Healthcare marketers know the value of quality PR coverage for medical brands. It allows us to publicise new research, contextualise regulatory claims, and highlight benefits to payors, patients and healthcare professionals.
Media coverage and opinion amongst thought leaders should be helping you create an environment in which it’s easier to sell. But what if your media programme isn’t delivering? Let’s dive into why journalists might be overlooking your product, service or innovation, and how can you fix it.
The Cold, Hard, Truth
Maybe you’re just not being relevant; a recent survey of journalists by the PRCA found 75% of press releases were considered wholly irrelevant to the audiences they were writing for. A further survey of 3,000 journalists by media research company Cision revealed 1 in 4 journalists totally ignore all press releases.
So What Do Journalists Really Want?
Media coverage can have an exponential impact on the marketplace if done in a targeted, sustained and coordinated way. Think more creatively than just sending a press release, and answer these simple questions to keep your news relevant…
Does your news pass the “So What?” Test?
- It’s about the benefits not the features – how will you change the world of your audience?
- Are you in context with contemporary and future potential issues?
- Is the pitch being tailored to each audience?
- Have you got a strategy for exclusivity and co-creation with key media outlets?
- Are there visual elements to support your story?
- How will you rank for search?
- Have you got a ‘share’ strategy among sector influencers?
- Have you got the right spokespeople and key opinion leaders that the media are looking for?
- Where will your news lead the viewer, to further information or lead generation?
The Road to Better PR
Improving your PR strategy isn’t just about writing better press releases. It’s about understanding the media landscape, building relationships, and co-creating media packages that connect with both journalists and their audiences.
“I’m looking for compelling stories that truly resonate with patients’ lives, going beyond product features. We want to showcase the impact on individuals, with data-backed results, answering the question of WHY this matters to them”
A health journalist at Rapid News Group, publishers of European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer and Med-Tech Innovation.
Ready? It’s time for a personalised PR diagnosis.
Talk to us about building a PR strategy that makes a healthy difference to your business
“Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You” – Photo by Mohammad Mardani on Unsplash
