Artificial Intelligence Helps You Find and Keep Customers

AI (artificial intelligence) is fast becoming an integral part of healthcare as a management and diagnostic tool. AI-enabled devices and software detect glaucoma, recommend hospital staffing levels, and help robots deliver medication to patients. On the consumer side, AI analyzes 100s of data points and makes product recommendations on sites like Amazon, Netflix, Pandora, and many others. So, what does AI have to do with marketing? As it turns out, quite a lot.

AI embedded will free up more than a third of data analysts by 2022, focusing them instead on personalization, lead scoring, and performance management. (Source: Gartner)

But first, let's get square on the definition of AI. At the basic level, it's the emulation of human intelligence by machine. AI is fed by data, or training sets, that find patterns and correlations and make decisions and forecasts at a speed that would set our brains on fire. SUBHEAD: Many of the tools you already use, like marketing automation and Google search ads, already employ the technology.

Here are some common and bleeding edge ways that marketers are making themselves smarter with artificial intelligence.

Personalize websites to improve conversions

Personalization used to mean inserting a customer's name on a web page or email. That's still effective, but now we can use behavioral data to customize a web page based on the customer's demographics, stage in a sales cycle, browsing history, geography, and other data sources. For example, a customer who visits a product detail page might receive information about a dealer in their neighborhood, or a push notification on their Smartphone.

Using a tool, like the Slackbot that analyzes your Google Analytics data, you can keep tabs on site performance, and data patterns that enable the site to show the most relevant blog and page content.

Make pay-per-click search ads more cost-effective

The secret to optimizing banner and search campaigns is their ability to test variations with hard work on the lines of cleaning the stables. AI can generate hundreds of copy, image, and design combinations, and quickly declare a winner. On search ads, AI can write a plethora of ads and pair them with the most effective bidding.

AI embedded in analytics will free up more than a third of data analysts in marketing organizations by 2022, which allows them to foucs on other business priorities, like personalization, lead scoring, anomaly detection, marketing performance management, and reporting.

Content creation

Do you run a blog, curate, and share content or report news about healthcare and specialties? Then AI, now that it's more proficient at talking like a human, is your friend in feeding the content monster. Using a writing style that you define, AI can write blogs, email content, and text messages on the fly.

Sixty-three percent of people prefer to message a chat bot vs. talk with a human when communicating with a business. (Source: G2 Crowd)

Get it straight from a chatbot

Chatbots are rivaling humans in their ability to field service and product inquiries than humans. Send a question to a chatbot via a social media platform or direct text input on your site. Based on a user's behavior, like clicking back to the same page over and over, a chatbot can be activated to ask how it can help. A chatbot can dispatch common questions and spot worrisome trends in service issues. That frees up us bipeds to handle more complicated problems, and the time, of course, to program the chatbot.

Curated content for email

What if you could scour hundreds of newsfeeds from around the world to pull the juiciest content for every customer? Well, AI has the answer, and it can even write a breezy synopsis of every story. A study by Demand Metric found that 80% of marketers say personalized content is more effective than the impersonal alternative.

Identify wayward customers before you lose them

Machine-learning algorithms use data, like time spent during a visit, and actions on social media to red-flag customers losing interest in your brand. The AI can then intervene with incentives, content that reinforces brand loyalty, and even get a salesperson involved. AI will also whip up a predictive model to forecast churn and better match customers to services and keep them out of the churn cycle.

Summary

AI is making the marketer's dream to deliver messaging tailored to each customer come true. The technology can analyze large amounts of customer data and web analytics to personalize content on the fly. AI can also be used to curate content to personalize email and websites. And AI-chatbots can reduce the strain on in-house teams by answering common questions and directing web users to the most appropriate information and people.

Are you using AI now in your healthcare organization? Tell us now in the comments below.

