, or group purchasing organization. 

These organizations have been around for over 100 years. Why do they have such incredible staying power? It’s because they help hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other healthcare facilities significantly reduce supply-related costs. 

Just how effective is GPO cost cutting when it comes to helping hospitals save money?

GPO Cost Cutting: How GPOs Help Hospitals Reduce Costs

GPO purchasing networks are an important component of the healthcare system. Like doctors and nurses, they are on the front lines when it comes to patient care. GPOs support healthcare providers, as well as their patients, by providing safe, reliable products at more affordable prices. This benefits the hospitals by reducing overhead, which allows healthcare workers the opportunity to provide their patients with optimal care. 

According to the Healthcare Supply Chain Association’s most recent report, GPO cost cutting results in overall savings of more than $34.1 billion annually. Over the next decade, they’re also projected to reduce healthcare spending costs of hospitals and nursing homes by over $450 billion. Additionally, the report found that GPOs can help hospitals: 

  • Increase transparency: GPOs can help hospitals with supply decisions that will improve their efficiency, because of their expansive knowledge of all the products and services on the market.
  • Improve emergency preparedness: GPOs are true partners to their healthcare members. They help them prepare for natural or man-made disasters. They also help hospitals respond to public health threats after disasters occur. 
  • Increase their cybersecurity: AI, digital medical devices, and online services are helpful and necessary in our digital age. Unfortunately, they’re also vulnerable to cybersecurity threats that can jeopardize the health and safety of patients. It can also open hospitals up to the threat of lawsuits if a patient’s privacy is violated, or if they are physically injured as a result of the breach. GPO purchasing networks can provide hospitals with innovative products and/or services that also protect providers against cybersecurity threats. 
  • Prevent drug shortages: GPOs collaborate with government agencies (like the Food and Drug Administration) to ensure that there is an adequate supply of drugs, products, and supplies for patients’ needs. They also look for ways to address potential drug shortages. 
Illustrative chart depicting billions of dollars in healthcare system savings effected by GPOs, with positive testimonial quotes

Source: Healthcare Supply Chain Association

GPOs can help hospitals improve their efficiency and productivity. By finding the best prices for hospital purchasing, GPOs help ensure that hospitals are fully stocked with life-saving inventory, while also reducing work for the admin department. Price discounts and purchasing efficiency in the healthcare supply chain increases the predictability in supply chain management and ensures healthcare supply chain best practices. 

How GPO Cost Contracting Can Benefit Suppliers 

We know how GPOs help hospitals – they aggregate purchasing volumes, and then use that as leverage to negotiate discounts. How does that benefit Suppliers?

GPOs need to make sure they’re working to benefit their partners – you, the supplier – to ensure Suppliers get the value from the contract they need. Developing a good, trusting relationship with a supplier will help both parties in the long run. 

The GPO-Supplier Relationship

Your GPO representative will inform you of what their members (the hospitals) want in terms of volume of supplies, as well as the amount they can invest. That transparency fosters trust and can help you build a long-term relationship with your GPO. 

For manufacturers and suppliers, working with a GPO can help: 

  • Identify opportunities
  • Ensure consistent revenue
  • Net you many clients in a short amount of time
  • Shorten the selling period and streamline sales
  • Increase exposure for your company
  • Increase sales opportunities (particularly those that were once only open to larger suppliers)
  • Enhance your company’s sales efficiency

GPO Purchasing Networks Also Improve the Lives of Patients

Healthcare group purchasing organizations can see every aspect of the healthcare supply chain. They work hand-in-hand with doctors and hospital administrators every single day. Because of that, they play an integral role in the healthcare system, improving the health and lives of millions of patients around the country. 

A table illustrating several GPO accomplishments that helped to improve patients’ lives

Source: Healthcare Supply Chain Association

While the idea of developing hospital slippers for kids or special diapers for premature infants might not seem like a big deal to some people – it is a huge deal for the medical team, parents, and children. 

GPOs Meeting the Needs of Their Healthcare Partners

More hospitals than ever are facing financial pressures like never before. While budgets shrink and hospitals close, the patient population rises. Hospitals have to find ways to cut costs without impacting the quality of care they deliver to their patients. 

