We work with many types of healthcare companies and organizations, including med-tech startups, specialty pharma, niche biotechs, and non-profit associations such as patient advocacy groups. It is sometimes easier to implement effective and measurable PR in smaller organizations where the CEO and other senior leaders are directly involved in communications, especially on the corporate side. However, if company executives don’t implement proactive PR, they may eventually face an unwelcome crisis.
What some business leaders don’t get is that PR is not all about publicity. Fundamentally, it’s more about building relationships and aligning stakeholders to tell, validate, and promote a company’s story. The media is a very important part of telling the story, but there are many channels to reach the right audiences, and utilizing those channels is not as simple as it seems.
Especially in the complex, nuanced, and ever-evolving healthcare space, your PR partner has to know how to help you reach your business goals in a cost-effective manner.
If you are a healthcare business leader, here are five top PR must-haves for your organization:
1) The Importance of Clear and Consistent Messages
- Thorough Messaging Work: Many companies want to cut corners by not taking the time to think through their messages, or they’ll focus on promotional materials and expect their PR lead (whether in-house or an external agency) to use them. A credible, differentiated story can only be established through intensive messaging work.
- Core Message Set: Ideally, the PR team should collaborate with management to create a core set of messages to support a product, franchise, company, and/or division. From there, other functions can expand upon and adapt the messaging to their needs.
- Consistency is Key: Ultimately, the organization should have a consistent set of messages that pull through all internal and external communications. Otherwise, your story becomes splintered.
2) Walk the Talk
- Authenticity Matters: You cannot be a strong leader if you don’t believe in what you’re saying or can’t live up to the promise.
- Sustained Image Building: Leading a company is not like an election, where the goal is to gather votes at a single moment. You are building an image to recruit and retain the best talent and the most reliable customers. This image needs to be sustained over time.
- Self-Assessment: Ask yourself: Are the words you are saying and writing reflecting the true essence of what you are offering? Can you pass the “red face” test if challenged? Are you promising something useful and different? For example, can you easily swap in another organization’s name and still have your statement hold true?
3) Use Press Releases Wisely
- Strategic Use: Many non-PR pros think that PR is all about issuing press releases. Rather, the press release is just one of many tools at the PR practitioner’s disposal.
- Content Quality: A press release is only as good as its content. If you don’t have real news or an obligation to disseminate a press release, there are other ways to gain visibility without issuing one.
- Avoid Overuse: Frequent releases can turn off journalists. If they don’t see anything new or useful in your release, they will ignore it.
- Strategic Targeting: Save time and money by being more strategic and targeted in your communications approach. When you do have newsworthy information, the media will receive your press release more favorably.
4) Think Long-Term
- Ongoing Effort: PR should not be a “one and done” proposition. If you have an important milestone that requires PR (e.g., FDA approval, close of a funding round, major data presentation/publication, company or product launch), think about how each one fits into a broader PR strategy.
- Sustained Momentum: PR is most effective when planned over a long timeframe. A long-term PR plan can help your organization sustain momentum and share of voice, maintain a strong reputation, and meet business goals.
- Cost-Effective Strategy: PR, including organic social media, is typically the least expensive part of your marketing mix. If you have a tight budget, consider pulling a relatively small percentage from another area to ensure you are sustaining smart PR counsel.
5) Don’t Isolate. Integrate!
- Holistic Approach: PR should not be expected to succeed in isolation. PR alone cannot drive sales, but when implemented well, it can effectively support and bolster sales efforts.
- Central Role: PR is most effective when placed at the center of your business and marketing ecosystem.
- Organizational Integration: Smaller organizations with fewer decision-makers are especially conducive to integrating PR across functions. But this principle holds true for any organization regardless of size or type.
Sounds easy, right? It never is, but it can be much easier to implement an effective PR strategy when the right expertise is in place. If you don’t think you are utilizing PR as well as you can, we are always happy to lend some advice.