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Rule Of 7: Integrated Marketing Programs That Inspire Action

As an agency that works exclusively with healthcare, health IT and life sciences companies, this is a startling stat: U.S. hospitals waste over $12 billion annually as a result of communication inefficiency among care providers. Helping our clients succeed with clear, consistent communication is in our DNA for good reason.

Working with our clients as they seek to communicate clearly with their target audiences across the healthcare industry, the old marketing “Rule of Seven” still applies. Basically, this rule states that it takes an average of seven interactions with your brand before a prospect will take action, which in the B2B world may be to commit to a meeting. That’s why integrated marketing programs designed to communicate across multiple channels are so important in today’s noisy, cluttered media landscape. Here are several considerations to develop effective campaigns that deliver on the Rule of Seven.

Set clear, measurable campaign objectives

Always start with a clear understanding of who you want to target, what action you want them to take, and what information they need to understand how you can meet their immediate need. A common mistake is not segmenting the target audience into personas with specific needs that are met by your solution or service. Rather, it’s most effective to develop a strong value proposition for each persona and deliver your message through focused campaigns.

In addition, identify key performance metrics right up front for every campaign. With an eye to the objectives, how will you measure success – webpage visits, landing page conversions, meetings scheduled? Be sure to set a baseline and target results. As the campaign progresses, use the metrics to guide adjustments to continuously improve performance.

Create compelling content

In today’s content-rich environment, it’s vital to tell a coherent story about how you meet the needs of your target personas across all your channels, from your website to social media to thought leadership to campaign content and sales enablement assets. By first understanding the type and depth of information each persona needs at each step in the buying process, you can identify what content will be most effective for each campaign.  

Offering a mix of content is an important aspect of the Rule of Seven. Different people within your target audience will respond best to different types of content. Some focus on short-form content such as social media posts, infographics and videos. Others prefer long-form content, such as articles, eBooks and white papers. Long-form content can always be repurposed into short-form content, which more effectively uses resources while delivering consistent messaging. Overall, it’s important to deliver a mix that consistently drives them toward the final call to action.

Extend reach across multiple channels

Every integrated marketing campaign should leverage as many channels as possible to meet target audiences where they are – your website, social media, outbound email, digital advertising, search, events and tradeshows. And as highlighted above, use a mix of short-form and long-form, written and video to reach your audience. Pay particular attention to how to make content pop visually for each channel – over 50% of marketers agree that visual content is essential to their marketing strategy, leading to more engagement from audiences.

Align media relations and thought leadership efforts

It’s also important to create crossover between focused campaigns and proactive media relations and thought leadership programs. Published articles make valuable assets to incorporate in campaigns. By creating pitches that address the needs of journalists while connecting with the key messages for your target personas, you leverage another important channel for reaching your audience.

Integrated marketing programs that communicate across multiple channels using compelling content help rise above the noise and connect with your audience in ways that deliver results. With the Rule of Seven in mind, marketers can create meaningful brand interactions that show how your solutions meet the needs of your prospects, making them more apt to take the next step toward purchasing your solution.

SnapCare Selects Amendola for Strategic Messaging, Marketing & PR Services to Introduce New Name & Platform to the Healthcare Continuum

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Nov. 9, 2023 – Amendola, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare technology and life sciences public relations and marketing firm, announced today that it has been selected by SnapCare™, an AI-enabled workforce marketplace that serves the entire continuum of care. On the heels of leading SnapCare’s corporate relaunch, which included changing its name and introducing a new business model, Amendola is implementing a comprehensive PR and thought leadership program.

“SnapCare is entering the next phase of its corporate identity and rolling out a new platform that will transform healthcare workforce management. It’s essential that we deliver our message to the right audiences in a thorough and compelling manner,” said Robin Milne, Chief Marketing Officer, SnapCare. “Amendola was a natural choice for its expertise and experience in digital health PR and marketing.”

SnapCare’s tech-enabled platform offers healthcare facilities complete visibility into the ideal talent mix for their unique needs and associated costs. Its workforce solutions significantly improve client savings and efficiencies, minimizing the need for intermediate agencies, returning control to healthcare facilities, and ensuring total transparency in pay and pricing.

According to Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola Communications, “It’s no secret that healthcare is struggling with staffing shortages. It’s more than a problem. It is a crisis that will continue to escalate as healthcare workers retire, transition to new roles, or just quit their jobs. We are delighted to introduce SnapCare’s timely and much needed new platform, which offers a unique approach to the problem.”

