I'll admit it. I work in an industry that's known for being "old school" in its marketing. Healthcare traditionally loves print pieces. We've adored billboards, even for inexplicable marketing strategies. A freeway billboard for neurosurgery? Yup, it's been done.

But changes are coming, actually more quickly than they have in decades. Healthcare reform, the rise of healthcare consumerism, and just the general agreement among some very talented marketers that it's time to make important shifts in strategy and resources are all in play.

For healthcare, as well as other changing industries, it's time to rethink marketing—and that starts with flipping our media plans on their heads.

The Foundation

Until we perfect that mind-meld with all our target audiences, there is no better strategy than investing in digital marketing and making it the foundation of our media plans. That means resources go first to these elements:

• Paid search: Why would you not invest in a service that requires payment only when an interested party responds to your ad? I've never met a print ad salesperson who'd make the same promise. Paid search also helps reach highly targeted audiences, so there's very little waste.
• Remarketing: Remarketing is a powerful tool for increasing awareness, ensuring new business, and pulling in customers who may prove greatly loyal over time. Remarketing is also efficient. You're gently nudging people who are genuinely interested in your product or service. Some people just need that little push before they're ready to trust. It's logical buying behavior.
• Targeted mobile advertising: It's hard to travel around with a billboard in your pocket or even a print publication. But a mobile phone? It's practically glued to most peoples' fingertips. If you truly want to go to where your market lives, use mobile advertising. Just make sure that your ads are well targeted to your intended audience.

Level II

Once you've invested in the basics and ensured a robust foundation for marketing, you can proceed to Level II media, using this level for those products and services that merit more marketing push.

This level is where content marketing, social media, and public relations all help your story come to life:

• Content marketing: Tell your story through the many avenues open to you: blogging, podcasts, videos, e-books, whitepapers, social media, presentations, and webinars. Invest in serious brand journalism that becomes a reliable source of information both for your customers and for reporters.
• Public relations: Speaking of reporters, getting that all-important third-party validation should never be underrated. Telling your story through interesting media pitches is a good marketing investment that never diminishes. And despite my skepticism about investing heavily in print advertising, that skepticism doesn't apply to print journalists: Print content still sets the agenda for broadcast and other media, so it's important to nurture your relationships with print journalists.
• Social media: Make sure your social media postings have purpose; also make sure they are related to your overall marketing strategy. The best way to ensure that is to establish an editorial calendar for all your content marketing efforts. Products such as Divvy HQ bring better organization to your marketing department and help internal editors and copywriters write to company strategy.

Level III

For those products, services, and events that truly merit the investment, consider mass media. Again, this is a big investment, so if you're thinking you must get your message out to the masses with that billboard or television ad, make sure you have the dollars reserved. And consider alternatives to traditional mass media that may have longer impact:

• Out-of-home beyond the billboard: Go where your customers tend to gather. Consider ballpark, airport ,or mall signage or elevators doors leading to a conference attended by notables in your field.
• Print beyond your basic newspaper: When was the last time you said, "Wow" about a full-page ad in a print version of the newspaper?" If that question made you scratch your head, you're not alone. Online newspaper readership officially overtook print about five years ago. If you buy print, make sure your demographic suits the buy. And try to negotiate a companion banner ad deal at the same time.
• Broadcast: There's no denying that television advertising still makes a statement. But your ad must have excellent production—even for local cable—to truly make an impact. Before you venture into TV territory, ask first whether that buy is worth the money. Are there alternatives through social media channels that might also provide the power of video and attract just as many interested eyeballs?

For those organizations that love the presumed "prestige" of higher-cost media, this shift in emphasis to digital may take some convincing. However, the big advantage is the bonanza of metrics that will be available to your marketing team. Use the metrics to analyze the outcomes of your marketing strategy shift and share the story with your executive team. Let them understand the journey you're taking; in very little time, you will convert the doubters.

Best of all, you can probably wave bye-bye to that expensive billboard on the freeway.