Such a challenging task often requires outside assistance. That is where GPOs come in to help hospitals save money and ensure optimal patient care. They do this by leveraging the hospital’s purchasing power as well as peer collaboration. As the healthcare field and the healthcare supply chain continues to evolve, the partnerships between healthcare suppliers, GPOs, and hospitals will be more important than ever. 

Share Moving Media wants to help you serve your patients better, too! Learn how our video messaging services can help educate your patients about your services and how to improve their health. Contact us today!

5 Ways You Can Use Webinars in Healthcare to Achieve Marketing Goals

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It took a pandemic to show us just how valuable the internet can be for maintaining business productivity. Quarantines, stay-at-home mandates, and school closures are the reason 71% of American workers are currently working from home. All of these people rely on the internet to remain connected to their business associates and clients. From online meetings to virtual workshops, the internet has been essential nowadays in propelling businesses forward.

The healthcare industry is no exception. In particular, webinars in healthcare have been an effective tool in helping healthcare suppliers achieve their marketing goals. These video workshops allow people to tune in from all over the world and attend educational seminars about the latest in industry trends and products. 

They’re an efficient and engaging way to distribute important information to a large audience with minimal effort. Their numerous benefits make them a powerful communication tool and should be considered in any healthcare business’s digital marketing strategy. 

5 Ways Webinars Help Reach Marketing Goals

Regardless of product, service, or niche, all healthcare suppliers have one thing in common: they all have marketing goals to drive sales. From medical sales to hospital distribution, healthcare suppliers industry-wide can benefit from the use of webinars. Here are five ways you can use webinars to achieve your healthcare marketing goals.

1. Reach a Wider Audience 

With webinars, there are no geographic constraints. Since people don’t have to travel to attend, they can tune in from anywhere in the world. Many webinar services allow you to record the session and post a link to the webinar after it’s gone live. You don’t have to worry about time zones as people can watch when it’s convenient for them. By eliminating borders, webinars enable you to reach a global audience you otherwise may have missed. 

Also, because attendees aren’t traveling to a destination to attend in person, they don’t have to take time away from work to participate in the seminar. They can simply close their door and watch from their desk during lunch hour. This appeals to people who may not have gotten approval to leave the office or are otherwise too busy to attend a workshop in person. Webinars help broaden your reach to a much larger target audience.

2: Give Credibility to Your Brand 

Webinars are highly cost effective since there are no venue or travel expenses involved. For this reason, you’re able to bring in high-quality keynote speakers who are experts in their field. Since they can host the event remotely, they’re often much more affordable for webinars. When you can bring in top talent to address your audience, you give credibility to your brand. 

Experts can provide quality insights that answer your audience’s questions, allowing you to serve as a resource for your prospects. When you deliver this kind of value, you position yourself as an authority in your field. This helps build trust among your followers and drive brand loyalty.

3. Increase Content for SEO 

A big marketing goal for healthcare suppliers is increasing conversion rates through SEO. The key to maximize SEO is content. The more quality content you have on your website, the more material search engines have to scan and index for ranking purposes. This increases your chances of landing a high search engine ranking, which increases your brand awareness and drives traffic to your site.

Webinars are a great way to generate content for SEO. You can turn previous material into an interactive webinar that keeps people on your site longer and entices them to engage more with your brand. You can also take a webinar you’ve already hosted and convert it into a blog post, an article, or an email. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. By simply repurposing your own material, you can create a positive experience for your audience and develop valuable content that boosts rankings and conversions.

4. Achieve Best Lead Generation

While webinars are typically free to attend, they do require registration that, at the very least, includes an email address. This is essential for you because it means you’re gaining contact information from people who are showing an interest in your business. This opens the door for easy marketing communications since you know they’re looking to you for meaningful information. 

New prospects may be drawn to your business because of your webinar subject. Sales qualified leads who are ready to buy may be registering to compare your product to your competitor’s. Either way, webinars are invaluable for meeting your customers at any point in their sales journey and navigating them through the sales funnel.

