Preparing for Healthcare Open Enrollment: Communicating with Internal Audiences in Q3
As summer comes to an end, healthcare marketers find themselves entrenched in Q3, or what we consider to be the execution phase of the ANALYSIS ➡ PLANNING ➡ EXECUTION ➡ TRACKING cycle. With AEP and OEP just around the corner, it’s important that all internal stakeholders be on the same page with regards to all aspects of upcoming campaigns, including marketing pieces, tracking and reporting. This requires an effective strategy for spreading the word inside the organization to ensure that everyone from the call center to the C-suite is ready for a smooth transition into the open enrollment period.
From a digital perspective, there are a number of actions marketers should take to effectively communicate marketing goals, reporting mechanisms and other updates to key employees within the organization. Internal email campaigns, digital “guides to fall marketing” and detailed intranet updates are smart ways to reach audiences who spend most of their time in front of their computers. A webinar or online training program may be the right fit for large organizations that need to disseminate important information, such as the launch of a new website. Video is an effective tool for spreading key information – according to Hubspot, “80% of users recall a video ad they viewed in the past 30 days.”
Offline tactics work, too, when it comes to reaching internal audiences. Traditional methods of communication like staff meetings, bulletins and posters in popular meeting spaces make sense for information that’s concise and easily-digestible. However, marketers should never underestimate the power of freebies. Pairing traditional tactics alongside free mousepads, water bottles or stress balls with key information for internal staff may be the best way to engage across departments. Looking to roll out something major? A change to the workspace environment – like through campaign poster displays, lobby graphics or tent cards in break rooms – to coincide with new campaigns is a creative way to communicate significant brand updates. Don’t forget to designate a point person for each office or workspace to ensure that plans and updates are shared across organizations that have multiple locations.
Like any marketing collateral that goes out to members or prospects, internal communications, too, must be creative, well-written, consistent and timely. Treat internal stakeholders as if they’re as essential as consumers, because at the end of the day, these people are often the face of the organization. Further, communicating the rationale behind campaigns can go a long way in helping employees become “ambassadors” for the brand. Whether it be in response to feedback from a previous year, to promote new competitive rate positions or to advance new goals, explaining the “why” behind each aspect of the campaign can help to generate optimism for the future of the company.
Effective and open communication between marketing and other internal departments isn’t just important during the AEP/OEP kick-off – it’s something that should be worked toward all year round. Talk to us if you want to learn more.
