Choosing a Healthcare PR Agency
If you have a key message to convey to patients, doctors or a similar audience, a healthcare PR agency can play a vital role. But what factors should you consider when hiring an agency to represent you? With so many offering their services, the choice can seem bewildering.
One of the first things to check is a potential agency's track record with organisations similar to your own. Medical PR is a specialised area, so, however extensive the agency's knowledge of other industries, that is no substitute for direct healthcare experience.
The specific expertise of the people you would be working with is also crucial. So meet potential account managers and ask about their own medical PR background in detail.
Even within the clinical arena, of course, there are many different fields, and most agencies will specialise in a few of these. Find one which most closely corresponds with your own needs.
For example, if you want to use PR to recruit for a clinical trial, look for a company which has previously run successful recruitment campaigns. Ask the prospective agency for clear case studies of previous work.
Your healthcare PR agency must understand legislation surrounding the promotion of new drugs. There are many industry regulations standing between pharmaceutical firms and patients.
Another area to consider is the PR agency's experience of social media and similar forms of communication. Many traditional media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, TV and radio have been badly hit by falling income from advertising and so have fewer column inches to devote to industry news.
PR firms can still reach their target audiences and promote brands through social media or other online methods as a complement to traditional media. Choose a healthcare PR agency which understands these trends and is experienced in running the kind of campaign you need.
One of the first things to check is a potential agency's track record with organisations similar to your own. Medical PR is a specialised area, so, however extensive the agency's knowledge of other industries, that is no substitute for direct healthcare experience.
The specific expertise of the people you would be working with is also crucial. So meet potential account managers and ask about their own medical PR background in detail.
Even within the clinical arena, of course, there are many different fields, and most agencies will specialise in a few of these. Find one which most closely corresponds with your own needs.
For example, if you want to use PR to recruit for a clinical trial, look for a company which has previously run successful recruitment campaigns. Ask the prospective agency for clear case studies of previous work.
Your healthcare PR agency must understand legislation surrounding the promotion of new drugs. There are many industry regulations standing between pharmaceutical firms and patients.
Another area to consider is the PR agency's experience of social media and similar forms of communication. Many traditional media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, TV and radio have been badly hit by falling income from advertising and so have fewer column inches to devote to industry news.
PR firms can still reach their target audiences and promote brands through social media or other online methods as a complement to traditional media. Choose a healthcare PR agency which understands these trends and is experienced in running the kind of campaign you need.