5. Educate Current Customers 

Webinars are extremely versatile and provide numerous ways to educate your customers. Workshops can be informative with experts explaining the latest in healthcare regulations. They can be product demonstrations, showing real-time use and highlighting key features that may not make sense in a still photo. Your company could host a Q&A forum, allowing customers to ask company leaders questions about your business. 

Webinars allow you to meet the specific needs of your audience and educate them on your business, your products, and how you fit into the healthcare marketplace. This is important because people like to make informed purchase decisions, especially in the healthcare industry where customer goals are to provide dependable, proven, and safe products to their end users. Webinars can answer their questions, build their confidence, and make them comfortable buying from you.

Share Moving Media Includes Webinars in Your Marketing Strategy 

The majority of people are currently relying on the internet as a way to remain connected for business productivity. Today, webinars are an especially important element of digital marketing strategy. Share Moving Media is a full-service content and media company that develops videos, graphics, articles, and webinars for the healthcare industry. We pride ourselves on providing our customers with the tools they need to boost mindshare, profitability, and market share.

If you’re ready to grow your business and deliver valuable content through quality webinars, contact us today!

6 Actionable Tips Every Healthcare Marketer Needs to Try Out Right Now

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Marketing is a must for any company that not only wants to keep its head above water but wants to thrive in any economy. 

But like the economy, marketing best practices don’t remain static. There is ebb and flow, depending on: 

  • The age of your target market
  • World events
  • The goals of your customers

To ensure you get the growth you want and avoid wasting time and money on ineffective marketing techniques, we’re sharing six tips in healthcare marketing. These tips will help you stay at the top of your customer’s minds and attract new ideal customers. 

6 Up-to-Date Tips in Healthcare Marketing

The advertising and marketing tactics of the 1950s and 1960s are not as effective in the 21st century. But even the tactics of the past few years can prove to be ineffective and make your company seem outdated, which is why it’s vital to stay up to date on the latest marketing trends.

Here are some of the best tips in healthcare marketing for 2021. 

1. Focus on Quality Rather Than Quantity 

Yes, posting often is helpful. It can move your content up the Google chain and help put your content in front of your audience more often on social media. 

However, if you post sub-par content just to post often, you risk your reputation. Potential customers might think that if healthcare suppliers are not willing to post quality content, why would they make quality physician office supplies, equipment, or PPE products?

Taking care to create quality blog posts, videos, and social media posts that are educational, informative, and appeal to your customer’s wants and needs can make your content stand out. 

2. Address the Changes/Advances in the Healthcare System 

Each year, we hear of incredible innovations like AI assisting (or completely performing) with certain medical procedures, as well as technology that helps doctors and their teams educate patients in-office. Or next-generation applications like Infervision, which utilizes AI to help radiologists/doctors diagnose lung conditions faster, including cancer and COVID-19. Downloads of apps like this are expected to reach nearly 300 billion by 2023. 

Chart, bar chart Description automatically generated

Source: Cisco – Next-generation application downloads are expected to rise. Use this knowledge to improve your healthcare marketing efforts.

Your customers are interested in this technology. They know that utilizing it in their practices or hospitals can help them improve patient care and even see more patients each day. 

Blogs, videos, or social media posts about the advancements in healthcare can help you attract attention. Plus, you can impress your customers by providing useful, educational information about the technology they’re interested in, especially if it’s in easily digestible increments.

3. Utilize Videos

According to Hubspot.com, 97% of marketers state that video posts help them explain their products in a way that’s easier for their audience to understand. 

Another benefit of video is that many people are visual learners. Reading blogs is helpful but when they see videos, they’re more likely to retain the information. 

Video is also a fast way to show the benefits or superiority of your products.  

4. Incorporate Multi-Channel Marketing Initiatives

Your customers are omnichannel. They shop from their desktop computer, tablets, and phones. The more initiatives you can provide, the better. Options include: 

  • Contact forms
  • Your phone number prominently displayed
  • Text messaging
  • Chatbots

All these options help create a unique user experience and promote engagement. You appeal to people who love to do things the old-fashioned way (telephone calls), as well as those who love to reach out to their favorite brands on various social media platforms. 