About Amendola

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content, and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry’s best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola’s seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry’s “A-Team,” visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About SnapCare

SnapCare™ is an AI-enabled workforce marketplace that serves the entire continuum of care. Our platform offers healthcare facilities complete visibility into the ideal talent mix for their unique needs and associated costs. We designed our workforce solutions to significantly improve client savings and efficiencies, minimizing the need for intermediate agencies, returning control to healthcare facilities, and ensuring total transparency in pay and pricing. Our pioneering technology and comprehensive services offer a smarter way for facilities to manage their workforce needs and deliver quality patient care. ​

For more information, visit SnapCare.com and follow SnapCare on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Media contact: Marcia G. Rhodes, Amendola Communications, mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com

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How To Create Media Pitches That Work

Tips from The A-Team

Fewer reporters, with greater demands on their time. Fewer outlets and more competition for coverage. Face it, it’s a shrinking strike zone for media pitches.

That’s why it’s crucial to make those media pitches as good as possible: well-composed, on target and impossible to ignore. We asked our public relations experts for their advice on how to create pitches that journalists can’t resist:

Know the news and stick to it

“So what?” is the most devastating response to a pitch. “A former colleague who had worked as a newspaper journalist would always ask me, ‘so what does this mean for my neighbor Sally?’ when reviewing my pitches,” says Account Director Megan Moriarty. “A basic pitch to a reporter tells them what the news is, and I always try to add perspective about why it matters for their readers. Answering the ‘so what?’ question in a pitch provides clarity about the potential impact and demonstrates why the reporter should cover the story.”

Remember that the release must work for the outlet, not just the client. “The first question I aim to answer when drafting a pitch is, ‘How does this news provide value to the media outlet?’,” says Account Manager Maddie Noteboom. “If you can make that connection, the rest of the pitch will fall into place. By concisely stating the value to journalists, you can make the transaction feel more mutually beneficial rather than a one-way activity.”

Clients love to talk about themselves in press releases. The problem is journalists don’t care about the company, just the news. “Limit the puffery and keep the company in the background. Always keep the audience in mind,” says Jim Sweeney, senior account and content director.

One way to do that is to make the value of the pitch explicit. “Instead of just pitching a thought leader and their generic bio, explain why this person is the best suited to discuss the topic, especially if you are pitching a vendor!” says Senior Account Director Katlyn Nesvold.

Newsjacking, or tying a pitch to something else happening in the world, is another proven tactic, says Senior Account Director Janet Mordecai: “Pulling from the day’s headlines and directly correlating that to the company or the spokesperson’s experience speaking to that exact issue often works.”

Include data

Reporters love data. It lets them know there is some substance behind the pitch, advises Senior Content Director Morgan Lewis. “Pitches that contained fresh, original and relevant data always got my attention when I was a reporter and editor,” he says. “Case study outcomes, survey data, or clinical trial results that were pertinent to my publication would receive more consideration because the information could be used in so many different ways: a short brief, a stat to include in a related article, or in some cases, a byline about the data itself.”

If a client doesn’t have data, sometimes they can create their own. “Consider conducting an online survey using Pollfish or Harris Poll to generate data that’s supportive or even counter to your pitch. People’s points of view on the story enrich the pitch,” says Mardi Larson, media relations and account director.

Present the news concisely. “Reporters and other influencers consume content differently than in the past. Use bullet points and economy of words to convey your pitch. The pitch still needs to be substantive, but one can’t forget presentation either,” says General Manager Philip Anast.

Identify the right reporter and outlet.

Pitching a journalist or outlet on a subject they don’t cover is not only a waste of time, but hurts your credibility and that of your client, says Grace Vinton, account director and media specialist: “You need to be 100% certain a journalist covers a topic before sending them a pitch about it. There’s no excuse. All of their articles are online. The best pitches are tailored to a journalist’s beat and interest area and will help level-up the journalist’s coverage on the topic in some way!”

When possible, individualize the pitch, says Senior Account Director Yancey Casey. “Making a connection with reporters through custom-tailored pitches is the best way to rise above the noise and drive conversations. Respect their time — and yours — by pitching thoughtfully, concisely, and with their readers in mind,” he says.

