The Five Opportunities that You Cannot Miss.
As a hospital, you have many opportunities for reaching out and getting noticed. The health and wellbeing of your community is paramount. Unfortunately, your hospital may be missing out on key opportunities to raise awareness of the vital programs and services that can greatly benefit the public it serves.
Public relations is a set of practices that can increase attention and shape the perception of your business. When combined with marketing and advertising, public relations can enhance the central messages being distributed by your hospital and create a stronger impact in your community.
These are the five opportunities where public relations can help your hospital:
- To serve as the central source of health-related information in your community.
- To be a resource for important healthcare topics and trends that matter to your patients and families.
- To coordinate events and activities that promote the awareness of your hospital’s programs in the community.
- To evaluate and improve community perceptions and attitudes about your hospital.
- To plan and execute programs designed to fulfill the above opportunities.
Your hospital should think of public relations as more than a press release. It’s a process that involves many different strategies that contribute to a stronger image of what your hospital is to the people it serves.
A cohesive program can help your hospital build acceptance among the community, increase the credibility and claims of your marketing and advertising, break through the clutter seen through local media outlets, and reach out to the primary target audiences… and do all of these things in a cost-effective way compared to mass advertising.
As with any marketing communication function, strategic planning will help you monitor your resources and ensure you do not overwhelm your community. Don’t continue to miss out on publicity opportunities that your hospital deserves. Develop and maintain a public relations program for 2014.