5. Regularly Refer to Your Brand Pyramid

A brand pyramid answers questions about your brand and audience. The visual can be shared with your entire marketing team or organization to make sure everyone is on the same page. 

Referring to your pyramid regularly during your content strategy sessions can help: 

  • You come up with content ideas
  • Make sure your posts are on-brand

If your messaging is consistent, you’re more likely to build a loyal following – individuals and companies who are more likely to invest in your products. 

Your pyramid will include five levels: 

  • Functional benefits: What are your customer’s problems or pain points? Why would a potential customer be interested in your product? How does it help them? What kind of results can they expect?
  • Emotional benefits: How will your customer feel after using the product?
  • Brand/product persona: If your brand was a person, what values would be important to them? How can these core values be expressed in your marketing materials? 
  • Brand idea: This is why your customers care about your brand. It’s the DNA of your brand – what you stand for and what sets you apart from similar companies. 

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6. Manage Your Online Reputation 

It’s estimated nine out of 10 consumers check online reviews before making a purchase. If you don’t have a good online reputation, you can bet that you’re losing out on some sales. 

Thankfully, you can remedy this situation by managing your online reputation. One way to do this is to respond to comments on social media or review websites. If the feedback was negative, make sure to be gracious. Thank the person for their honest feedback. Show that you’re willing to discuss the matter further in private, either to offer them a refund or otherwise help them. 

You can also answer customer questions on social media platforms. Again, if you receive a negative comment, thank them for their feedback, apologize for any inconvenience, and try to work out a solution. Not only will this improve their opinion of you and build trust, but it will also impress others who are watching the conversation unfold. Customer service is incredibly important to your reputation and ultimately, to your bottom line.

How to Cut Through the Noise with the Latest Marketing Best Practices

Have you done a Google search lately? If so, you might’ve found it a bit disconcerting. For just about every search, it seems there are thousands (if not millions of options). You might feel even more discouraged knowing that a lot of people won’t take the time to scroll past the first page of results.

Keeping yourself and your marketing team up to date on the latest marketing practices can help improve your visibility. Implementing modern tips in healthcare marketing – like incorporating voice search or click-to-call options – can make you more attractive to your target audience, too.

It will take some time and effort to learn the latest best practices – but ultimately, it will be worth it!

Interested in boosting your visibility? Share Moving Media is a full-service media company that works with medical and healthcare suppliers. Contact us to receive your free visibility analysis and see how Share Media Media can take your marketing to the next level!

Social Media Isn’t Enough: Why You Need Content to Feed Your Media Mix

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Social media is an effective way to connect with and engage your online audience. However, when it comes to an impactful content marketing strategy, social media isn’t enough. 

Today’s consumers spend nearly 3 hours a day on social media. It’s a great way to reach a highly targeted audience with custom messages, and users can share information easily for an even broader reach. But social media posts are just one aspect of a successful content marketing strategy. To reach more people in the healthcare supply chain, medical sales, and hospital purchasing, you should create an omnichannel media mix that will attract attention, drive traffic to your site, and generate revenue.

Keep reading to learn about content marketing and why social media isn’t enough to feed your media mix.

Quick Takeaways

  • Content marketing is the creation and distribution of information that provides tailored solutions and answers to users’ unique needs.
  • Social media should be one element of an omnichannel content marketing strategy.
  • There are five main reasons why social media isn’t enough for a successful content marketing strategy, from limited visibility to hindered conversions.

What Exactly Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is the creation and distribution of useful information that answers users’ specific questions and addresses their unique needs. Forms of content marketing include:

  • Email campaigns
  • Blog articles
  • Social media posts
  • Videos
  • Newsletters
  • Print materials (like direct mail and brochures)

Today’s consumers are more discerning than ever before. With the help of the internet, they’re able to conduct their own research and find the brands and products they feel will best meet their needs. For this reason, content marketing is extremely important. Content that resonates with readers delivers numerous benefits. It helps to:

  • Raise brand awareness
  • Set you apart from the competition
  • Deliver valuable resources to your readers
  • Establish your business as a thought leader
  • Provide expert information
  • Drive traffic to your site
  • Solidify brand loyalty and repeat business

Content marketing is an impactful way to establish and foster relationships on a deeper level. People will think of your business for their solutions and will be more likely to recommend you to their network of contacts. This helps build a successful media mix that drives business, increases sales, and continues to grow your company. 