Virtual Presentations that Keep Your Audience Awake and Engaged

With virtual presentations and webinars, you never quite know if the room is with you. Did a doctor leave the room, or is he checking his crockpot? Now that many of your customers are working from home, you're likely to be making more and more consequential presentations online. Ergo, it's essential to adapt your style, minus the handwaving, to the medium. Otherwise, your audience may have difficulty staying awake.

Maintain attention

Pitching a medical device to doctors online has some of the dynamics of a smart IRL presentation. On Zoom, though, it's harder to pick-up the glassy-eyed look of attendees effectively tuning out. It's not you, sleepy eyes the nature of online: attendees have other distractions in their room – kids, food, ringing doorbells – you name it. The first challenge then is to maintain attention.

Get your audience focused on an intriguing slide while people are joining the meeting. You can pay off the visual when you start the show. For example, if one of your benefits is engaging patients, kick it off with an image of a patient sound asleep on their sofa.

Pull back on the geeky tricks

Both Keynote and PowerPoint are rich with animation features. While movement grabs attention, you need to balance the impact against the possibility of a technical glitch. Make sure that you use animation to communicate key points and not just for the sake of flashiness. Especially if you are presenting about a high-tech medical device or service, dropping the ball on a PowerPoint slide could rattle your audience. And just like a web page, loading delays are irritating to everyone, so use a fast machine. If slides reside on an online platform, be careful about the memory size of audio, video, and image files.

Keep slides simple and keep them moving

We've all seen slides packed with copy and bullet points that remain on the screen while the presenter drones on. This approach isn't great in real life, and online, it's a surefire tranquilizer.

That's why your slide deck for a virtual meeting should be heftier than what you use in a customer's conference room. If possible, make one point per slide, and edit your bullet points, so they aren't redundant with what you're saying. For example, this bullet, "In 2020, our product was tested in space at the International Space Station," could easily be cut to "Tested in space." Instead of reading from a slide, design concise ones that illustrate and underscore your main message. Then your audience will focus on you and what you're saying rather than sorting through a mass of copy.

Alternate narrators

Unless you're Samuel L. Jackson, one person presenting for 15 or 20 minutes is tiring. Try breaking up your deck and let someone else from your team take a section or two. Short videos are also useful for product demonstrations or testimonials. And try mixing up the audio with pre-recorded clips of KOLs and your internal experts.

Write a script

If you're a seasoned presenter, you may not need a script. A few notes might do the trick. Otherwise, you can be concise and strike a better balance between visuals and what you say. You'll avoid getting stuck on a slide and keep the presentation moving.

The mouse, mobile and high contras

Zero in on the mechanics for your slide design. Make sure that the shape, size, and color draw the eye to the central message. Use strong color contrast., and keep in mind that not everyone has the same desktop rig as you do. Simplicity and brevity also helpful when your presentation resizes to fit mobile and tablet screens. For some of us, one of the downfalls of online is the inability to make our points and talk with our hands.

It's best not to depend on a mouse pointer to guide the audience's attention either. Use your words, for example, "on the chart's second row, you can see…" or "On the right side of the screen, we have...

Make sure you have the right technology

Zoom has become synonymous with online meetings and happy hours. Look around for a platform that matches your style, content, and method of presenting. Some include features that let you know when an attendee's attention wanders by sensing when someone is reading an email or opening up Pokemon. See Cantera's review on presentation platforms. With real-time feedback, you can change your pace, jump ahead, or identify portions of your presentation that need a judicious edit.

Check your shot

You have a script and a slide deck with compelling visuals. Now make sure that your laptop camera isn't pointing up your nostrils. Make the location of the camera level with your eyes and keep the bright lights in front of you and more diffuse light to your back. Turning on additional room lights can help, and don't back yourself up against a window.

You're ready to go. Lights. Camera. Action.

The impact of COVID makes CSR programs more critical than ever

With community, healthcare, and economic need more urgent than ever, companies, from healthcare systems to local pizza joints, are meeting community needs with corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. And using them to strengthen their business strategies. A recent Zeno Group study showed that 94 percent of consumers want to engage with companies committed to the community good. And consumers want businesses that see social good as a necessity, not just a marketing strategy.

