For many marketers, promoting continuing medical education (CME) products is an uphill struggle. It doesn't have to be this way. There are a number of simple marketing hacks that will motivate more people to invest in your educational materials and training resources. Here are seven that you need to know about.
1. Add Your CME Product to a Course Search Engine
Course search engines compile listings from CME and e-learning providers and then display them in one place, making it easy for prospective students to find the right products. Course Index, for example, has 400,000 courses in various disciplines, including hundreds of medical-related seminars, events and online programs. You can list your CME program on this platform from $4.99 per month.
2. Create a Blog
Blogging increases the visibility of your CME products to a wider audience. You can build a customer base, launch new items and establish yourself as a specialist in your chosen field. For even more exposure, don't forget to ask your readers to share your blog posts on social media.
3. Use Learning Management Software
Learning management software (LMS) helps you track your CME products across various channels. The result? More effective marketing. Seventy-three percent of LMS users say this software is useful for testing, while 53 percent think it helps with record keeping, according to one study. MedEd Manager, a type of LMS, improves event marketing and provides you with an all-in-one solution for managing CME products.
4. Use Email Automation
Email automation is a useful way to nurture leads and encourage more learners to purchase your CME products. You can generate highly targeted marketing messages that resonate with your audience and keep people updated with the latest CME offers and promotions.
5. Advertise Your Products on Specialized Websites
Instead of advertising CME products on general websites, focus on more specialized platforms. SERMO, for example, is a social media platform with more than 600,000 verified physicians — perfect for launching healthcare-related training materials and educational products. You might also want to target users of Doximity and the Student Doctor Network. Both of these sites boast hundreds of thousands of medical professionals.
6. Get a Testimonial From a Previous Customer
A good endorsement is the ultimate personal recommendation — and one that prospective learners are likely to trust. Research shows that 66 percent of people say they trust consumer opinions online, so you should ask a previous customer to provide you with some feedback. A testimonial should include the benefits of your CME product, and it should encourage learners to make a purchase. Include a testimonial on one of your landing pages.
7. Attend a Healthcare Trade Show
Trade shows are a great place to drum up interest in your CME products and increase sign-ups to your courses. You have plenty of time to network with professionals and generate lucrative leads. Some big healthcare trade shows to look out for include the Natural Products Expo West, which takes place every spring in Anaheim, Calif., and the BIO International Convention, the largest biotechnology convention in the world.
These seven tips help you market continued medical education products to a broad audience so you can increase engagement and revenue. Course search engines, specialized websites, blogs, email automation, testimonials and learning management software — all of these factors increase product exposure among medical professionals and prospective learners.
Want to optimize your medical marketing even further? Demo MedEd Manager now!
Alex Slack is a Project Manager and Content Creator. Her magic formula for marketing success is summarized by the 3Cs: communication, creativity, and care. She will help manage your project from the initial brainstorm session, to the height of your campaign and beyond. Let Alex guide you and help simplify this crazy world of digital marketing!
