As with any other organization, once a product is developed by a health care organization it needs to be promoted to its target market. That way customers are aware that it exists, that it is available, and what the product specs are.
Promotion can take many forms and is often tailored to the results of market analysis. Advertising is the most common form of promotion; however, promotion efforts may also include personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing. As you go about your day, make a deliberate effort to be aware of examples of promotion from health care organizations you may not otherwise have recognized. Try to understand these efforts in light of concepts that have been discussed in recent weeks. Think about the impact these promotions have on you and your community.
To prepare for this Discussion:
- Review this week’s Learning Resources.
- Find one example of a health care organization’s promotion in your community (this can be by the same organization that you identified for the Discussion in Week 2, or another organization).
Post an example of a health care organization’s promotion (one of the 4 P’s of marketing mix) in your community. Include a link to the example if available or attach a jpeg image. Then, evaluate to whom the health care organization is marketing as well as the desired message. Finally, analyze how you think this promotion might reflect the strategic initiatives or marketing strategy of the health care organization and the effectiveness of the promotion’s message.
