Don’t Believe the Hype!How a Marketing Audit Exposed Cracks in our Sales Funnel

Objectives

• Understand why and how to conduct a marketing audit

• Identify key drivers to health care provider selection and messaging that resonate with older adults

• Explore the key elements in an effective marketing mix

Context

About PACE-RI

• Founded in 2005• Serve entire state* (1.1M)• 338 participants @ 3 locations• 120 staff• $25M in revenue• State agency relationship = positive

About me and our team

• 20 years in public relations, communications, government relations• 15 years in Medicaid managed care

• Joined PACE in January 2019• Chief of Marketing and Development• 11 staff

• Includes Enrollment team (6), Public Relations, Marketing & Advertising, Development, Community/Government Relations, and Project Specialist

Taking on the Growth Challenge

• 3 percent growth in 2018 despite active campaign

• How do we achieve exponential increase?• Audit…

• What do potential participants think about us? • How do we stack up against the competition? • Where should we be spending time and money?

The Audit Talking with Participants

Audit - Goals

• Engaged a RI-based market research and consulting firm ($14,200)

• Assess current awareness, perceptions of, and attitudes toward PACE’s advertising message

• Discover strengths and advantages of campaign message elements

• Identify preferred sources for health care provider information and potential media outlets for future campaigns

Audit - How

• 206 interviews (1,510 calls) • Questions = 5 screening, 33 survey, 8 demographic • January 7 to 11, 2019• 95% confidence rate

Audit - Who

• Adults 55+ (segmented)• Lower income (under $32,000)• Living in the community (six key areas)• 99% insured• Diagnosed with complex medical conditions

• Hypertension (53%)• Arthritis (48%)• High cholesterol (44%)

Audit - Health Services Usage

• 73% used pharmacy and dental services in past year• 67% had seen a primary care provider

• 55 to 64-year olds were less likely to expect to use primary care• 75+ year olds were more likely to expect to seek a homecare nurse

• Only 23% had received transportation to and from health providers

Audit – Factors in Healthcare Provider Selection

• Reputation of health care provider – 61%• Acceptance of insurance plan – 60%• Convenient office locations – 59%

• Amount of co-pay – 48%• Friendly office staff – 37%• Hospital affiliation – 36%• Convenient office hours – 24%

Audit – Preferred Sources for Healthcare Providers

• 77% from another doctor’s office• 64% from a family member of friend

• 55 to 59-year olds look to the Internet• 60 to 64-year olds reach for a newspaper• 65 to 74-year olds prefer direct mail• 75+ year olds opt for television

Audit - Awareness

• 91% didn’t remember seeing any healthcare provider advertising in the last 30 days

• 13% were familiar with PACE• Those who did remember our ad said they would talk with

their healthcare provider or family member• 30% were familiar with local community health centers• 51% were familiar with local Medicaid managed care plan• 86% were familiar with BCBS

Top Messaging

• A health plan for aging well – 92%• A health plan that helps older adults remain in the

community, connected to family and friends – 90%• Can have more care and support in community and keep

your own doctor – 90%• Promoting aging in place, enabling participants to stay happy

and healthy in their homes – 89%

Promoting PACE - Recommendations

• 43% suggested more advertising (TV, social media, radio)• 24% suggested partnering with health care providers

(informational meetings, flyers in offices)• 16% said to target senior centers, senior care agencies, and

retirement communities

The Audit Marketing Assessment

Now what?

• Data provides some information on potential participant views• Engaged an outside marketing firm to review survey results, examine

existing marketing operations, compare to competitors and best practices, and create a plan ($15,000)

• Looked at current marketing, target clients, existing media buys, participant goals, talked with marketing team

• Provided a PACE-RI marketing plan with strategy, scope of work, and tactical milestones

Media Mix (channels, concentration)

Messaging (WIIFM, inconsistent)

Website (speed, user experience)

Google Ads (extensions, track analytics)

Search Engine Optimization (keywords)

Collateral (complicated)

Tracking (what is working?)