The following video explains the ins and outs of content marketing and the best approach for optimal results:

5 Reasons Why Social Media Isn’t Enough

Although social media is an effective channel to incorporate into your content marketing plan, it cannot singlehandedly sustain your efforts. Here are five reasons why social media isn’t enough.

1. It Doesn’t Reach Your Entire Audience

It’s true that 82% of the U.S. population actively uses social media. However, by using social posts as your sole means of content distribution, you could exclude a significant portion of your prospective customers. Social media use differs between demographic groups. If you’re targeting people between 18 to 29 or 65 and older, you’re not reaching them through this medium. That’s why it’s important to include social media as an omnichannel approach. 

Social media use varies by demographic.

Image Source

For maximum results, it’s best to reach people where they’re spending their time. This means sending email campaigns, publishing blog articles, and posting on social platforms to ensure a wider reach. The more channels you use, the more people you’ll connect with and deliver content that resonates. 

2. It Limits Visibility

Social media platforms use algorithms that affect who sees your posts in their timelines. Organic posts that don’t boost through paid ads offer no guarantee that your audience will see them. As a result, tracking reach and overall impact of this aspect of your content marketing campaign can be difficult. Email campaigns and display ads not only increase visibility but also provide trackable data that can help improve the effectiveness of your efforts. While social media can limit your visibility, including it as part of a media mix is a good way to engage your audience while increasing brand awareness. 

3. You Don’t Own Your Content

Any time you share content on social media, the platform obtains ownership of the material and can redistribute it for its benefit. If your entire content marketing plan revolves around social media, then you don’t own any of your material. Expert blog posts are an effective way to create original content your company owns. You control who sees it and how it’s used. You also reap the financial benefits. 

Losing ownership of social media content isn’t detrimental as long as you have other material in your content marketing arsenal (like blog articles and whitepapers) that belongs to you and is under your control.

4. Online Experiences Begin with Search Engines

Studies show that 93% of all online experiences begin with a search engine. When healthcare suppliers or group purchasing networks are looking for products and services, they don’t immediately head to social media platforms. They enter their question into a search engine, which directs them to websites that provide answers and solutions. If you’re only focusing on social media posts as your content distribution method, you’re unlikely to appear on search engine result listings. That means you’re losing business to companies who appear on the listings. 

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To stand apart from the competition, you need to create a well-rounded content marketing campaign that includes multiple sources for content. This enables search engines to identify you as a helpful resource for their users and rank your company among their recommendations.

5. Doesn’t Drive Traffic Straight to Your Website

To get people to make a purchase, you need to drive traffic directly to your website. While social media posts can help build brand awareness and increase audience engagement, they don’t necessarily help conversions. To reach your site, social media users must click on one more link, adding another step to becoming a customer. While social media posts can be a tool to help guide people to your website, they don’t directly boost conversion rates. 

Develop an Effective Content Marketing Strategy 

Share Moving Media is a media and content company that provides communication and educational resources to healthcare businesses. Whether in group contracting or hospital distribution, our experts can help you create a content marketing strategy that gains market share and positions you as a leader in the healthcare industry. 

Contact us today to learn how we can help you create an effective content marketing strategy!

4 Things to Tell Trade Magazine Editors About Your Brand to Boost Your Healthcare Marketing

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The internet has changed the face of healthcare management. Now that people can do their own medical research online, they’re empowered to make more informed, proactive decisions about their healthcare. As a result, healthcare suppliers must work harder to set themselves apart from the competition.

From hospital distribution to medical sales, healthcare marketing is a must in gaining brand awareness, building a loyal following, and increasing revenue. Trade magazine marketing in healthcare can be a highly effective tool in a brand’s development strategy. You’re able to use a reputable source to target an audience who could be interested in your products or services. 

But trade magazine editors aren’t all-knowing. While they can do some basic research, they don’t know everything about every brand. You’ll have to supply them with the information they need to promote your services, attract your audience’s attention, and help you stand out from the competition. 

