How To Start Re-Ramping Business Development Marketing

David Marlowe, principal, Strategic Marketing Concepts

The United States has experienced hundreds of thousands of confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 100,000 deaths. On the economic side, millions have been furloughed or have lost their jobs. And, sadly, “we are not anywhere near done yet,” notes David Marlowe.

Here’s an excerpt from Marlowe’s new article:

The health care system has been hit hard by this situation. Frontline providers are under tremendous strain, and a number of hospitals have become virtual 100 percent ICU centers. Nearly all elective work has stopped to free up capacity — and the result has been an unprecedented financial hit to provider organizations.

As of today, hundreds of hospitals and systems have furloughed significant percentages of their staff; close to half of the group practices in the country have done the same, and most organizations are experiencing losses that if not corrected or supported soon will likely result in closures. Marketing departments have virtually stopped all business development-oriented marketing efforts and out of necessity have become almost exclusively crisis communications functions.

But again, as I write this, there are the very beginnings of a glimmer of hope that our society may start to — slowly and in phases — come out of the darkness into something closer to normal. COVID-19 cases are hitting their apex in many — but certainly not all — markets. Federal, state, and local government leaders are discussing trigger points and plans to reopen society.

And health care provider organizations are, to varying degrees depending on the severity of the pandemic in their immediate market, starting to consider how they will reopen regular health care operations.

The rest of Marlowe’s article examines some of the factors he believes hospital, health systems, and provider-based marketing functions need to start looking at to get ready to help their organizations fully reopen.

Read it now: Provider Marketing Recovery: What Do We Need to Do to Get Ready for Business Development Marketing?

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President