Count On Coffey

Reader and patient surveys are invaluable tools for healthcare organizations looking to wisely reshape their editorial content and refine their direct mail lists. These surveys reveal firsthand insights into audience preferences, helping you create more relevant, engaging and precisely targeted communications.

Surveys play a critical role in content development by:

• Identifying relevant topics. Knowing what healthcare topics matter most to readers lets you produce content that is timely and valuable.
  
  
• Creating a feedback loop. Regular input from readers keeps content aligned, even as interests and needs evolve.
  
  
• Guiding content decisions. Survey responses do more than measure satisfaction—they reveal what topics resonate most with your audience. This insight helps to prioritize content.
  
  "If readers indicate interest in recipes or specific service lines, we can adjust the magazine content to reflect that," says Tamera Heitz-Peek, Director of Marketing for Citizens Memorial Hospital. "It gives us direct insight into what our audience actually wants to read."

Enhance direct mail campaigns

Surveys can significantly improve the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns by:

• Improving data quality. Surveys help you verify and update mailing lists, ensuring that the information is current and correct. This improves response rates and cuts wasted costs.
  
  
• Segmenting your audience. Using demographic, behavioral and psychographic survey data, you can define your audience more meaningfully. This facilitates personalized messaging.
  
  
• Aligning content with audience interests. Understanding what your readers care about can directly impact how they perceive and engage with your organization.
  
  "Familiarity with CMH and our services has trended up over the years," says Heitz-Peek. "The publication—supported by the survey—has absolutely played a role in increasing awareness and engagement."

Get the most from your survey

To maximize the value of survey data:

• Set clear objectives. Define the purpose of the survey, whether it's improving mailing list accuracy or identifying content preferences—or both.
  
  
• Use a mix of question types. Combining multiple-choice and open-ended questions yields both quantitative and qualitative findings.
  
  
• Consider the bigger picture. While you're sending the survey, add questions about services and access to care, too.
  
  Says Heitz-Peek, "For us, it's more than just a magazine survey. Our survey is also a tool that gives us a snapshot of how people view CMH. That's powerful intelligence."

After the survey data is collected:

• Analyze responses and report your findings to the C-suite. Identify patterns and insights to help you hone content development and mailing strategies.
  
  "We've used survey data as part of our voice-of-the-customer input when evaluating strategies," says Heitz-Peek. "It's one of several tools that helps inform our bigger-picture planning conversations."
  
  
• Update mailing lists. Remove outdated contacts, segment your audience and personalize outreach based on the data gathered.
  
  
• Continue to evolve. Develop a feedback loop from survey responses to editorial planning and back to surveying to ensure relevance of content as consumer interests change.

Including surveys in healthcare marketing strategies makes editorial content and direct mail campaigns more powerful, improving engagement and increasing response rates.

Categories: Marketing