Media buying is often one of the highest budget items in a hospital’s marketing plan. So, without a doubt, creating the most impactful and efficient media plan is important. That’s where a CRM database can make a big difference. This week, I talked with our media strategist Jill Weigel about how we use the database to create a better media plan.

What is the typical challenge hospitals face with media planning?
Jill: Even though most media plans are powered by data, they can still seem subjective. The challenge is to determine whether the plan will actually reach the target audience. That’s why CRM and media planning are a good fit. We put together media plans that are based on actual patient encounters. The hospital’s data drives the media solution. We look at every data source, including the ability to pay or the patient’s risk of getting a certain disease, and use that data to choose the target audience and determine media usage.

How does this differ from a traditional media plan?
Jill: A traditional media plan typically relies on, among other things, syndicated survey data where the sample size can be less than one percent of the market. With the client’s CRM database, we have 100 percent sample size. The CRM database provides the most accurate answers to questions about the audience. Instead of relying on surveys, we’re basing our target definition on actual behavior, based on patient encounters.

Can you share an example of how the data makes a difference?
Jill: For our clients, target definition is huge. For example, if we’re working on a service line plan, where existing research methods might indicate that the target audience is adults 35 and older, we can take a closer look with the hospital’s own data. Not just demographics but many other factors, too. If the data tells us that the ideal target is women 35-50 with a high income, we would target a group with vastly different media consumption habits than the first group that was identified.

How can a better media plan benefit hospitals?
Jill: A better media plan reaches the best prospects at the times and in the ways they respond to. When that media plan is based on the best data available, it informs the media selection in a way that increases impact and drives efficiencies in reach and frequency. Since media is often one of the highest dollar budget items and since ROI for media is hard to assess, finding the most impactful media is crucial.

Jill Weigel is a media strategist at CPM, marrying media planning and buying disciplines with CRM principles. Visit our site to learn more about our media planning services.