| mers want the latest style in automobiles, the | | | | tear out a page and cover the bulleted points. The |
| latest fashions from Paris, and the cutting edge in | | | | media coverage particularly was successful |
| technology. But patients are gun-shy about | | | | because I have invested the hard time needed |
| embracing experimental medicine or cutting edge | | | | cultivating media contacts and establishing their |
| technology when it comes to improving their | | | | trust. Now when they get a pitch from me, the |
| health or enhancing their bodies. | | | | editor/reporter trusts me and knows the facts |
| That’s why doctors on the cutting edge in | | | | presented will be accurate. If you don’t |
| their area of specialty need public relations. The | | | | establish the relationship and trust first, your |
| message of safety, convenience, and success | | | | carefully planned press kit when landing on the |
| must be conveyed because medical consumers | | | | editor’s desk will end up in the |
| are much more reluctant to be among the first to | | | | wastebasket within 20 seconds. PR is not about |
| accept a new medical technique than are buyers | | | | gloss and glitter; it’s about relationships |
| of automobiles, computers, furniture or fashion. | | | | and trust. |
| Of course, sick people want to be treated with | | | | As part of cultivating media relations I regularly |
| the very latest drug, equipment or method. They | | | | attend major media events in New York City |
| just don’t want to be the first! And so an | | | | where I have face-to-face meetings with |
| innovative doctor introducing new equipment or a | | | | journalists, editors, writers and producers from |
| new treatment method needs the assistance of a | | | | top national magazines, newspapers and radio/TV |
| public relations/marketing professional to be | | | | programs. I have successfully pitched such media |
| successful. | | | | outlets as 20/20, Prime Time, CNN, People, Good |
| No one will agree to eye surgery without being | | | | Morning America, Newsweek, Time Magazine, |
| convinced the procedure is absolutely safe. No | | | | Dateline NBC, The View, Oprah's O magazine, |
| woman will ever agree to breast augmentation or | | | | Cosmopolitan, Fox News, Good Housekeeping, |
| vaginal rejuvenation without feeling absolutely | | | | Newsweek to name a few. |
| comfortable about the practitioner. The more | | | | The same things that worked for Dr. Tayfour |
| sensitive the procedure the greater the need for | | | | also worked for: |
| public relations. | | | | • The TLC Laser Eye Centers of Michigan |
| It has been my experience that a well-thought | | | | to arrange FOX and ABC TV coverage promote |
| out and executed public relations/marketing plan | | | | their new Custom LASIK procedure. |
| will overcome reluctance by patients to embrace | | | | • Dr. Joseph Berenhotz, Director of the |
| medical innovations. In my practice that certainly | | | | Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation Institute of Michigan |
| has been the case. | | | | promoting a new vaginal laser treatment covered |
| I am president of Westwind Communications, a | | | | by the Detroit Free Press, NBC and ABC TV in |
| public relations and marketing firm that has a | | | | Detroit, and an Indianapolis TV station. |
| special knack for working with individuals and | | | | • To promote Plastic Surgeon Dr. Gregory |
| entrepreneurs to help them get all the publicity | | | | Roche of Bloomfield, Michigan, when he launched |
| they deserve and more. Among my clients are | | | | BOTOX in Michigan. |
| numerous doctors, lawyers, authors, inventors | | | | • Media coverage and advertising for Dr. |
| and entrepreneurs. | | | | Fiander of the Farmington Laser Eye Clinic. |
| While working with prominent doctors over the | | | | • For laser plastic surgeon Dr. Lawrence |
| past several years, I have developed successful | | | | Castleman I placed dozens of articles, and |
| marketing campaigns for plastic surgery, LASIK | | | | arranged TV and radio news coverage, and |
| surgery, dental surgery, liposuction and BOTOX. | | | | gained newspaper coverage for everything from |
| Among the most successful methods is to | | | | Ultrasonic Liposuction to BOTOX for sweating, and |
| arrange for radio, television and sports | | | | hair transplants. |
| personalities to have the surgery or treatment | | | | • Targeted marketing for Cosmetic |
| free and then give testimonials on how great this | | | | Surgeon Dr. Michael Gray when he launched an |
| new surgery or treatment has been for them. | | | | endoscopic breast augmentation program in |
| I’ve also arranged for endorsements by | | | | Michigan. |
| popular sports, TV and radio celebrities to help | | | | • And placed print articles and arranged |
| convince customers that it is safe and desirable | | | | TV news coverage on dental implants and a |
| to use the elective medical procedure. | | | | tooth friendly Easter Basket for Dr. Timothy |
| When the French pay TV channel | | | | Kosinski, DDS |
| “Canal+” wanted to know how | | | | (By the way, I never represented two LASIK |
| BOTOX was launched in the U.S., using mostly | | | | surgeons or two plastic surgeons at the same |
| media relations, they called Westwind | | | | time. My company and personal code of ethics |
| Communications to discuss how I helped launch it | | | | does not allow representing clients who are in |
| in the Midwest and sent a reporter to interview | | | | competition). |
| me during the summer of 2006. | | | | In addition to PR and marketing campaigns aimed |
| When Dr. Michael Opipari and Dr. Ronald Rook of | | | | at television, radio, newspapers, professional and |
| the Advanced Magnetic Research Institute (AMRI) | | | | trade publications, I also do a great deal of |
| wanted to introduce the revolutionary Magnetic | | | | internet marketing. One of the first things I check |
| Molecular Energizing (MME) treatment currently | | | | when meeting with new clients is whether they |
| under FDA review, I sat down with them and | | | | have a web site and how good it is at marketing |
| mapped out a marketing plan and media strategy | | | | their product, service or message. Nine times out |
| to overcome initial concerns by people recruited | | | | of ten one of the first things we schedule is a |
| to participate in the study tests. | | | | redesign and revamping of the content to make |
| Westwind Communications has become the | | | | the web site the viable marketing tool it should be. |
