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In response to this Content Marketing article, I wanted to share my perspective on some of the topics that were debated by the panelists. At DavidHenry (marketing and media company), QUALITY will always trump quantity. To use media placement as an example, would you rather have 15 billboards in average locations for your campaign or 5 billboard locations that are excellent to reach your intended audience(s)? Content is not any different. Quality of content is essential – and your writing style, core message, communications platform, program and media should ALL reflect your brand. To the panelist who mentioned “quantity leads to quality” – I 100% disagree. Your content needs to be engaging, compelling, relevant, and most importantly in marketing – motivate someone to take action!

In today’s highly competitive markets, where marketing budgets are so closely monitored and return on investment (ROI) is the bible by which to gauge the success of your efforts, its important to focus not only on the services that you provide to clients, but the manner in which they are provided.

The front face of any company is crucial. While some may think it’s only the end result and ROI that makes or breaks an effort, the service delivery can often leave the most lasting impression on your client.  In a recent Forbes article, Tom Post shares his best and worst customer service experiences.  Bottom line?  Customer service is fairly easy – be timely, be responsive, be customer-focused, and do all that you can — within reason and “business sense” — to keep your customers coming back.

It’s said that it takes 5 times as much effort to recruit a new client as it does to keep an existing one – are you doing all you can to retain your clients – and keep them happy?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tompost/2013/06/04/the-best-and-worst-customer-service/

Hospital websites today are often dynamic and slick looking with sliding images of good-looking healthcare providers, photos and videos of the latest diagnostic and surgical equipment, and plenty of platitudinal language about being a state-of-the-art and leading edge healthcare provider.

While this promotional language is deemed to be important in ‘selling’ hospital benefits to the community; what consumers really need is a relevant information portal that can be a true resource when making healthcare decisions for their family.  Hospitals can benefit from having a clear path to important information regarding safety and quality as well as hospital departments and service offerings.  Consumers also need to be able to navigate the site quickly and easily and connect immediately with hospital departments and physicians.

In her August, 2013 article, It’s Judgment Day for Hospital Websites, HealthLeaders Media writer, Cheryl Clark speaks directly to this issue in detail and highlights an initiative that is giving hospitals a reason to build and maintain more transparent and user friendly web sites.  In 2012, seven hospital transparency website awards were presented through a partnership of The Leapfrog Group and URAC.  The criteria for winning focused around five key areas including transparency, design, credibility, literacy and connectivity.  Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 awards.

A hospital’s website should be a clear gateway to the content a consumer needs to make informed healthcare decisions.  In what has become a crowded and competitive healthcare market, this level of transparency a step in the right direction for marketers and a chance for hospitals to truly demonstrate the important role they play in the lives of the patients they serve.