The Role of Storytelling in

Medical Marketing

Considerations

• Patients are now in the driver’s seat

• Real benefits in patients telling their stories

• Social media helps facilitate storytelling –

but it isn’t the only way

What’s Ahead

•  Why storytelling matters

•  How to use testimonials to attract more

(and better) patients

•  Simple things you can do today to help

patients tell your story

Patients as Storytellers

Patients as Storytellers

•  Narrative Medicine

• 2011 study by the NYT found that

patients listening to other patient stories

can be therapeutic

•  Trusted word-of-mouth

is the best advertising

Patients as Storytellers

“Through storytelling, many people gain insight that leads to behavioral change, and improvements in the quality of

their lives. Stories may be told through writing, through

art, through photos, or verbally. There is more than one

way to tell a story.”

(This is why social is such a

great tool for telling stories)

Source for last 2 slides: http://www.the-pep.com/match-made-heaven-patient-storytelling-social-media/

Patients as Storytellers •  78% of consumers trust peer recommendations while

only 14% trust advertisements

•  70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company

via articles (and video) rather than advertisements

•  92% of buyers regularly check reviews online before

making purchase decisions

Telling Your Story

Telling Your Story

•  Long content VS short content

•  Video VS written testimonials

•  Your patients will tell the story for you

•  Tip: Identify patients who will tell the story you want

them to tell

Steps to a Good Testimonial

•  Find right patient

•  Disclaimer / release form

•  Make patient comfortable

•  Editing, sound, etc.

Telling Your Story

Telling Your Story

Let Others Tell Your Story

Let Others Tell Your Story

Let Others Tell Your Story

Let Others Tell Your Story

What You Can Do Today to

Help Patients Tell Your Story

•  Identify the right patients

•  Create an email or flyer/poster to ask

patients for reviews

•  Nominate ‘brand advocates’

•  Get something scheduled and jump in

Quick Review

•  Patient’s can tell your story easier and

better than ever … so help them

•  Several different ways to share

•  Use the sharing method that works best

for you

•  Let others tell your story too

NEXT UP:

The Lost Art of

Relationship Building