Build brand with providers (top influencer)

Build brand with referral sources (intentional)

Engage staff and caregivers (need tools)

Cracks in the sales funnel

What we are doing now

Adjust the media mix

Area 2018/19 2019/20 NotesTV 38% 44% Concentrated, add SpanishRadio 15% 3% Local focus, year roundDigital 36% 38%

Display 12% 0%

Search 24% 38% Year round, rather than 6 mos.

Bus shelter 11% 0%Mail 0% 15% Test series, community focusedTotal $135,000 $136,000

Tighten messaging

• Focus on what’s in it for me (WIIFM)• Ex. What we provide = IDT

• Social media consistency (frequency, messages)• Systematize tours (message, route, speakers)• Vary “call to action” in materials

• Mix “for more information” and “call” and “visit” and “learn”

Improve website experience

• Took 11 seconds for pictures to load• Adjust photos, layout, cache

• Job applicants cause system to crash• Fix .dox problem

• Content incongruent/not updated• Revised, removed

Improve digital advertising

• Use Google ads year round• Begin advertising on Bing/Yahoo! (30%)• Use “extensions” to provide more compelling content• Track results

Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Wrote copy to align with top keywords• CMS approval• Put that information on the right places on our website

• Automate process of updating words

PACE is a provider of health care and insurance for adults 55 and older with complex medical conditions who want to live at home.

We are elder care experts who specialize in aging in place, keeping participants out of nursing homes for 4 years on average.

We aim to help change what successful aging looks like. We think for many this means moving away from institution-based, long-term care toward a community-based model that provides affordable, comprehensive, and integrated health care and social services. We take care of your medical, social, and physical needs while also providing peace of mind for family caregivers.

Our interdisciplinary teams meet every day to plan how to best serve our participants. Team members include: Certified home health care workers, adult day care staff, PACE transportation drivers and coordinators, Geriatric-focused primary care physicians, rehabilitation and occupational therapists, pharmacy staff, dietitians and social workers.

Update Collateral

Videos (tell story faster, 60 second videos)• Engaged creative agency, experienced in healthcare

($12,000)• Series of three videos

• Day in the life (participant)• PACE doctor’s perspective (referrals)• Testimonial (caregivers)

• Unconventional brochures… don’t fit in racks, no Spanish• Solution selling

Be better at tracking

• Before, all CTA directed to call general phone number• Considered Call Rail, dedicated phone numbers, emails, web

addresses• Now direct to enrollment team

• Improve tracking and data collection process• Heighten focus on analytics (1/3 of a new role)

Further build expert brand with providers

• Enhance reputation of CMO and clinical team• RI Medical Journal article• RI Monthly “Top Docs” ad• Series of press releases• Videos (cold vs. flu)

• Build more relationships with RI medical community ($7,500)

• Focus group with 8-12 physicians (family docs, general internists, PCPs, geriatricians)

• Trade group introductions and presentations• Open house tours for providers at PACE

Improve relationships with referral sources

• Identify top referral sources• Develop relationship management plan

• Tier sources and assign contacts• Align sponsorship and spending• Implement communications plan

• Create a useful database

Engage and empower staff and caregivers

• Elevator pitch contest• Conduct LinkedIn training (management)• T-shirts for all staff (new MVV)• Update marketing guidelines book• Brand all internal materials• Consistent attire (online store)• Brand community service work done by

participants (Community)

Recap

Recap

• Understand why and how to conduct a marketing audit• Want to expedite growth• Fresh eyes and perspective

• Identify key drivers to health care provider selection and messaging that resonates with older adults

• Other providers and friends/family• Health plan for aging well

• Explore the key elements in an effective marketing mix• 10 factors

Questions?

Tom BoucherChief of Marketing and Development

401-559-4464tboucher@pace-ri.org