Marketing Healthcare to a Cross-Generational Audience

Healthcare marketing can be a challenge when trying to connect with your target audience, but what if your audience is a cross-generational demographic? This dilemma calls for a strategic plan of initiatives and tactics that will engage and create a lasting rapport within a niche market. Three generations – X, Y and the Boomers are all significantly different in how they access, receive and process information.

HealthCare Marketing Efforts Matter

A healthcare trend report measured cross-generational attitudes of these demographics which assessed how they can be influenced in their healthcare decision making and the role caregivers have in influencing their decisions. Here are three key findings:

• A significant majority of Americans factor in healthcare costs when creating their overall household budget, and healthcare expenses are a huge part of their monthly expenses.

• All age groups in this demographic preferred their healthcare communications via e-mail, then mail, phone and texts.

• Healthcare marketing efforts should include communication with both patients and their caregivers, understanding that the take-away from their messaging will be received and handled differently.

This report clarifies the need to attach marketing efforts to comfort level, factoring in systematic approaches to dealing with each generation. While the decision maker in a cross-generational environment may initially be the Boomer, information gleaned from communications will play a huge role in how the GenX patient understands the services offered and assists in helping the Boomer make an informed decision.

The Tiered Approach

Each generational demographic is familiar with technology but uses it to process information differently. Healthcare managers need to pinpoint, recognize and employ lasting tactics that connect across generations that will have the desired effect free-flowing information within the location. This is advantageous in keeping an entire generation within your healthcare facility based on prior experiences and easy accessibility of information.

Each marketing effort must have a specific tiered approach for every demographic in order to make significant gains in patient attraction and retention. While the Boomers are reluctant to seek out other providers, the Gen X and Y demographic welcomes the opportunity of finding other alternatives and ways to access healthcare.  

Management can better hone their messages to include a series of tactics to connect across generations:

• Factor in generational composition to include personalized, multi-touch and multi-channel communications.
•  Identify and engage the healthcare decision makers, understanding their needs and preferences.
• Cultivate relationships that make the company stand out as a leader among healthcare facilities.

An effective healthcare marketing strategy recognizes that good communications reach well beyond the patient, adding to the trickle-down effect. While Boomers are more set in their ways and welcome stability, the Gen X and Y generations want a variety of options at their disposal. Being able to convey the usefulness of one healthcare facility and provider for an entire cross-generational location is key. Programs, incentives and other retention methods should also be tailored to attract each demographic market.

Communication is the Key

For Boomers, consistent interaction and maintenance of the established working relationship is vital to the continued use of the facility and its services. This generation is familiar and content with the level of care they have received, and maintain a sense of loyalty to their healthcare environment. Gen Xers (the “me” group) have established relationships, but must be consistently nurtured to retain. Their decisions are frequently based on how much they can get for as little as possible. The Gen Y demographic is all about finding their own solutions, their way. Keeping them engaged through digital marketing solutions is an integral part of acquiring their business, regardless of the in-house information they have received.

Taking the time to look at each demographic as a separate client within a larger entity will go a long way in ensuring your  healthcare marketing efforts make an impact in retaining and attracting new clients within a cross-generational location. Although challenging, these tactics can help compartmentalize each client type for tangible and effective results.