Module Three: Marketing Research and Planning Marketing Research · Failure to conduct marketing research may result in a poorly located facility, a mistimed marketing initiative, a neglected key market niche, or misdirected product development. The costs involved in building and outftting a clinic, developing a product, or mounting a marketing campaign are growing, leaving no margin for error in a competitive environment. It may require several good decisions for the organization to recover from the losses associated with one bad decision (Thomas & Calhoun, 2007). · Considerations such as product, place, price, and promotion are key to a successful marketing plan. Marketing Planning · Effective marketing planning begins with the mission and fnding ways that the mission can be enhanced, expanded, interpreted, and executed. Effective marketing planning is not done in isolation from the rest of the organization but contributes to organizational consistency, reliability, and responsiveness (Thomas & Calhoun, 2007). · A marketing plan for a specifc product or service is an essential item in any healthcare organization’s tool kit. Macro considerations such as organizational branding, however, are often the job of executive management in collaboration with a marketing team. Target Market · Establishing the target market is the essential frst step in ultimately launching any marketing campaign. Healthcare is no different in this regard. · The target market consists of the patients/customers who are buying the products or services offered by the organization. · Knowing the target market is paramount to developing marketing techniques that will work. One must research demographics, motivations, and behaviors to better position the chosen product or service. SWOT Analysis · Strengths - List three to fve internal strengths of the organization or the product or service. Consider aspects such as reputation, quality of the product or service, the consistency of the product or service delivery, and so on. · Weaknesses - Consider three to fve internal weaknesses of the organization. Be honest and introspective with this process. Uncovering true weaknesses is essential to developing a strong marketing campaign. · Opportunities - External opportunities are considerations such as position in the market, competitive advantages, reputation, and so on. · Threats - External threats to consider include competitor position, quality of services, political climate, and so on. Internal Audit · An internal audit is useful in determining the nature of the organization and its marketing needs (Thomas & Calhoun, 2007). · The following aspects of the organization should be audited: · Services and products · Customer characteristics · Utilization patterns · Marketing arrangements and resources · Locations · Referral relationships · Computerized systems may provide some of this information, but primary research techniques (observations, interviews, fo ...

1. Module Three: Marketing Research and Planning
Marketing Research
· Failure to conduct marketing research may result in a poorly
located facility, a mistimed marketing initiative, a neglected
key market niche, or misdirected product development. The
costs involved in building and outftting a clinic, developing a
product, or mounting a marketing campaign are growing,
leaving no margin for error in a competitive environment. It
may require several good decisions for the organization to
recover from the losses associated with one bad decision
(Thomas & Calhoun, 2007).
· Considerations such as product, place, price, and promotion
are key to a successful marketing plan.
Marketing Planning
· Effective marketing planning begins with the mission and
fnding ways that the mission can be enhanced, expanded,
interpreted, and executed. Effective marketing planning is not
done in isolation from the rest of the organization but
contributes to organizational consistency, reliability, and
responsiveness (Thomas & Calhoun, 2007).
· A marketing plan for a specifc product or service is an
essential item in any healthcare organization’s tool kit. Macro
considerations such as organizational branding, however, are
often the job of executive management in collaboration with a
marketing team.
Target Market
· Establishing the target market is the essential frst step in
ultimately launching any marketing campaign. Healthcare is no
different in this regard.
· The target market consists of the patients/customers who are
buying the products or services offered by the organization.

2. · Knowing the target market is paramount to developing
marketing techniques that will work. One must research
demographics, motivations, and behaviors to better position the
chosen product or service.
SWOT Analysis
· Strengths - List three to fve internal strengths of the
organization or the product or service. Consider aspects such as
reputation, quality of the product or service, the consistency of
the product or service delivery, and so on.
· Weaknesses - Consider three to fve internal weaknesses of the
organization. Be honest and introspective with this process.
Uncovering true weaknesses is essential to developing a strong
marketing campaign.
· Opportunities - External opportunities are considerations such
as position in the market, competitive advantages, reputation,
and so on.
· Threats - External threats to consider include competitor
position, quality of services, political climate, and so on.
Internal Audit
· An internal audit is useful in determining the nature of the
organization and its marketing needs (Thomas & Calhoun,
2007).
· The following aspects of the organization should be audited:
· Services and products
· Customer characteristics
· Utilization patterns
· Marketing arrangements and resources
· Locations
· Referral relationships
· Computerized systems may provide some of this information,
but primary research techniques (observations, interviews, focus
groups, and so on) may also need to be utilized.

3. External Audit
· During an external audit (or environmental assessment), broad
social, economic, and political trends should be analyzed and
their implications for the local environment considered.
National trends in demographics, lifestyles, and attitudes should
be considered for their impact on consumer behavior (Thomas &
Calhoun, 2007).
· Trends that affect the organization should be analyzed.
Political policies, consumer behavior, and media attention are
some factors that may have an effect on healthcare
organizations and their ability to sell their services.