Hey, Fellow Marketers: Can You Help us Build a Healthier World?
Originally published by David Edelman on LinkedIn: Hey, Fellow Marketers: Can You Help us Build a Healthier World?
Meet Lorenza Christian, Jr. Born on a farm in Alabama, he later relocated to the city of Hartford, CT. And before his time in the landscape program at Knox Community Gardens, in which Aetna is a program sponsor, he was on the streets. Getting back to farming gave Christian more than feeling reconnected to his roots – it’s changed his life. And by providing access to healthy foods, it’s helped improve the lives of his neighbors.
Community gardening programs like these not only provide local residents with fresh, home-grown foods, but they can also change the health of those who benefit from them. And while “healthy” is different for everyone, so are the many factors that contribute to our health and overall well-being: health is determined 20 percent by genetics, 20 percent by health care, and 60 percent by social, behavioral, and environmental factors.1 These factors go beyond nutrition and exercise. The air we breathe and the streets we walk on are just as critical.
Educating through marketing efforts
Given the complexity and confusion most people face when they approach healthcare, as marketers in the space, it’s our job to do more than promote and sell products. We have an incredible opportunity to educate and guide consumers through their personal journey of health and wellness, with the goal of empowering healthier individuals -- and healthier communities. There is so much to do that it can seem overwhelming. But we are starting with a few key steps which I would love to see spread across all healthcare marketers:
· Simplify healthcare terminology: Using plain language, we educate people on the many components of healthcare plans -- what is a high deductible health plan? What is the difference between a copayment and deductible? And why should I care about drug tiers? From research we know health literacy is lacking. In fact, a recent study surveyed 1,000 adults in the U.S. and found that just 18 percent rated as “proficient” in health literacy. The confusion, dissatisfaction, and sheer cost of dealing with this knowledge gap is a societal issue we must address.
· Promote community health: Every marketer has sponsorships and on-the-ground activities in local markets, but we often fail to connect those directly to real actions which can help community health. Just sponsoring a fundraising walk is admirable, but there are more immediate, impactful ways we can also move the needle in the markets we serve. Through initiatives like the Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge, the Aetna Foundation is partnering with organizations to help local areas make change -- like expanding smoke-free facilities and access to healthier foods -- resulting in healthier outcomes.
· Speak to the individual: Everyone has different health ambitions and priorities on their minds. Broad, blast emails exhorting people to take some general action quickly make it into the spam folder. People know health companies know a lot about them, and are often scared of that, but they do expect that information to be used to help them. The beauty of digital marketing is its ability to enable much more personalization at scale. But that takes new processes, content development efforts, and real strategy on how to help each person move forward. We are doubling down on using our data for relevant communications, whether it be through emails, site prompts, or remarketing. People should want to get engaged with healthcare communication -- and that only happens when they feel real value.
Change requires a collective effort
The winning healthcare brands of the future will transform people’s experiences by making it simpler, faster, and more cost-effective to achieve one’s health ambitions. Marketers will not be able to do it alone. But by taking a member’s perspective – understanding them as an individual, and their communities as a critical health driver – and bringing that into the core operations of every healthcare company, marketers can take the lead in unlocking the right path forward.
Beyond healthcare, I can think of many sectors that need marketers’ leadership to reorient themselves around the real customers they serve. The stakes in healthcare, though, are exceptionally high. I’d love to hear -- what are you doing to rejuvenate your companies to be more customer- and community- oriented? Comment below!
1. McGinnis, J. M., Williams-Russo, P., & Knickman, J. R. (2002). The case for more active policy attention to health promotion. Health Aff (Millwood), 21(2), 78-93.)