What Makes Trade Magazines an Effective Healthcare Marketing Tool?

People who want to gain industry insights into the latest trends and products rely on trade publications to keep them updated. These magazines are continually evolving to meet readers’ needs, sharing information that resonates based on the feedback members provide through trade forums and workshops.

Trade magazines can be an effective healthcare marketing tool because:

  • They have a long shelf life. Many people collect trade magazines and businesses leave them on lobby tables for future reading. By publishing information about your company in a trade publication, you not only reach people right away when the magazines are first distributed. You can reach even more people in your industry days, weeks, and even months later.
  • They introduce readers to companies and individuals who are leaders in healthcare. Through articles, ads, interviews, and research findings, trade magazines help companies build a relationship with a targeted audience. You can position yourself as an authority in your field, creating opportunities for customer loyalty and increased traffic to your pipeline.
  • They offer more than publications. They provide virtual networking opportunities, online forums, downloadable resources, and libraries of content. They’re an invaluable resource to industry professionals and can help boost brand awareness and drive sales.

What Should Trade Magazine Editors Know About Your Brand?

You’re not the only healthcare supplier trying to reach people through your industry trade publication. Lots of other companies will take out ads, provide interviews, and contribute content to the same magazine in which you want to appear. So why should prospects pay attention to you? 

Customers are always looking for a solution to a problem. Let your editor know what your brand can do that others can’t. Share information that makes your organization unique. Here are four things editors should know about your business to maximize this brand awareness opportunity. 

1. Your Story

Nothing is more uniquely you than your company’s story. How did your business get into this industry? What motivates you to be the best at what you do? When people better understand who you are as an organization, it gives them a chance to make a connection with you. Transparency builds trust, and people tend to do business with companies they trust. 

In addition to sharing information about your background, use this opportunity to highlight things about your business that are unusual in the industry. Tell about any state-of-the-art techniques you use. Discuss your values or mission statement. Promote your lower rates or faster shipping times. Whatever it is that you can do differently or better than others in your industry will give you a competitive advantage. 

2. Your Archetype 

Part of your individuality is your brand’s archetype, a recognizable way people can relate to your organization’s personality. Maybe you’re the visionary, the likable company next door, or the hero. Whatever it is, your archetype can help shape your brand’s story. It can stir emotions within your audience, help you to resonate with potential customers, and leave a lasting impression.

Archetypes make your brand more identifiable and memorable. They help set a level of expectation for what kind of experience prospects can anticipate from your brand. Archetypes help you stand out in a sea of competitors. They’re invaluable to building authentic connections with your audience that lead to loyal customers and increased sales.

3. Your Market Research 

Market research is another way to show how your company stands out from the competition and adds value to your industry. In healthcare, confidence is essential to sales. People want to know the products they’re buying are tested, trusted, safe, and effective. If your company has conducted medical research, share those findings. 

Not only does this position you as a knowledgeable resource in your field. It shows that your brand makes educated, informed decisions. You’re proactive about ensuring that your products meet quality standards, and you’re willing to educate others in your industry. All of this solidifies your position as a healthcare leader and useful resource that benefits your trade as a whole.

4. Reviews from Brand Ambassadors

The involvement of stakeholders can be highly influential when educating people about your brand. From group purchasing networks to physicians, people are undoubtedly satisfied with your products and services and willing to share their reviews of your business. These first-hand accounts and experiences are likely to impact the purchase decisions of others. 

Be sure to include reviews from brand ambassadors especially when they’re from a known individual or company. If someone is already trusted and respected in the industry and recommends your business, it lends authenticity to the review and credibility to your brand.

Tell Share Moving Media About Your Brand

Trade magazine editors want their publications to contain meaningful information that brings value to readers. By giving them important information about your brand, you help them craft useful articles that provide valuable resources to their readers while promoting your business. 

A full-service content company, Share Moving Media creates and distributes quality content like articles and publications for the healthcare industry. We know the right questions to ask to learn what makes your brand different from others and help you reach a wider audience and grow your business. 

To learn more about how to generate brand awareness through trade publications, contact us today.