On-target and personalized pitching is a great way to build long-lasting media relationships, says Tara Stultz, chief strategy officer: “If you take this approach, reporters will know that you only reach out to them when you have a story that is aligned with what they are looking for. As a result, they will be much more likely to open your pitches, respond to them, and cover your clients’ news and thought leadership. Yes, media relationships matter–and this is how strong ones are forged.”

Write a great subject line.

In the old days, a reporter at least had to open an envelope and read a release before crumpling it into a ball and firing it into the wastebasket. Now, an emailed pitch can be consigned to oblivion without ever being read. That’s why an eye-catching and compelling subject line is so important, says Michelle Noteboom, senior director of accounts and content. She offers the following tips:

  1. Use active voice.
  2. Include a question, e.g., “Can AI tools enhance patient safety? One health system leader says ‘yes’.”
  3. Be provocative when you can, e.g., “We don’t have a doctor shortage. We have a shortage of using doctors efficiently.”
  4. Offer a numbered list, e.g., “5 ways AI is driving documentation efficiencies.”

Keep it short, adds Senior Account and Content Director Maria Meredith: “Make the subject line pithy, with something their readers will care about, and then get to the point quickly within the first few lines. Anything you can do to make it faster and easier for journalists to hone in on stories that will pique their readers’ interest will help build those relationships.”

It’s an unfortunate fact of PR that most media pitches fail to generate coverage, but following the advice above will give yours a better chance of succeeding.

MDClone Engages Amendola for Strategic PR and Marketing Services

Award-winning healthcare PR agency to collaborate with healthcare data leader to amplify thought leadership and company milestones

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2022 – Amendola, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare technology and life sciences public relations and marketing firm, announced today that MDClone, a digital health company and leader in synthetic data, has selected the firm to amplify client successes, thought leadership, and industry best practices.

Amendola is implementing comprehensive PR and media plans to demonstrate MDClone’s industry-leading technology and services, new offerings, accomplishments, customer wins, and industry partnerships.

“Healthcare organizations have a strong need for real-world data to inform research initiatives, but often struggle to access it due to restrictive privacy laws and fragmented, incomplete patient records,” said Erin Giegling, vice president of marketing, MDClone. “Our partnership with Amendola will enable us to educate the industry on the value of accessing healthcare data by showcasing our ability to help clients deliver better outcomes through privacy-enabled shared data sets.”

“MDClone is dedicated to empowering healthcare organizations with the tools, processes, and services they need to translate data into better outcomes,” said Amendola CEO Jodi Amendola. “We are excited to collaborate with MDClone to amplify its accomplishments in enabling health systems and life sciences companies to maximize data utility while maintaining patient privacy.”

MDClone was founded in Israel in 2016. The MDClone ADAMS Platform includes innovative data publishing capabilities that further enhance the protection of patient privacy. MDClone’s unique technology enables any user of a healthcare organization to organize, access, and protect the privacy of patient data, empowering healthcare workers to rapidly transform ideas into actionable insights and take action.

Recently, MDClone was awarded Best Healthcare Big Data Platform by the MedTech Breakthrough Awards in 2021 and 2022. MDClone was also selected as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum in 2021 for the powerful MDClone ADAMS Platform.

MDClone is backed by some of the most prominent investors in the U.S. and Israel, including: aMoon, Lightspeed, OrbiMed, Warburg Pincus, and Viola Growth.

About Amendola

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry’s best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola’s seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry’s “A-Team,” visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About MDClone

MDClone offers an innovative, self-service data analytics environment powering exploration, discovery, and collaboration throughout healthcare ecosystems cross-institutionally and globally. The powerful underlying infrastructure of the MDClone ADAMS Platform allows users to overcome common barriers in healthcare in order to organize, access, and protect the privacy of patient data while accelerating research, improving operations and quality, and driving innovation to deliver better patient outcomes. Founded in Israel in 2016, MDClone serves major health systems, payers, and life science customers in the United States, Canada, and Israel. Visit mdclone.com for more information.   

Media Contact:

Marcia Rhodes, mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com

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Amendola Communications Wins Three MarCom Awards

Boutique Healthcare & Health Tech PR Firm Wins Two Golds and an Honorable Mention for Campaigns for ABOUT, Verana Health and 4medica.   

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Nov. 1, 2022 – Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized healthcare and technology public relations and marketing firm, has won three MarCom Awards for work on behalf of clients.

Amendola won Gold for campaigns for ABOUT and Verana Health and an Honorable Mention for work for 4medica. The annual international awards sponsored by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals honor excellence in marketing and communications.  

