Typically February is reserved for promoting heart health and preventing heart disease—the # 1 cause of death worldwide, according to the American Heart Association. However, promotions this month—and in the months to come—might need to be different. While heart health remains an important topic, hospitals, urgent care facilities and doctor offices across the country are preoccupied with the current health crisis. That doesn’t mean caring for other ailments and doing pre-screenings for other diseases should be put on hold, but it does mean pivoting to find the right approach to health-related promotions right now.
“Even if promotional opportunities stray from the traditional awareness programs this year, one thing that hasn’t is that our American-made bandannas fit any health care marketing objective by building trust with and boosting morale among both patients and staff,” Pam Scott, national sales director at Bandanna Promotions by Caro-Line, said. “It’s also such a creative and fashionable way to provide important medical information and reminders to patients.”
If you’re looking to approach the health care vertical, here are some ideas for your health provider clients—or any client trying to educate people about their well-being.
Promote Health Screenings
Screenings may not be top of mind for many people even though they remain necessary to ensure optimal health and disease prevention, but medical experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine encourage patients to adhere to the schedule for routine screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, as well as tests, like cholesterol and blood pressure, since these are the most effective ways to discover diseases before they worsen.
Between patients avoiding the doctor’s office and relying on telehealth appointments during the pandemic, it has become difficult to get promo items in people’s hands in the health care vertical, especially with the absence of health fairs. But with promotional kits surging in popularity during the pandemic, providers can send patients wellness kits featuring a bandanna or face mask along with marketing materials to remind patients about important wellness screenings or what the facility is doing to ensure patient safety at the office. Include a screen print of various calls to action, like booking an appointment for an important screening or encouraging them to wear the enclosed face covering on their next visit. With 24 colors available, the 22×22” 100% cotton bandannas with rolled edges and large imprint areas provide a versatile marketing opportunity.
Assist with Vaccine Rollout
With people receiving COVID-19 vaccines across the country, that interaction provides a great way to promote various initiatives that have been pushed aside when all efforts pivoted to fighting the pandemic. Bandannas serve as a great giveaway to remind vaccine recipients where to return for their second shot. The high demand for vaccinations also opens a whole line of promotional opportunities for patients to proudly sport “COVID-19 Vaccinated” merch, which could be used as a giveaway or part of a product line to fundraise for the charitable arm of a hospital, for example. This type of program could be duplicated for flu vaccine efforts or any other vaccination campaign. Try Map Wear bandannas, Info-Dannas or Color-Me-Danna for a creative way to convey important information.
Educate
Since this is a novel coronavirus, there’s still a lot to learn, but it’s also important to consider children’s view of the pandemic—or any disease or health concept for that matter. The Color-Me-Danna also provides a fun way to teach youngsters how to wash their hands, prevent the spread of germs or eat healthy. After all, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that health behavior adopted during childhood can have lifelong consequences.
Children’s hospitals, pediatricians and schools can benefit from this kid-friendly approach to serious topics. It can also serve as a valuable resource and outlet of hope and encouragement for youth dealing with issues, such as a sick loved one or an illness that they are battling. The uplifting message on the bandanna can be colored with crayons, pencils or markers.
Appreciate Frontline Workers
While patient care is always important, it’s vital to recognize the hard work and sacrifices that many frontline heath care workers—including assisted living employees, first responders and COVID-19 testing and vaccination centers—have endured over the last year.
Across all industries, companies have been finding ways to show appreciation to employees for facing the challenges and obstacles during this unprecedented time. Bandannas for frontline workers will not only provide a small token of gratitude, but also allow employees of hospitals and doctor offices a way to show pride for their place of employment. And that display of the company name, logo and tagline can strengthen brand awareness for the entity. The branding can even be incorporated into a classic bandanna paisley design or a full color digital bandanna, giving companies the ability to include a more vibrant logo or team photo.
“While our solid and paisley screen printed bandannas remain the classic picks, those looking for a full-color digital print can turn to our Digi-Danna, which is now available in three fabrications,” Scott said. “There’s no better way to provide hope, encouragement and pride to the frontline workers who have led the charge during this crisis.”
