Not a week goes by without an opportunity to promote a health message, product or service.
In the last week alone, we have seen National Palliative Care Week and Kidney Health Week, as well as World MS Day, National Sorry Day and Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea to raise funds for Cancer Research.
What makes these events so wonderful is they can increase awareness about important health issues and social determinants of health while providing you with an exceptional opportunity to leverage your health message, product, service or book.
Tapping into the health calendar is easy, and there are a variety of ways you can do this depending on your time, energy and resources.
Here are 5 of my favourites. With a little planning, they are easy to do, and won’t break your marketing budget!!
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HOLD A MINI EXPO OR INFORMATION SESSION FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS
We know that the best source of ongoing business is through your existing clients, so holding an event especially for them makes perfect sense! Try partnering with other local practitioners to provide a value packed information session for your participants. Aligning the event with a registered charity or fundraiser is a wonderful way to engage additional support.
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WRITE A BLOG HIGHLIGHTING THE CAUSE AND SHARE USEFUL TIPS TO PREVENT OR HELP THOSE WITH THE CONDITION *
Writing a health blog with a timely message increases the likelihood that it will be shared and invites interaction. Ideally your blog will be an element on your website, which you can use to stimulate traffic. Build engagement by inviting readers to comment about their personal experiences with the health issue or topic. Incorporate a call to action where prospects can contact you to get help with the issue or find out more from you as a practitioner.
*Always be mindful that you are not making false or misleading claims, and content is for educational purposes only. ACCC offers some health advertising guidelines here.
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OFFER TO SPEAK AT A RELEVANT LOCAL ORGANISATION OR COMMUNITY GROUP
Offering your services for free to a local group is a great way to reach new customers, and receive free publicity through their networks. It’s an opportunity to be promoted through their existing database, and through both yours and their social media channels, demonstrate your expertise and build your profile.
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RAISE AWARENESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Even if you are too short on time to do events, talks or even write a blog, posting an image or infographic highlighting the cause is an opportunity to share something other than promotional speak through your social media channels. Social media should always include a mix of education, promotion, and value adding, as well as asking questions, and sharing a bit of humour! Time to mix it up!
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SEND A PRESS RELEASE TO THE MEDIA
If you don’t tap into the power of the media for health calendar events, I assure you that someone else will. A press release can feature the day itself, and event you are holding, or even tips to combat the issue.
SO WHERE DO YOU START?
Follow these steps to make the most of the National Health Calendar in YOUR health business.
- Check out the National Health Calendar for your country or state
- Record dates that relate to the work that you do
- Decide the most suitable methods to maximise the calendar date and topic
- Add it to your calendar allowing enough time for promotion if needed
- Plan the necessary steps
- Implement
- Rinse and repeat!
LEVERAGE YOUR EFFORTS BY REPURPOSING – a few suggestions…
- Doing a talk? Turn it into a blog post, a fact sheet or newsletter
- Doing a blog post? Turn its most valuable tips as a series of social media posts.
- Turn a series of tips into an infographic.
- Embed your infographic into your blog so it’s easily shared.
- Put your infographic on visual social media channels such as Instagram and Pinterest.
- Link your infographic back to your blog.
Need help to prepare your marketing plan, or implement these tactics with ease? Krishna can help or upskill your team! Send her an email at krishna@healthymarketing.com.au for an obligation free chat or phone her on 0458 639 559.
Krishna Everson is a health writer and promoter, who works with health enterprises to create online content that drives consumer behaviour toward pathways to good health.