“We’re thrilled to win the MarCom Awards,” said agency Chief Executive Officer Jodi Amendola. “While we measure our success in the results we produce for clients, recognition from your peers is gratifying because they, better than anyone, know how much work and creativity goes into a winning campaign.”

Amendola won Gold for helping ABOUT (formerly Central Logic) raise awareness of the importance of care orchestration. Amendola created a 120-day plan that shaped the narrative with key stakeholders and established ABOUT’s reputation as a thought leader in care access and orchestration. Tactics included press releases, byline articles, executive interviews, blog posts, and social media.

Amendola’s second Gold was for its work promoting the launch of Verana Health’s VeraQ™ population health data engine and curated, disease- and therapeutic-specific Qdata™ modules in three therapeutic areas. Amendola helped to position VeraQ and Qdata as a source for quality insights, specifically targeting trade press within three medical specialties. Tactics included: press releases, blog posts authored by clinical experts, targeted media outreach and interviews, social media promotion, and analyst meetings through which Amendola positioned Verana Health as a key innovator.

The Honorable Mention was for helping 4medica raise awareness among healthcare providers of patient safety problems caused by duplicate records and how 4medica can solve them. Amendola created and executed a comprehensive plan to put the problem squarely on the radar of the target audience and position 4medica as a solution. Tactics included: press releases, bylined articles in relevant media outlets, interviews, blog posts, social media and email campaigns.

Amendola also won two Golds and an Honorable Mention in the 2019 MarCom Awards.

Amendola has built a loyal customer base among the healthcare, health IT and life sciences industries by delivering significant, measurable results for healthcare, healthcare tech and pharma-focused organizations, many of whose leaders have hired us at successive companies. To see other awards Amendola has won and to learn more about the agency, click here.  

About MarCom Awards

MarCom Awards honors excellence in marketing and communication while recognizing the creativity, hard work, and generosity of industry professionals. Since its inception in 2004, MarCom has evolved into one of the largest, most-respected creative competitions in the world. Each year about 6,500 print and digital entries are submitted from dozens of countries. MarCom is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). The international organization, founded in 1995, consists of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, digital, and web professionals. AMCP administers recognition programs, provides judges, and rewards outstanding achievement and service to the community. Entrants are not charged entry fees for work they create pro bono for nonprofits. In the past few years alone, AMCP has contributed more than $250,000 to charitable causes.

About Amendola

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry’s best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola’s seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry’s “A-Team,” visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Marcia Rhodes

Amendola Communications

mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com

Amendola Communications Named to 2023 Agency Elite Top 100 by PRNEWS

Boutique Healthcare & Health Tech Firm Singled Out for Innovation and Flexibility with Clients   

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 27, 2022 – Amendola Communications announced today that it has been named one of the 100 most innovative PR and communication firms by industry authority PRNEWS.

In naming Amendola to the 2023 Agency Elite Top 100, PRNEWS cited its recent innovations, including broadening its strong focus on healthcare technology vendors to innovators in life sciences and disease research. PRNEWS also noted that Amendola implemented a flexible business model to work with several clients to help them develop messaging and corporate branding at a significantly expanded level.

“Flexibility and evolution are two words that immediately come to mind when I think about the agencies on this year’s list,” says Erika Bradbury, Editorial Director, PRNEWS. “The firms this year stood out for their work on the most important issues of today, including DEI initiatives, social impact causes and COVID-19 relief work, as well as their understanding of the importance of being nimble in an always-on media world.”

“We’re thrilled to be recognized by PRNEWS,” said agency Chief Executive Officer Jodi Amendola. “Public relations is an ever-changing industry and we believe continually evolving and expanding our offerings and capabilities is the best way to service our clients.”

Amendola has built a loyal customer base among the healthcare, health IT and life sciences industries by delivering significant, measurable results for healthcare, healthcare tech and pharma-focused organizations, many of whose leaders have hired us at successive companies. To see other awards Amendola has won and to learn more about the agency, click here.  

About Amendola

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry’s best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola’s seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry’s “A-Team,” visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Marcia Rhodes

Amendola Communications

mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com

Bulldog PR Awards 2022 Honors Amendola for HSBlox Value-Based Care Campaign

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. July 7, 2022 – Amendola announced today that it has won a 2022 Bulldog PR Award in the Best Thought Leadership category for its HSBlox campaign, solidifying the company’s reputation as a top public relations (PR) and marketing communications agency for healthcare and health IT. The Bulldog PR Awards, which celebrate the best and brightest corporate communications and PR efforts, honored Amendola with a Bronze award for a campaign it developed to increase awareness of HSBlox in the value-based care (VBC) space.

