If you have been fortunate enough to see “Hamilton,” you no doubt remember a number in the second act when Aaron Burr, realizing that Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison are making a deal over dinner to support Hamilton’s financial system in return for Hamilton’s agreeing to moving the capital city, sings “No one else was in the room where it happened.”
As Burr becomes aware that he is an outsider, that decisions are being made without his input, he sings a song that is, according to The New Yorker, about “power and powerlessness.”
Sound familiar? As a healthcare exhibit manager, you know that your budget is probably larger than almost any other marketing initiative, yet are you in the room when the decisions are made? Do your colleagues perceive you as a tactical person who orders services and carpets rather than a person who should be in “the room where it happens” when decisions are made about connecting with HCPs and patients?
Healthcare Exhibit Strategy Needs A Strategic Voice
Diverse channels shouldn’t mean isolated content. Not long ago, journal ads and conventions were the heartbeat of healthcare marketing. But that has changed. Digital marketing, direct-to-consumer advertising (DTC), e-detailing, interactive sales tools, and out‑of‑home initiatives such as 5ks that raise awareness of various diseases all touch points with HCPs and patients alike. Yet for too long, healthcare product marketing has operated in silos, with minimal alignment from one initiative to another.
The result is fragmented messaging, inconsistent experiences, and missed opportunities to reinforce brand value and strengthen your healthcare exhibit strategy.
Why You Should Be in the Room Where It Happens
At the very least, as a healthcare exhibitor, you need to be in the room. You need to have a seat at the table where decisions are made and where product marketing is debated and brand messaging is shaped.
In addition to working with your exhibit partner, you need to be in front of the product agency, or agencies, as is often the case, and because you know more about face-to-face marketing than anyone else, your voice needs to be heard. Your colleagues need to realize that your program is one of the last personal touch points with HCPs, particularly as field sales calls are limited by operational constraints in clinical and hospital environments.
Your healthcare exhibit strategy should be informed by real-world insight, cross-channel alignment, and the experience only you and your exhibit partner can bring.
Your Insights and Experience Are Important for Cohesive Marketing
Execution of the brand strategy in a face-to-face environment is challenging but even more important, there are several areas where your insights and input are essential. Those areas are:
- Content Strategy and brand storytelling
- Data Capture at live events
- Technology integration for engagement
- Channel integration for optimal experiences
- Enhancing the face-to-face experience with memorable brand assets
Each of these areas benefits when you’re actively involved in strategic discussions early and often.
Or in the words of the title character in “Hamilton,”
When you got skin in the game, you stay in the game. But you don’t get a win unless you play in the game.
Ready to Elevate Your Healthcare Exhibit Strategy?
For help in planning your healthcare exhibit strategy and working with a healthcare exhibit house, download our free guide, Creative Bravery: Face to Face Marketing Strategies for the Healthcare Industry now. Need personalized advice? Contact our team today to discuss your exhibit needs and explore strategic solutions tailored to your brand.