Simple Math: Demand+Brand Builds with Lead Generation
Healthcare
Simple Math is a four-part series introducing BVK’s demand+brand strategy for health plans. This third installment provides a deeper dive into the pivotal demand+brand pillar: Lead Generation.
The world of health care has always been complex. With the advent of the pandemic, economic recession, and concerns about social justice, the complexities have grown exponentially. Consumers are struggling to make difficult decisions. Health plans are no exception, with consumers increasingly distrustful whether their needs will be met with affordable benefits with the providers they want.
Health plan marketers are tasked with growing and retaining member volume in the unique and complex environment of the pandemic, economic recession, and social justice movement. Being a sales-driven category with marketing often taking a back seat, the focus has inevitably been on features and benefits that are often indistinguishable from the next plan (and a far cry from features offered by national plans).
The formula for success involves some unique math: 1 + 1 = 3. No, this is not an addition mistake. Rather, it is a multiplication strategy. At BVK, we call it demand+brand. It is our strategy for telling a compelling and defensible story of business growth for health plans. Coupling values-based brand building with lead generation and customer experience best practices produces the potential for short-term sales and long-term growth and differentiation.
The upside of adding brand building (long-term growth/sustainability) to traditional health plan demand generation (short-term growth) is speed. While demand generation sometimes produces long-term sales growth, brand building + demand generation nearly always produces short-term sales growth that continues to build. Simply put: 1 + 1 = 3.
Lead Generation
In our perpetually connected digital world, one amplified by the isolation of the pandemic, a website optimized for lead generation is the ideal digital hub for health plans. Key aspects of a highly functional demand generation website are rooted in common sense but often overlooked. Without the digital hub operating on all cylinders, lead generation campaigns often fall flat.
- Include a contact number. Adding a contact number to website may seem counterintuitive, especially if you are marketing digitally. However, doing so builds consumer trust and lends credibility to your offer. The presence of a phone number breeds confidence in your brand.
- Post forms everywhere. Having easy access to the actual lead generation form is paramount to increasing the number of viable leads through your website.
- Use power words. Powerful, action-oriented verbs to bring your health plan offer to life are both compelling and pivotal in understanding the benefits of your brand over competitors.
- Add testimonials. Testimonials can be a powerful marketing tool, particularly if supported by photos and video or audio. Together the testimonial adds credibility to your plan.
- Consider the end-goal first. When optimizing your site, begin with the end in mind. What exactly does a lead mean to you? Defining the ultimate end game will enable you to test and analyze with leads clearly and cohesively.
Once a digital hub is solidified, we begin to build a lead generation strategy that drives traffic to the website center point. There are four pillars of building volume that include:
Craving is centered on audience profiles that pinpoint opportunity areas, cravings, and habits that can inform position and message development, tight targeting, and personalization.
The offer is grounded in messaging strategy that advances business growth in a relevant, differentiated, and compelling way.
Connections strategy identifies the trigger, timing, and channel in order to optimize results.
Results are measured and optimized in real time.
Leads are built with content. It is the focal point in messaging. Whether in an ad, an email, or website—content that fills unique needs, is timely, and generates interest among high value prospects.
This is a data-driven approach to precision modeling that defines the customer journey with key inflection points that are mapped to both audience segments and media channels for a fully integrated process intended to build and close leads.
Best Practices
- Craft a Go-To-Market Plan: Content plan, paid, earned, owned media, measurement
- Integrate brand and selling message platforms: Demand+brand messaging across all channels
- Leverage demand+brand platform across the agent channel: Maximizing selling messages and enablement
We welcome the opportunity to talk with you further to discuss the simple math of our demand+brand strategy and how it can add up to plan growth for your organization. Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.
Paula Serios is a Senior Vice President, BVK Health