The overarching goal of the campaign was to communicate the challenges of VBC models and the ways in which HSBlox uses contract modeling, network build-out, contract administration, permissioned data exchange and payment technologies to integrate traditional medical networks with non-medical ones (i.e., social services agencies, community-based organizations) to bring VBC administration to fruition. Amendola set on a course of creating third-party references by engaging industry analysts and media outlets. The firm researched top healthcare industry analysts, reporters and publications covering VBC, social determinants of health (SDOH), and health equity. Amendola then built a weekly cadence of media campaigns, alternating among proactive, issues-based pitching; HSBlox news; and thought leadership. 

Amendola drafted pitches and contributed content that added new elements to the media and analyst coverage over the last few years.  For example, while most coverage focused on the need to address SDOH in VBC program models, fewer articles discussed the challenges of incorporating digitized unstructured data in a way that made it part of a patient’s entire medical record for whole-person health. Lastly, Amendola pitched briefings with top analyst firms covering VBC and the payer markets. 

The campaign secured 17 briefings with eight different analyst firms over a 10-month period. Those briefings resulted in four analyst reports or blog posts, 19 pieces of vendor-neutral contributed content, and five podcast appearances. 

“We are proud to be recognized for the hard work that our team put into executing this brand awareness campaign,” said agency CEO, Jodi Amendola. “Our PR initiatives enabled HSBlox sales leaders to leverage the earned content created by the campaign to escort prospects through the sales funnel and underscore the importance of the digital infrastructure needed to successfully achieve VBC models.”

About Amendola

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry’s best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola’s seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry’s “A-Team,” visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About HSBlox

HSBlox is an Atlanta-based technology company empowering healthcare organizations with the tools and support to deliver value-based care (VBC) successfully and sustainably.  HSBlox’s CureAlign® platform enables healthcare organizations to administer value-based programs, including contract modeling, network build-out, contract administration, permissioned data exchange and payment. Recently, the company released CureAlign 3.5, combining its Contract Builder and modeling capabilities with its Contract Library for seamless deployment of value-based programs. Along with CureAlign’s one-of-a-kind hierarchical approach to VBC participant onboarding, alternative payment models can combine global reimbursement programs with episode-specific arrangements to deliver unparalleled transparency in pursuit of the Quintuple Aim for healthcare improvement.

Follow HSBlox on LinkedIn to see the latest about value-based program administration or visit www.hsblox.com to read more about scaling of value-based programs.

Media contact:

Marcia Rhodes

Amendola Communications

mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com

Iris Telehealth Engages Amendola for Strategic PR and Media Relations Services

Award-winning health tech PR agency to elevate the profile of telepsychiatry service provider

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 26, 2022 – Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and technology marketing and public relations firm, announced that Iris Telehealth, a leading provider of telepsychiatry services for community mental health centers, community health centers, hospitals, and health systems across the U.S., has selected the firm to manage PR, media relations, and thought leadership. Iris conducted an extensive agency search and selected Amendola for its successful track record, industry acumen, and bench strength.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the importance of addressing mental health as a part of overall public health,” said agency CEO Jodi Amendola. “Providing easy and convenient access to accredited psychiatric services from quality behavioral health professionals is essential to this effort. Iris Telehealth’s use of telemedicine to expand clinically sound psychiatric services to patients and healthcare organizations is making a tangible impact in this regard, and we’re enthused to help execute their vision of enabling a better world through healthy minds.”

Amendola is implementing a comprehensive public relations, thought leadership, communications, and media plan for Iris Telehealth that will showcase its value proposition, services, accomplishments, customer wins, and industry partnerships. The agency successfully kicked off the relationship by supporting the Austin, Texas-based company’s recent Series B funding. Amendola garnered significant media coverage for this major milestone, including an audience reach of more than 61 million via placements in high-profile healthcare trade and business media such as MobiHealthNews, MedCity News, Digital Health Business and Technology, Axios, Fortune, and STAT as well as local Austin media.

