How can my company help shift the perspectives of their target customers?

It’s one of the most common questions business leaders ask us, understandably, and it’s something I jump at the chance to talk about with anyone who wants to learn more. And that‘s because my job is to ensure organizations are reaching their audience and moving people to action. But, with multiple ways to reach stakeholders, how do you decide which approach will be the most effective? And how do you get people to pay attention, especially if the audience is niche and specialized?

For inspiration, look no further than the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA), the largest physician-led organization in the state. Every company, no matter your size or industry, can take a cue from this organization’s playbook — and better understand how to successfully (and swiftly) engage thousands of people in a singular conversation.

In healthcare, burnout runs rampant among providers, with 45–60% of medical students and residents and 35–54% of nurses and physicians experiencing substantial symptoms. Practitioners find themselves at a higher risk for exhaustion, substance abuse and broken relationships. What’s more, the medical field has the highest suicide rate of any profession, more than combat veterans and twice that of the general population.

Recognizing the problem is widespread and healthcare workers need immediate support, OSMA sprung into action — launching a free, voluntary and anonymous tool to all practitioners in Ohio.

OSMA developed a great tool, the CARE (Well-Being Checkup and Referral Engagement) Service, to help healthcare workers who are constantly burnt out, but stigma in the industry was potentially creating hesitancy to use it. Our job was to shift the perspective of an entire workforce to convince them it was safe to seek help, and the tactics we used can be applied to industries across the board who are trying to disseminate a message.

But, with a long-held stigma in healthcare that often leaves practitioners afraid to seek treatment for mental or emotional health challenges, how do you reassure Ohio’s entire healthcare workforce that this is something that needs to be prioritized?

Read on for some key takeaways from OSMA’s campaign that any organization can consider when spreading the word to your audience — no matter how broad or niche.

• Get the messaging right. No matter what you’re “promoting” (a new iPhone model versus a free mental health questionnaire) or whom you’re trying to reach (consumers versus healthcare workers), what’s most critical is adapting your messaging to that particular audience. What matters to them? What do they want and need to know? What concerns should you address or try to overcome? In OSMA’s case, the organization designed messaging with a tone that was caring and concerned to ensure people felt understood and safe. Additionally, all communications were clear and simple, so individuals who needed support knew where and how to access it.

• Reach stakeholders in the right places. To build statewide awareness of the questionnaire and resources available, OSMA took an integrated approach and used multiple tactics and channels to engage their audience, including:

  • Launching a website (wellbeingcare.org) that includes the questionnaire, emergency contacts and additional resources

  • Distributing informational toolkits to peer organizations that employ, represent or communicate with healthcare professionals, containing materials and information to share with their membership

  • Deploying an email program that placed critical information directly in the inboxes of healthcare workers

  • Running paid social media ads uniquely targeted to Ohio’s healthcare workforce, introducing them to the service and driving them to the website

  • Developing clear materials, including easy-to-print flyers, to be posted in hospitals, clinics, medical offices and other workplaces

  • Drafting a press release and engaging media across the state

  • Maintaining a tone through it all helped people feel understood and safe

• Take a caring-first mentality. Humanize whatever you’re “selling,” because behind every product is a person — in this case, thousands of people with pain points. OSMA directly responded to its customers’ needs. When thinking about the organization’s membership, OSMA identified a big problem these individuals are trying to solve, then created a solution to help. Compassion fueled the entire initiative, and that tone and sense of purpose carried through into every touchpoint.

• Create a community of ambassadors. Outreach that feels genuine and happens organically will generate more trust, buy-in and loyalty from your audience. OSMA invited healthcare leaders to speak out on the importance of this tool, which helped remove some of the stigma and gave people permission to say yes connect with resources. Their collective message was simple: It’s here, and you should feel empowered to use it. These individuals tapped into their organizations’, and their own, networks to amplify OSMA’s efforts.

We can glean a lot from this campaign’s success. OSMA took tried-and-true marketing principles and used them in ways that resonated with their audience. This allowed them to not simply reach stakeholders, but also get through to them. OSMA’s mission, in part, is to promote useful resources that advance the medical profession, and in turn, help physicians provide the best care they can for patients.

We’d say they are doing all that — and so much more.