Healthcare and Public Relations
The healthcare industry is constantly changing and with it, there is a need for public relations. Healthcare companies that wish to keep in touch with the public and other businesses, as well as government agencies, have to know how to communicate effectively. With public relations, healthcare workers and businesses can inform those who use their services and create long-standing relationships.
What is Healthcare Public Relations?
Healthcare is a big public relations growth area. According to the PR Council, healthcare public relations generate over 15% of their member firm’s revenues. Healthcare public relations cover several sectors that include areas such as medical technology, biotech, pharmaceuticals, and health care providers. Public relations professionals work in the handling of communications internal to the organizations and external communications for healthcare companies and entities. Essentially, public relations are the business of communications to inform the public, businesses, other healthcare organizations, and government about the organization’s business and ventures.
Basic Guidelines for Successful Public Relations
Successful public relations require knowing how to engage audiences on different media platforms. There are basic guidelines for how to have successful public relations strategies that involve knowing the audience and outcomes.
Set Goals
Before starting a public relations campaign, it’s important to set goals. Knowing what is the goal is essential in defining what the strategy will be for public relations. Furthermore, it is critical to know if the goal is achievable. Is the goal within time constraints and budget for the organization? Without adhering to time constraints and budget, public relations goals will be difficult to meet.
Know the Audience
The most basic tenet of public relations is to know the audience. Public relations professionals need to know where to effectively place their efforts. Before placing any effort into a publication, advertising, or social media venue, research the public relations venue to know if it fits in with the organization’s mission and message.
Watch the Language
No, not that type. However, clear precise language is essential. Avoid buzzwords, jargon, and clichés like the plague. The goal of good public relations is to communicate and this becomes difficult with terms the audience, even a technical audience, doesn’t understand. Before sending off the public relations material, remember to proofread for grammar and spelling. Catching the smallest of typos seems an “of course” thing to do, but one that makes a difference with being published.
Have Command of Content
Public relations often means speaking with journalists who seek more information and having information to support the public relations ready for reporters and editors will make the public relations more interesting. A brief pitch or submittal is usually the way to involve journalists, but have data and reference materials that can be fact sheets, photos, or videos. These are not always necessary, but being prepared helps the effectiveness of public relations campaigns. Content should be factual, but not stuffy. Engage the readers at their level. For example, healthcare public relations content may be less technical for a general news site audience than a government news publication audience accustomed to more in-depth content. In public relations campaigns, it is important to be the authority on the presented material by knowing the audience, using clear language, and having command of the content.
