Throughout the healthcare industry, the reason why PR and marketing are considered essential, lies in the fact that organizations need a voice to not just reach a certain audience, but make a tangible and measurable impact on patients and other stakeholders.
From devising strategies for brand awareness to the launch of telehealth platforms, PR agencies have proven to be a significant factor for healthcare companies in achieve their objectives.
This edition, the 10 Most Promising PR Agencies in Healthcare, places the spotlight on agencies that deliver to the best of their potential and spearhead associated healthcare organizations towards success.
One prominent name among such industry leaders is Romph Pou Agency, a full-service marketing agency that prides itself on being fast and effective. It combines data-driven thinking, smart strategy, and award-winning creativity to fuel growth for its clients.
As Romph Pou Agency recently marked its 40th anniversary, its growth trajectory has constantly been an upward one — from a company of two employees to the largest full-service marketing agency in Louisiana serving clients nationwide.
The agency currently has more than 100 employees with offices in Shreveport and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Tyler and San Antonio, Texas. It represents healthcare clients in five states, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and New York.
Expertise that Ensures Excellence
Romph Pou Agency has set an industry benchmark in such a way that its clients know it is not just another vendor. The agency is invested in its clients’ success by helping to promote their mission and service, as well as achieve market goals.
Following are the aspects through which Romph Pou has made its mark in the world of PR:
Experience: Romph Pou’s Public Relations Manager, Ed Walsh, spent 25 years in the television news business before joining the agency. Walsh’s team includes Jeff Cowart who serves as vice president for the agency’s Texas branch. Cowart is a veteran newspaper journalist of more than 20 years and a former healthcare communications and marketing executive. This expertise is the foundation that helps Romph Pou design winning public relations and public positioning campaigns.
Delivery: the agency believes video is an important storytelling tool with multipurpose use. The team develops two-minute to three-minute video vignettes, similar to stories in a news broadcast. The vignettes are then submitted to media partners to gain coverage. They can also be used by clients on social media and for internal marketing purposes.
Collaboration: the team understands what a reporter needs to tell a story. It works with media partners and build relationships, so it is top-of-mind when news outlets need an interview or sound bite for a healthcare story.
Riding the Tech Wave
Romph Pou Agency is data-driven. In that sense, it demonstrates a return on an investment to the clients and how their marketing efforts translate into appointments, conversion, growth, and revenue. The agency’s data team has developed its own proprietary data management and analytics tool called SCORPIO®. By using SCORPIO®, they are able to target healthcare consumers who are most in need of a particular service.
The agency has also worked closely with clients to develop a resource of video questions and answers. If a patient has a question about an ailment or a procedure and they search on the internet, Romph Pou helps them to get that information directly from one of its doctors. Instead of reading about a possible diagnosis and treatment for their symptoms, these doctors appear on their screen and offer the answers.
Exemplary Leadership
Every successful organization has a certain individual who comprehends the necessities and intricacies of doing business every day. For Romph Pou, it is Ed Walsh, the Public Relations Manager.
Ed has created strong relationships with the agency’s clients, the news media, and the communities that it serves. From his deep experience in television news, he has adopted the values and foundation of authentic storytelling that rings true not only with clients but also with the audiences for whom the stories are intended. This PR expertise adds a strong dimension to Romph Pou’s position as a full-service agency.
We asked Ed to share his opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies and platforms within PR and communications has transformed the industry, to which he said, “New technology has made it easier for us to tell client stories and to target the people who need to hear health messages. In this age of information, most people are getting their news and information from their smartphone. Targeted digital advertising helps us serve potential patients with relevant, long-format healthcare stories.”
“Many of our healthcare clients transitioned to virtual appointments because of COVID-19. We believe this will continue, with new apps that accurately take your temperature, your pulse, and other vitals. Over time, we believe that digital concierge healthcare will become more prevalent. Doctors will see more patients via the web and provide services that don’t require an in-person appointment,” Ed expressed.
When asked what his advice would be to the budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the healthcare PR space, Ed says, “Technology is changing every day. There are new social media platforms, new apps, and new media, but don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Just because it is the newest and freshest piece of technology, it may not work for your client. While the younger generation is well-versed in technology, the older generation still mostly relies on the old-fashioned ways to get their information.”
Towards New Horizons
For 2022 and beyond, Romph Pou Agency’s growth coincides with the growth and expansion of its current healthcare clients. As their patient base grows, many have expanded with new clinics into new geographies, which has naturally expanded the agency’s responsibilities and scope of work.
“We pride ourselves on integrating our team into our client’s marketing department. We are an extension of their team that understands the mission and creates solutions for communicating to the public with the ultimate goal of better health in the communities that we serve,” concludes Ed.
