“Where there’s a will (alongside some added guidance) there’s a way,” is a mantra most media professionals — myself included — are working with these days. The ability to cultivate media relationships to garner impactful press coverage has historically been a challenge in and of itself. Now, in the wake of global turmoil, writers and reporters are far and few between. However, identifying current media reps is only half the battle.
When Cision — a trusted media resource for agencies — published its 2020 Global State of the Media Report, our team quickly took to absorbing every bit of information relevant to our specific skillsets. We did the heavy lifting and compiled a shortlist of useful information and expert insight to share in a reader-friendly round-up format (don’t worry, we live for research and often spend our free-time learning in some capacity).
Share What’s Newsworthy
If you look at most stories now, you’ll likely see experts discussing reopening plans. For you, that means you should already be thinking about “back at work” stories. How can companies ensure social distancing in their offices? How has the lockdown changed office culture? What happens if an open business has a sick employee? These are stories relevant in the coming weeks.
However, journalists are realistic about COVID-19 fatigue setting in on audiences, but as this is a fluid situation most audiences still want regular updates, especially on a local level. One journalist mentioned that non-COVID-19 feature readership was also up, so if you have a feel-good local story don’t be afraid to pitch it. Another media rep expressed “I’d love to see more timely/local stories that are NOT about the virus. Even just one a day would be refreshing.” And finally, as one respondent said, “We could all use a little positivity in this crisis.”
Finding the appropriate angle is especially important when pitching at the moment; as each state is handling the crisis differently, many of the respondents are only interested in local news pitches. “Understand yours and our target audience and make sure your story pitch works with our publication’s demographic, area of coverage, and subject matter. Random press releases and generic pitches not tailored to our publication are useless and annoying.” As one respondent said, “Directly tell me in one or two sentences why this is important for the public to know about – not just why it’s important for the company or client.” Make sure you understand a journalist’s current coverage area. Ask yourself: “How does it fit into their world?” Make your announcement/story relevant to them and reposition your strategy and pitch angles when necessary to ensure you’re sharing the most relevant story possible for that outlet’s audience.
Spare the unnecessary details: We’ve all been guilty of oversharing at one point or another. In this specific scenario, remember the adage: “less is more.”
There are a few key components to keep in mind when putting together your pitch structure. For starters, a formal press release is an anchor for many pitches. Any additional information can be shared in the closing section of your release, otherwise: “Releases should state clear objectives so reporters actually understand how we can best leverage or support them.”
The “pitch” itself (ideally formatted as an email) should always be clear and concise. The results from the media were undoubtedly unanimous. Save the casualties for the time being: “We need to know the subject and location. (Stop) wasting prime real estate in the first line saying ‘For Immediate Release.’ Or, ‘I hope this finds you well.’ We need to see what it’s about without having to open it.”
Reach Out Using Preferred Methods
Use email to pitch journalists; unsurprisingly, many media reps are working remotely. No more are the days of a follow-up call to your local newsdesk. When asked, media reps provided their perspective, one of our favorite bits of feedback states “Emails are the least time-consuming option for us. (Brief emails, without elaborate, teaser introductory paragraphs.)”
Practice Strategic Timing
36% of journalists surveyed plan their stories daily or more frequently, while 42% plan a week to a month ahead. Keep these time frames in mind when you’re crafting pitches, especially if you’re planning to follow up (once is enough). Take this media rep’s word for it: “(Be) understanding if it takes days for journalists to get back, follow up if you don’t hear back in a few days – we get buried in emails! (But after the first follow up, a second probably isn’t needed.)”
Remember to also practice patience with your outreach plan. “Journalists are absolutely swamped, so it may take longer than usual to hear back from them,” (Cision, 2020). One surveyee notes: “I still prefer pitches via email; I’m more likely to open them over the weekend, when I’m not getting as many emails.”
Be A Resource
Efficiency is key: Provide all necessary materials for the story, including images and links. Assume that they’re not going to reply back to your email, but that they are going to write a story based on all of the information provided from your email.
Offer experts available for video interviews: This is a huge plus in a time when we’re all on video calls and watching more video on our devices at home. “Email remains key, but noting whether a guest/expert is available for a FaceTime/ Skype video interview is more helpful than ever.”
It is reported that nearly 30% of reporters consider an identified spokesperson as the most trustworthy source for media references to build any given story — comparatively, major wire distributions ranked second (at 21%), outsourced industry experts at third (nearly 20%) followed by a drastic decrease in credibility from 11% and lower across academic, consumer, other relevant outlets, government sources, former and current company staff, and even social media influencers who may have authoritative insight on the brand. As a friendly reminder: “Offer experts related to the news of the day. Don’t try to capitalize on the crisis by promoting clients in distasteful ways.”
View the Bigger Picture. Some media outlets have transitioned entire staff to cover COVID-19 and other types of stories have been put on hold. On average, 33% of reporters file 1-3 stories per week, 31% file over 10 stories a week and 24% file 4-6 per week. Comms professionals must continue researching outlets and journalists before pitching.
With a rapidly evolving news landscape it’s become ever more important to practice the proper (and rather unspoken) etiquette with media of every kind. You wouldn’t ask a love interest out for a date without practicing in the mirror more times than one would like to admit — so consider these tips to help you land that date (or in this case, media relationships and press coverage).
If you’re in the market for more info to strengthen your PR and marketing strategy, feel free to contact us.
Video is an often overlooked method of connecting with future (and current) patients and building credibility, especially in the medical industry. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more and more services have switched from in-person to hybrid or 100% online and people are utilizing digital platforms more than ever for things like finding credible providers and hosting virtual visits.
