The Digital Health Diva: Marketing Healthcare to Women Anthony Manson Executive VP, Managing Director, Avenue-e Health Strategies Tracey Weaver Strategic Planner Today’s woman has a tool at her disposal that her mother’s generation did not have — the Internet. The Internet has become an invaluable tool for education and comparison. The New Health Gatekeeper More and more marketers are realizing the importance of targeting women. Women are truly the gatekeepers of purchasing decisions; they are responsible for more than 85% of all consumer purchases* (home furnishings, cars, vacations, and consumer electronics). The same holds true in the healthcare marketplace. Women make between 70% and 90% of all healthcare decisions; they represent more than 60% of all physician visits; and they manage more than two-thirds of all healthcare spending**. Today’s woman has a tool at her disposal that her mother’s generation did not have — the Internet, which has become invaluable for education and comparison. Now that physicians spend on average less than 17 minutes with patients (CDC/NCHS, 2002 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey), women are doing their own homework and seeking out the facts before walking into the doctor’s office. This lack of information from the physician has been a catalyst in the evolution of the “health gatekeepers.” The Internet has empowered these women, Digital Health Divas, with access to health information. Of the women who go online, more than 63% have looked for health information. Additionally, 54% of women are managing and seeking information online not only for their own health conditions but for those of their children, spouses, and parents. (Pew Internet and American Life, Online Healthcare Revolution, November 2003.) They spend countless hours researching on WebMD, Googling, and visiting various drug Websites. They form their own opinions about pharmaceutical brands and, more importantly, they’re talking. Digital Health Divas are quickly becoming the early adopters or trendsetters who try different drug therapies and share their opinions with others. Reaching and Influencing the Digital Health Diva Digital Health Divas are a unique breed of influencers. They are proactive and better informed; they question and challenge the judgment, practices, and long-held assumptions of physicians and other medical professionals. With the ease of the Internet, they have a global medium to share their knowledge with others. Remain Top of Mind Search engines have become the Digital Health Diva’s family medical dictionary. She starts Googling when she has questions such as: What are the symptoms? What are the side effects? What are my treatment options? Health information Websites can be tailored to the Digital Health Diva to help her answer her questions. Marketers can leverage both branded and unbranded sites to increase the company’s reach and deepen the relationship. Create an Emotional Connection Help the Digital Health Diva connect with your brand on an emotional level. Differentiate your brand from the competition by seeing your brand from her perspective. Give her consumer testimonials that reflect realistic experiences; monitor online chat rooms, support groups, and bulletin boards to gain insights on her challenges and concerns; and share lifestyle tips to help her manage her (or a family member’s) health condition. She will share what she learns with others. Actionable Information Healthcare marketers can influence the Digital Health Diva by empowering her with actionable information. She doesn’t want sugar-coated facts; she wants clear and concise prose. Help her find what she needs to know quickly; test her knowledge by presenting her with a self-screener for her condition; give her clear and easy to understand information on side effects; and provide her with a way to connect with other women by inviting her to Webcasts. Fuel the Buzz If marketers are going to grow their business online, they need to influence the Digital Health Diva. She seeks information, shares information, and more importantly, others listen to her. Regardless if the product targets men, women, or children, factor in this important online audience. Sources: * “All About Women: Demographic, Spending and Media Profiles,” Interep March 2003 (Based on Fall 2002 findings by MediaMark Research Inc.); ** HealthLeaders News, 2002. Avenue-e Health Strategies, New York, a division of Sudler & Hennessey, develops innovative e-marketing programs that accelerate the rate at which a pharmaceutical company builds its brands and creates long-lasting and profitable relationships with both patients and professionals. For more information, visit sudler.com. March 2005 VIEW on Advertising The E-Arena

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