“There’s a nationwide need to provide timely, quality behavioral healthcare, and our track record shows we can help health systems and community organizations sustainably improve care for their communities,” said Dan Ferris, Chief Marketing Officer of Iris Telehealth. “We’re teaming up with Amendola Communications to drive awareness of our unique value to the healthcare market and our mission of supporting the mental wellbeing of patient populations that need it most. Our Series B announcement was our first effort to gain more market awareness and we know that with Amendola’s help, this is just the beginning.” 

Iris Telehealth has grown exponentially over the last 18 months as healthcare organizations seek to provide timely, quality care to their patients. Iris’s combination of high-quality providers, best-in-class support, expertise to optimize care models, and technology has enabled customers to reimagine how behavioral health services are provided across the continuum of care.

About Amendola Communications

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content, and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry’s best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola’s seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry’s “A-Team,” visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Iris Telehealth 

Iris Telehealth helps healthcare organizations consistently increase access to quality mental healthcare for their patients by providing the clinicians, staff support, and knowledge to build a sustainable telepsychiatry department. With clinical grounding and emphasis on human relationships, Iris Telehealth identifies best-fit providers for each unique organization and ensures long-term commitment to meeting their partner’s needs, allowing them to provide the highest quality care to their patients and community. For more information, please visit iristelehealth.com

Media Contact:

Marcia Rhodes

Amendola Communications

mrhodes@acmarketingpr.com

4 Tips From A Former Healthcare Reporter

Career changes are rarely easy, especially when you study a field throughout college and subsequently work in it following graduation.

In August, I left a respected healthcare trade journal after nearly four years and ‘crossed over to the dark side,’ as they say.

There were several professional motivations behind the move, but one that excited me about joining the world of public relations (PR) was that I had already worked with numerous agencies during my time on the editorial side.

As I’ve settled into my new role, I wanted to share four observations on the PR strategies that I found most effective while in my capacity as a journalist.

1. Understand who you’re pitching to

Every PR representative should take time to do their research on the journalists and outlets that they’re pitching.

In my time at the magazine, I primarily covered healthcare finance, policy, and revenue cycle, among a handful of other industry-related topics. Still, I received countless emails from aimless PR representatives pitching me everything from CBD oils to a historian for the band Aerosmith. (Yes, this actually happened.)

Even those that understood I covered the healthcare industry for an audience of payer and provider executives would occasionally float article ideas and interview opportunities that simply missed the mark.

If you’re looking to place a byline or secure earned media with an interview opportunity, make sure you know who you’re speaking with and why it’s worth their while. I always found myself most responsive to PR representatives who weren’t just looking for free publicity but could see down the field about how the interaction would lead to a greater result for both sides.

2. Get to the point (and have other options available)

The only thing worse than getting a random PR pitch that’s off-topic is being forced to read several paragraphs to find out it’s irrelevant.

Short, timely pitches are always winners. The pitch should tell me what the topic is, who can speak to it, and when they’re available.

Additionally, a pitch should offer flexibility for both the PR agency and the outlet. If you’re pitching a potential source as an expert on revenue cycle management but they can also speak to the price transparency regulations and the effects on provider organizations, mention that in your email.

You should be providing as many onramps as possible for a client to appear in a story.

3. Relay expectations to your client

Understandably, most clients probably don’t fully understand how the world of PR and media works. That’s fine, but you have to be the one who explains the dynamics at play so they’re not disappointed by outcomes that don’t match their expectations.

Not every interview is going on the front page of The New York Times, but every speaking engagement, written Q&A, or byline adds up to meaningful coverage.

Additionally, media training to refresh even the most charismatic leaders should be the standard. During interviews I conducted as a journalist, I learned quickly which PR contacts had adequately gone over their notes with my subjects ahead of time and which ones threw them headfirst into the fire.

Don’t leave your clients treading water; let them know what the opportunity is about, why they’re qualified to speak on the subject, and prepare them for any extraneous questions.

4. Create a conversation

Some of the most reliable PR contacts from my journalism days were people who didn’t just pitch me and disappear into the night.

They stuck around and actually engaged with me as normal people do. Whether this was sending the occasional email to see what stories I was working on, interacting with each other on social media, or reading my content, it kept them in my purview as I went about my job.

Additionally, whenever I had a story to write on a tight deadline, I knew I could reach out to these reliable PR contacts and get the appropriate sources on the line.

This doesn’t mean that you have to be chummy with every journalist you come across, (odds are they aren’t always going to chummy in response), but breaking down the at-times acrimonious barrier between church and state can be helpful.