Video marketing for doctors is becoming more necessary in helping form personal connections by allowing people to get a sense of their doctors before scheduling a visit.
In this blog, we will cover why you should use video marketing for doctors, types of videos to make, and tips for ensuring your videos are successful.
Why Use Video?
Video marketing for doctors isn’t just about making specialist introduction videos to post on a website. Patient testimonials, informational videos, introductory videos for doctors, and office overviews are great tools to engage your audience and turn curious viewers into lifelong patients.
The first and most important outcome of video marketing for doctors is establishing trust and credibility.
When a patient can watch a quick interview with their physician, they feel a connection and gain an understanding of the doctor’s background, qualifications, and personality.
Many people searching for a provider will automatically self-disqualify if they feel a practice or particular physician may not be a good fit, so providing them with a glimpse into a doctor’s personality will help them feel at ease, knowing in advance who will be trusted to care for them.
They may feel drawn to a particular physician based on personal or medical backgrounds, forming a bond that helps the patient feel at ease with their provider choice.
On top of building trust, video marketing for doctors establishes a platform for education. People turn to the internet to search for medical information that pertains to their situation, so being a source of accurate information is a valuable way to position your practice. It also helps deter misinformation, as these videos are being produced by experts in the field and hosted by credible sources.
Video Types for Successful Marketing
Informational Videos
Many people search the internet to learn about their diagnoses and potential treatments, which is where informational videos come into play.
As a doctor, you may often find yourself explaining complex concepts to your patients repeatedly. If there’s a topic that comes up often in your practice, it’s probably a great subject for an educational video.
People usually turn to the internet to learn about a diagnosis or treatment before visiting a specialist, so providing accurate information is a great way to help guide a patient on their health journey. As a bonus, you’re establishing your expertise while providing education.
Patient Testimonials
Patient testimonials are another great tool to show your audience proof of credibility. Since video is more personal than a text-based review, patient testimonials can feel more like a friend’s referral. The audience can see the patient’s genuine enthusiasm and may feel more invested, as a result.
Introductions and Office Tours
Introductions and office overview videos provide a glimpse into the world of your practice. Viewers can get to know doctors, their backgrounds, their personalities, and take a tour of the office before even scheduling an appointment. Providing this type of content is an important part of video marketing for doctors, as it establishes a welcoming atmosphere for anyone considering an appointment.
For example, check out this introduction video we did for a new doctor joining the team at the Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies.
This video is great because it’s short, informative, easy to embed on on a website, use for a social post, or include in an email newsletter.
Tips and Tricks for Great Videos
Sound
Consider recording audio separately from video. You can find inexpensive, great quality unidirectional microphones to use, and this is an easy way to automatically increase the production value and professional feel of your video. A great tip to remember is to use a clapboard or have your subject clap in front of their face when sound and video are both recording, as it helps when the time comes to sync audio to video during editing.
Lighting
Lighting is another simple way to increase production value and make your videos look more professional. Simple, soft lights are preferred (even a large ring light is a great investment for this) and will help fill in any dark shadows if you’re also using overhead lighting, which can be unflattering on its own.
There are tons of great resources online that explain three-point lighting, if you’re looking to step up your lighting game even further. If you don’t want to use separate lights, natural lighting is a great supplement. For this, place your subject facing a window (don’t place the window behind them) and the natural light will be much more flattering than overhead indoor lighting.
Framing
When framing your scene, keep it simple. Avoid clutter in the background, and have your subject stand slightly off-center. While we love visual interest, a lot of background items can be distracting, so it’s a good idea to stage an area so it feels welcoming and clean, without distracting from the subject matter.
Length
You may have a lot to say about your subject matter, or want to help a new doctor get a complete introduction out into the world, but keep in mind that most people do not have the attention span or interest to watch a long video online.
Keep it simple! Ask yourself, “what are the main points I want to get across?”
It’s always better to provide the necessary facts and invite a viewer to contact your office for more information, or refer to an article or blog post that explains your video topic in more depth.
We want to establish trust, get to the point, and invite people to interact with your content. Keeping videos under two minutes is a great rule of thumb. If you have a longer video, consider breaking it into shorter clips for social media.
Include a CTA
A CTA, or “call to action,” encourages follow-up from viewers. It’s as simple as listing your phone number or website at the end of the video and saying something like, “for more information, get in touch!” You may want to offer a link to one of your blog posts or to the contact page from your website. The point is to encourage people to do something based on the content you’ve provided. Video marketing for doctors isn’t just about getting your practice seen; it’s also about creating a comfortable space for interaction with people who may be looking for guidance or services you offer.
Why a Distribution Plan is Important
Once you make your videos, where do they go? If they sit on your website, you may notice very little interaction, so creating a distribution plan will ensure you make the most out of your videos. When deciding how to utilize your content, you should first establish the purpose of each video. Is it short and educational? This may be a great candidate for not only your website, but YouTube and social media. Is it a tour of the office? In addition to your home page, this may be a great video to embed in a marketing email for new or potential patients. For more information about full funnel marketing check out this blog we wrote.
Think about what you want your video to accomplish and where it could best achieve those goals. Don’t be afraid to post cross-platform, either! The more people your video can reach, the better! Video marketing for doctors can be tricky, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a marketing agency with a video production team if you want help figuring out a plan or managing distribution.
No matter where you are in your marketing process, video marketing for doctors can be an effective way to humanize your practice and establish your expertise. Video brings people together and offers a more personal experience, which is why people are often more receptive to video marketing. With these helpful tips and ideas to keep in mind, you’ll be able to up your game and see more online interaction with easily made, high-quality videos.