health tech Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Public Relations, Advertising & Social Media

Using Twitter to Promote Healthcare IT Expertise

Posted on June 6, 2017June 8, 2018 by Jaimie Onasch

INTRODUCTION

Twitter can be a useful tool for promoting knowledge and expertise in a particular field, including healthcare IT. An infographic from CDW shows that the role of social media in healthcare is on the rise, with 45 percent of U.S. adults searching health-related topics on those platforms.

Instead of creating a Twitter account for your healthcare IT company, consider using your subject matter experts (SMEs) or leaders to represent your voice. Social media is best used for human-to-human interactions, not corporation-to-corporation.

Here are some tips to brand your team as experts in their respective fields of health tech.

CONNECT WITH OTHERS VIA TWEET CHATS

Twitter chats, or tweet chats, are live, moderated discussions that occur at a set time on a weekly, monthly, bimonthly or one-time basis. Each chat focuses on a specific topic and is associated with a designated hashtag. Have your SMEs or leaders use tweet chats to network and connect with others in healthcare. Many industry experts host tweet chats, and many participants are industry professionals.

For instance, #HITsm brings leaders in health IT together each week to discuss industry trends and how social media influences the outcomes of those initiatives. To participate, users include the #HITsm hashtag in all tweets, comments and replies during the chat.

#HCSM is another popular chat that centers on communication and the use of social media in healthcare. A complete list of healthcare-related tweet chats can be found on Symplur, along with schedules, chat descriptions, topics and transcripts and analytics from previous chats.

Beyond networking, tweet chats can be a powerful way to establish your SMEs as thought leaders, plus they gain exposure to different perspectives and receive advice or guidance from others in the healthcare industry. Regularly engaging in tweet chats can help you convey your points in a concise way, which can also make your day-to-day tweets more impactful.

PITCH REPORTERS ON TWITTER

Twitter is more news centric than other forms of social media and can be an effective means to pitch reporters. Journalists are one of the largest and most active groups on the social media platform today, and many consider their Twitter account to be at least partially professional. A well-styled, 140-character or less pitch is a must, but before pitching a reporter you need to do your research.

Your PR staff should investigate the reporter’s interests/beat, media outlet, past tweets and past articles to make sure they align with your message and field of healthcare. Have your SMEs/leaders follow the appropriate reporters and begin a relationship by commenting on, retweeting and/or favoriting their tweets. The PR team should then help the SMEs/leaders personalize each pitch, especially since tweets are public (the last thing a reporter wants to see is a slew of mass tweets sent to their counterparts). Engaging with journalists and building a standing relationship will go a long way in improving your health tech company’s visibility.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Revelation PR, Advertising & Social Media offers healthcare IT companies and startups services related to media relations, email marketing, investor relations, tradeshow marketing, content marketing and social media management. Please contact Brian Lee, brian [at] experiencerevelation.com or 608-622-7767.

Three Things to Include in Your Funding Round Press Release

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Brian Lee

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations, your healthcare IT startup has raised a round of funding. Now, how do you get media coverage? One tip for announcing a round of funding includes writing and distributing a press release. This is important because it’s a cost-effective communication method, and it creates brand awareness among your target audience and next round of potential investors.

Don’t let writing a press release be a daunting task. Include the following three things in your next funding round release.

1. Include all relevant details in first paragraph

An informative title isn’t enough. Journalists expect the most important information be included in the first paragraph, so include the who (your company), what (e.g. raised $1 million in its Series A financing round), when (e.g. that closed on Monday), why (e.g. to grow staff and expand marketing efforts) and how (e.g. HealthX Ventures led the round). Give the media basic information of the investment, supplemented with the investors who participated in the round. Use words like “largest funding” or “record setting” to keep readers’ interests.

2. Supply a useful quotation

Keep in mind that quotations that list simple facts are worthless. Your health tech startup’s CEO or founder should use pre-determined talking points in a quotation, and those talking points should stress value. Bad: “We had three investors in a round that lasted five months.” Good: “This money will further our mission of helping providers reduce costs.”

3. Include additional background info

Don’t assume every reporter knows the entire history of your company. After the quotation, consider including a paragraph to recite major points (e.g. “since completing the Pulse@MassChallenge accelerator program in 2016, [your company] has raised $2.3 million, grown to 12 full-time employees and increased annual revenue to $4 million”). From there, add information that would support a story (e.g. statistics, immediate next steps, new hospital clients, etc.).

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Five Things to Include in Your Health Tech Investor Update Letter

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Brian Lee

INTRODUCTION

typing Regardless if you have one investor or 12, or you’re in your angel round or Series B, you need to keep your investors updated regularly. But how do you write an investor letter? Should it be short or long? Do you keep it high level or go into details?

The key is to cover the five points listed below to the extent that your investors will feel apprised and can read through the update in less than 5 min. (approximately 1,000 words). Use an email marketing program like MailChimp to save some formatting effort, and send your updates monthly to quarterly, depending on the preferences of your investors.

1. Progress and milestones

Describe your progress toward short-term and long-term goals. For example, how close are you to acquiring five new IDNs and $20,000 monthly recurring revenue? What milestones have you reached or exceeded en route to achieving your vision of becoming the leader in your healthcare sector? You also should list what milestones you missed and what course corrections you plan to make.

2. Financial health

Start this section with your top-line revenue information. From there, include your cash position, burn rate and runway. Depending on your financial health, you may be hinting or asking investors for follow-on funding.

3. Pivots or change of plans

If you’re still following your trajectory, just say so and be done with this section. Otherwise, you’ll need to let investors know of course changes. Don’t worry, they know that businesses evolve. In the world of health tech, new federal laws and guidelines continue to force providers, payers and vendors to pivot. Describe what new opportunities you’ve discovered, why you’re targeting different customers or how you’re tweaking your product or service.

4. Potential opportunities

Here’s where you’ll talk about your pipeline and leads, no matter where they are in the sales funnel. You want to show what potential revenue may be coming in, while also showing that you’re focused enough not to be chasing bad leads. As a value-add, your investors may know decision-makers at your target hospitals or clinics and can help you close some deals.

5. Need for advice

You already know that investors often serve on your board of directors or advisors. They are there to provide you guidance, so tap into them. For example, ask for advice on your staffing issues, ask for introductions, ask for help on your operational challenges, etc.