I hope that these tips based on my understanding of how media outlets operate can provide the world of PR with some useful tips to be more effective in the work we do.

Six Considerations When Evaluating A PR Agency

So, you want to engage a PR agency to help get the word out about your solutions or services.

Sounds like a plan. Sounds easy.

But the process can be daunting, time-consuming, and expensive. And, most importantly, it may not help you achieve your goals.

If this sounds oddly pessimistic coming from someone in an agency, bear with me. I’m here to share some considerations, observations, and best practices gleaned from over three decades split between agency and corporate marketing gigs. Avoiding the mistakes of others can save you time and money, and result in a productive, positive working relationship with your agency.

Know what you want to accomplish.

Do you need straight-up media relations? Industry analyst engagement? Help with messaging and positioning? Social media strategy and support? Editorial and content development? Speaking opportunities? Is there the potential for crisis management? Will your executives require media training?

Having a grasp of your near- and longer-term objectives can help you narrow the field. Most agencies will claim to provide a full menu of such services, but the quality and scope of the offerings can vary wildly. Be skeptical and do your due diligence.

PR Agency? Full-Time Employee? Freelancer?

There are pros and cons to each of these approaches, and your organization’s budget, timeline, and internal processes will dictate the best approach.

Agencies can be expensive, depending on the retainer structure or the billable rates of your account team, but can actually be more cost-effective than the alternatives. They also bring a wealth of expansive and deep marketing expertise, along with a solid bench. They are often very good at helping determine what you need (see above), are responsive and reliable, and 100% dedicated to your agenda. Agencies also provide access to a host of services––from art/creative direction and design, to web development, digital marketing, and social media strategy and support.

Full-time employees are great because they are invested in your success and are in it for the long haul. But they often require substantial budget outlays, and can take months to identify, recruit, sign, and onboard. Once they are thoroughly steeped in your offerings, they can be outstanding brand ambassadors and stewards, and can also work on other marketing initiatives as needed. But once they leave, you’re back to square one.

Freelancers can be nimble hires––they often have excellent credentials, can start right away, and hit the ground running. But they typically operate with minimal resources, have no back-up, and must dedicate hours to other clients. They also can be brutally hard to integrate into existing systems (HR/accounting, project management, content management). They also are prone to terminating their arrangements abruptly (which can also work in your favor if you only need a limited engagement).

One size does not fit all. 

Yes, big agencies have big resources, but don’t let claims of a national footprint, local presence, global reach, or head count sell you on an ill-matched relationship. Think expertise, applied experience in your market, and skillsets that dovetail with your agenda. Access to creative resources is a plus. Know how many hours are available to your account each week or month.

Who’s on the team? 

This consideration also hinges on knowing what you want to accomplish. If you’re looking for a clip shop to get you mentioned in every low-value round-up article, then seniority matters little. But if you’ll need responsive counsel with expertise in and contacts spanning your market, look for senior-level account team members. Ask the tough questions: What’s the average tenure of your account team? Where have they worked? What companies have they represented? What results have they generated? How many former journalists are on staff? How many accounts do they manage at once?  

Mind the old switch-a-roo.  

Let’s assume you’re down to a few final candidates and are evaluating pitches. For these meetings, most agencies will send out the big guns––often including the person with his/her name on the door. But will you ever see or hear from these folks again? Many times, agencies get a bad rap by orchestrating a senior executive dog-and-pony show, only to later hand the account over to junior staffers (or even interns) who, while eager, often require more direction and a longer ramp-up period. Get firm commitments on your team’s composition, and don’t hesitate to challenge if you aren’t sold on the match. You want them to operate as an extension of your team.

Beware of scope creep.

Will the agencies you are considering be able to accommodate your needs as your marketing strategy evolves? If your program may eventually require social media support, make sure the agency of record has the capabilities––and not just an intern with a huge stable of Instagram followers, but applied expertise in cultivating an online presence with a custom mix of organic and paid content. Ditto for the media training and crisis communications mentioned earlier. Otherwise, you’ll be saddled with the chore of evaluating and enlisting additional vendors.

In the end, it’s entirely up to you, and highly dependent on your organization’s budget, processes, and requirements. And remember, the old adage, “Fast, cheap, or good? You can only pick two” applies here as well. If you want something fast and good, it won’t be cheap; if you want it cheap and good, it won’t be fast; and if you want cheap and fast, it won’t be good. Choose wisely.