Here are a few guidelines on how to do it right:

1. When choosing a purpose, don't just go with the CEO's pet project. Develop an intentional process to decide which issues make sense for your company's mission and intersect with your stakeholders' passions. For example, if your company manufactures medical equipment, a non-profit such as Doctors Without Borders is a natural fit as a potential partner.
2. Dig deep into the issue you want to pursue. Take the time to understand all aspects of the problem you want to solve, rather than just making a donation, writing a news release, and calling it a day.
3. Build a strong and diverse working group to oversee and explore the impact of the program. The working group informs your company's strategic priorities and helps leaders make quality decisions.
4. Don't be afraid to tackle the tough issues. Most corporate culture looks askance at making waves, but that's the way to effect real change. When fans and politicians criticized Colin Kaepernick for protesting racial injustice during the National Anthem, Nike leaned into their support for him; and the athletic company saw their sales increase.
5. Build evaluation and accountability into the process by establishing goals and metrics. Task your working group as monitors. What goes unmeasured goes unimproved.

Virtual Presentations that Keep Your Audience Awake and Engaged

With virtual presentations and webinars, you never quite know if the room is with you. Did a doctor leave the room, or is he checking his crockpot? Now that many of your customers are working from home, you're likely to be making more and more consequential presentations online. Ergo, it's essential to adapt your style, minus the handwaving, to the medium. Otherwise, your audience may have difficulty staying awake.

Maintain attention

Pitching a medical device to doctors online has some of the dynamics of a smart IRL presentation. On Zoom, though, it's harder to pick-up the glassy-eyed look of attendees effectively tuning out. It's not you, sleepy eyes the nature of online: attendees have other distractions in their room – kids, food, ringing doorbells – you name it. The first challenge then is to maintain attention.

Get your audience focused on an intriguing slide while people are joining the meeting. You can pay off the visual when you start the show. For example, if one of your benefits is engaging patients, kick it off with an image of a patient sound asleep on their sofa.

Geeky tricks: a caution

Both Keynote and PowerPoint are rich with animation features. While movement grabs attention, you need to balance the impact against the possibility of a technical glitch. Make sure that you use animation to communicate key points and not just for the sake of flashiness. Especially if you are presenting about a high-tech medical device or service, dropping the ball on a PowerPoint slide could rattle your audience. And just like a web page, loading delays are irritating to everyone, so use a fast machine. If slides reside on an online platform, be careful about the memory size of audio, video, and image files.

Keep slides simple and keep them moving

We've all seen slides packed with copy and bullet points that remain on the screen while the presenter drones on. This approach isn't great in real life, and online, it's a surefire tranquilizer.

That's why your slide deck for a virtual meeting should be heftier than what you use in a customer's conference room. If possible, make one point per slide, and edit your bullet points, so they aren't redundant with what you're saying. For example, this bullet, "In 2020, our product was tested in space at the International Space Station," could easily be cut to "Tested in space." Instead of reading from a slide, design concise ones that illustrate and underscore your main message. Then your audience will focus on you and what you're saying rather than sorting through a mass of copy.

Use different voices

Unless you're Samuel L. Jackson, one person presenting for 15 or 20 minutes is tiring. Try breaking up your deck and let someone else from your team take a section or two. Short videos are also useful for product demonstrations or testimonials. And try mixing up the audio with pre-recorded clips of KOLs and your internal experts.

Write a script

If you're a seasoned presenter, you may not need a script. A few notes might do the trick. Otherwise, you can be concise and strike a better balance between visuals and what you say. You'll avoid getting stuck on a slide and keep the presentation moving.

The mouse, mobile and high contras

Zero in on the mechanics for your slide design. Make sure that the shape, size, and color draw the eye to the central message. Use strong color contrast., and keep in mind that not everyone has the same desktop rig as you do. Simplicity and brevity also helpful when your presentation resizes to fit mobile and tablet screens. For some of us, one of the downfalls of online is the inability to make our points and talk with our hands.

