Would it surprise you to know that healthcare spending accounts for 17.9 percent of the U.S. economy? Staggering, huh? And women drive a majority of that spending by making the majority of healthcare decisions, not only for themselves, but also for family. In fact, 59 percent of women make healthcare decisions for others.

But even marketers who know this may not understand what matters to women and how to communicate with them.

Understanding The Female-Driven Healthcare Economy

When women define health, they’re not only thinking about “being free of illness” but most include mind, body and spirit, too. Today’s world demands our attention 24/7, and for women especially time is divided between childrearing, caretaking, careers, household management, community involvement and last and too-often least, self-care. Take this into account when marketing healthcare to women. Here are three unique considerations to guide your healthcare marketing:

1. Families come in many forms. 

   Many single mothers are making healthcare decisions on their own and on top of that, not all women are mothers. They may be caring for partners, siblings, aging parents or just their own health. You can’t assume all women have the same priorities in healthcare and that all women want or have children. If your marketing is strictly directed at families, you won’t connect with a significant portion of the market.
   Takeaway: Do not direct all of your marketing spend to the so-called nuclear family.

2. 79% of women seek healthcare information online.

   Pew Research Center reports that women are more likely to conduct online research for health information than men. Women are also using blogs, news articles and social media to learn about other people’s experiences and read reviews.
   Takeaway: Create and share relevant content online to assist in new patient acquisition. If you don’t have a robust online presence that includes social accounts, videos, blog posts and content beyond a website, you may not even be considered as an option.

3. Women want to hear from people they can relate to on a personal level.

   Authentic stories from people who have experienced circumstances similar to your female audience’s own will make a greater impression than a general statement on healthcare. When crafted with intention and the right subjects, these “testimonials” will feel honest and impactful.
   Takeaway: Include true, relatable stories in your healthcare marketing to give women the authenticity they want to see in advertisements.

These are only three points to recognize and understand when developing your patient acquisition strategies for a female-driven healthcare economy. Marketing healthcare to women is complex. As a woman-owned business with three decades of experience working with healthcare industry clients, Borshoff has a perspective that will help you start better conversations with your customers.

Want to talk about how we can help you overcome your healthcare marketing challenges? Email us or call 317-631-6400.