What are marketing materials?

Once you move forward with a brand, you will be invited to order marketing materials, also known as LBL's (leave-behind literature). These materials are specific to the brand and are sent to you in pre-packaged and portioned packets to be left at provider offices during your visit. So why go through all the trouble of printing, packing, shipping, and distributing these brochures and flyers? To answer that question thoroughly we’ll be taking a look at the below questions individually: 

1. Why do brands use marketing materials?
2. Where should the materials be placed in a provider's office?
3. How do I order my materials and what should I do when I run out?

Why do brands use marketing materials?

Healthcare is an extremely competitive space with new innovations and solutions entering the industry all the time. This landscape makes it difficult for a company to 'stick' in a patient or provider's mind, even if they are a great fit for the needs of that individual or the individuals they treat.

Print marketing materials enable healthcare companies to show some personality, boost their credibility, and improve the chances that they are considered as a potential solution by a patient or provider. High-quality physical materials grab and hold the attention of a reader, and encourage action after the content has been consumed. Ultimately, investing in print can differentiate a successful healthcare company from one that fails

In a provider office materials can serve two audiences and many purposes: 

1. Provider / Clinician

   Some materials are intended for consumption by the healthcare provider themselves or an individual on their staff, depending on the technicality of the brand being promoted. A brochure on advanced dental-aligner technology should likely be read by a dentist, while a flyer promoting home-delivery hospice care supplies might best be shared with patients by the front desk or nursing staff. The other advantage of putting physical marketing material in the hands of healthcare office staff is that it gives them the ability to easily re-reference information before a lunch and learn if they chose to schedule one after you visited. Studies show that putting information physically in the hands of providers increases their understanding and recall of that solution.

2. Patient / Caregiver

   Other materials are created to be seen and potentially even taken home by a patient, or a caregiver responsible for the care of a patient (like a parent). These materials sometimes aim to invoke some emotion in the reader, helping them to feel seen, heard, and supported in their search for well-tailored care. These materials may have a patient-facing email, website, or even a scannable QR code where more information can be found and contact information can be provided. 

Where should the materials be placed in a provider's office?

Every brand has their own set of marketing materials and will provider you with specific in-office instructions. Some brands only require one piece of material be left per office while others will require several, it's all up to the brand and who the intended audience for their materials is. 

When you speak with the front desk staff at an office and are leaving behind multiple pieces of material, ask them where they would like to have them placed so they are most accessible to patients. Sometimes that's in a wall-mounted brochure holder, pinned to a cork board, arranged on a waiting room table, or with the front desk staff for them to provide to patients themselves. If the staff member you are speaking to doesn't seem sure where materials should be left or is indifferent towards your question, offer to arrange them on a table yourself or leave them on the corner of the front desk.

If you are only leaving behind one piece of material it's likely meant for clinicians to see. These materials should be left with the front desk staff.

How do I order my materials and what should I do when I run out?

Once you complete your initial brand training, you'll be prompted to order a starter kit of marketing materials that Pangea Health will ship to you free of charge. The materials typically take 5-7 business days to arrive. Once you have the materials you're free to start making office visits! When you start running low on materials, navigate to the partner tab within the app, click on the brand you need more materials for, and order more marketing materials. This can be done at any time, no one knows your visit pace better than you, so do your best to keep yourself stocked without over-ordering.