It's best not to depend on a mouse pointer to guide the audience's attention either. Use your words, for example, "on the chart's second row, you can see…" or "On the right side of the screen, we have...

Make sure you have the right technology

Zoom has become synonymous with online meetings and happy hours. Look around for a platform that matches your style, content, and method of presenting. Some include features that let you know when an attendee's attention wanders by sensing when someone is reading an email or opening up Pokemon. See Cantera's review on presentation platforms. With real-time feedback, you can change your pace, jump ahead, or identify portions of your presentation that need a judicious edit.

Check your shot

You have a script and a slide deck with compelling visuals. Now make sure that your laptop camera isn't pointing up your nostrils. Make the location of the camera level with your eyes and keep the bright lights in front of you and more diffuse light to your back. Turning on additional room lights can help, and don't back yourself up against a window.

You're ready to go. Lights. Camera. Action.

Healthcare B2B Marketers Zero In on Social Media

B2B companies have been late to the social media party. Traditional tactics like networking events, trade shows, and everyone's favorite, cold calling, remain but they're missing a lot of potential customers. And in this day and age, the expectation is that businesses will at least have some kind of social media presence. Why not embrace it, integrate it into your overall marketing strategy, and wave to the competition in your rear-view mirror.

The trick is to determine the type of content that your audience will appreciate, and not just be a stream of advertisements and blatant pleas for business.

If your primary customers are doctors, think about them as people who have a variety of interests other than seeing patients in their offices. In addition to posting about industry news, you can post about things that doctors (also known as people!) enjoy. Craft beer and sports and books and managing office staff and finance and… you get the idea. Make social media about your audience, not just your business. And do it in a voice that's unique to you.

 

Here are a few tips to make sure you get off to a good start:

Put your strategy in writing. It doesn't have to be complicated, just jot down:

• Your target audience
• Which platforms you'll use
• Goals and metrics
• What success looks like

Determine your goals and metrics. What is it you want to do? Develop your brand voice? Increase reach? Drive traffic to your website? Generate leads? Watching the metrics will help you know what types of content is working and what isn't.

Show your personality. Be conversational, avoid technical jargon, and sound like a "real" person. No one (ok, almost no one) will engage posts that sound like the manual for a toaster oven. Don't be afraid to inject a little humor. People created social media for people, not businesses, so sounding like a real live human being is a must. A good test to see if you're sharing great social media content is to ask yourself: If I didn't work for this company, would I look at this post? If the answer is ZZZzzz, you may want to punch it up a bit.

Don't go for the hard sell. Some B2B companies think social media is the place to list all technical specs of their latest device. Yawn. As an alternative, pick one aspect in a post and talk about what it can do for the user or how it would impact their life. Avoid making posts that sound like a schlocky furniture company ad. People scroll through their social media feeds are looking for entertainment, so tell stories and spark conversations.

Put the right person in charge. Social media is a very public face for your company, so don't relegate it to the duties of an intern or Carol from accounting (unless Carol is a social media guru, of course.) If you don't have the current personnel bandwidth, tap a social media agency to help.

Post in groups. Contribute to conversations in relevant groups to your business on platforms like LinkedIn. But avoid coming off like a slick used-car salesperson.

Sharing is caring. Ask employees and constituents to participate and leverage your reach by sharing company posts on their social media.

Add social media buttons to email addresses and your web site to encourage people to follow you.

Relax with Biotica's Summer Solstice Sipper Cocktail

Long summer days call for a cocktail you can sip on the front porch while you watch the fireflies come out.

In a tall glass, mix:

• 8 oz lightly sweetened iced tea
• 1 oz gin
• A shake or two of Peychaud's Bitters
• A squeeze of lemon
• A squeeze of lime

Add some ice and a sprig o' mint to garnish, and you're in business. Best enjoyed with your feet up.