| premier medical public relations firm in Michigan, | | | | With that done, I then strategically place electronic |
| having introduced numerous elective cosmetic | | | | press releases and ezine articles on the Internet |
| surgery procedures to the media such as | | | | and employ sound, state-of-the-art search engine |
| Ultrasonic Liposuction, Endoscopic Breast | | | | techniques and drive traffic to the client’s |
| Augmentation, LASIK surgery, Custom LASIK, | | | | web site. The increased traffic to the newly |
| Laser Vaginal Tightening, and MME to name a few. | | | | rejuvenated web site will subsequently result in |
| One of my earliest medical clients, who serves as | | | | phone calls or email inquiries to the client’s |
| an insightful test case for the theme of this | | | | medical practice that then drives new traffic to |
| article, is the Windsor Laser Eye Institute (WLEI) | | | | the medical clinic. |
| founded by Dr. Fouad Tayfour who today is a | | | | Another technique that is key to promoting |
| household name in the Detroit-Windsor market. | | | | professionals in the medical fields is to establish |
| But when the WLEI became my client, Dr. | | | | the client as an expert in his/her field of specialty. |
| Tayfour was not a household name in Southeast | | | | The executive biography included in the press kit |
| Michigan. The FDA had not yet approved laser | | | | is geared toward promoting the client’s |
| eye surgery and so it was only available in | | | | expertise. I also make sure that the client is listed |
| Canada. Dr. Tayfour, a pioneer in Canada and the | | | | as an expert in a valuable online expert service. |
| U.S., opened a clinic in Windsor across the river | | | | Editors consult this service when looking for |
| from Detroit. Thus, because of Windsor’s | | | | experts on developing stories. To gain an |
| close proximity to Detroit, Dr. Tayfour wanted to | | | | interview in a news story as an expert in the field |
| reach out to the Greater Detroit metropolitan | | | | is worth a pot of gold and that makes subscribers |
| area. | | | | to this service, such as my firm, a valuable ally to |
| While there was interest in laser vision as a | | | | the media by providing just what they |
| substitute for prescription glasses or contact | | | | need… an expert. |
| lenses, initially there was not a flood of traffic | | | | A major strategy in establishing a medical |
| over the Ambassador Bridge to the clinic. People | | | | professional as an expert is to schedule interviews |
| are very sensitive about their eyes and very | | | | on television, radio, and radio talk shows. To do |
| hesitant about being among the first to embrace | | | | this the client must be equipped to deal with the |
| this revolutionary approach. What about side | | | | media, and most clients are not skilled in being |
| effects or complications down the road? How | | | | interviewed. Therefore, while the client’s |
| uncomfortable is the procedure? How long will the | | | | web site is being boosted, and the press kit is |
| correction last? Will it damage my eyes? And | | | | being developed, I sign the client up with a |
| added to these concerns was the fact that the | | | | well-respected media coach. |
| procedure did not have FDA approval and was | | | | Media training will give doctors, dentists and |
| not covered by health insurance. | | | | surgeons the skills to learn how to use the media, |
| One of the first steps was to prepare a set of | | | | not just to convey their message but to compel |
| documents for a press kit to explain what the | | | | people to try the medical procedure or treatment |
| laser procedure involved, what the benefits were, | | | | plan. As a marketing expert, I can pitch a |
| and facts to overcome concerns about | | | | doctor’s story and line up a TV or Radio |
| side-effects, pain, discomfort, etc. The press kits | | | | interview but the author won’t be able to |
| were distributed to television, radio and | | | | amaze listeners and capitalize on the interview |
| newspaper reporters, and to sports figures, talk | | | | without being trained by a media coach |
| show hosts, and other celebrities in the Detroit | | | | Before investing in a PR firm it is prudent to find |
| market. News reports were filed and radio | | | | a PR professional who knows his or her way |
| celebrities began talking about this new procedure | | | | around the newsroom and has body of work with |
| across the river. Dr. Tayfour then performed the | | | | successful medical placements in all forms of |
| procedure free of charge to sports figures, | | | | media. When shopping for a PR firm consider the |
| celebrities, and media personalities who then | | | | following: |
| spread the word further. These well-known and | | | | • Does the firm have a track record of |
| respected celebrities also issued endorsements for | | | | medical and health placements? |
| laser vision. As part of this campaign I arranged | | | | • Does the firm have extensive media |
| for two laser vision surgical procedures to be | | | | contacts and an ongoing relationships? |
| televised live, which really had a positive impact on | | | | • Does the firm have a good reputation |
| patients! | | | | with journalists? |
| We created a buzz campaign and soon everyone | | | | • Are the sample press kits from other |
| was talking about laser vision and how wonderful | | | | medical clients professionally written? |
| it was. The trips became so frequent from | | | | At the end of the day, sign up with someone |
| Detroit to Windsor that when the immigration | | | | who can demonstrate the results you want. My |
| officials in the booth asked, “Why are you | | | | clients have been featured by Good Morning |
| coming to Canada” and heard “to | | | | America, CNN, ABC Nightly News, The New York |
| get laser eye surgery” they just waved | | | | Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, Los Angeles Times, |
| them on by Dr. Tayfour then launched an intense | | | | USA Today, Washington Post, Family Circle, |
| television advertising campaign that cemented his | | | | Woman's World to name a few. |
| status as a household word in the region. But the | | | | This track record results from me doing what I |
| groundwork to that happening was a targeted | | | | do best and in all that I do make sure that the |
| media campaign and selected endorsements. | | | | client gets the publicity they deserve…and |
| This was not just a classic textbook approach to | | | | more. |
| media promotion and niche marketing where you | | | | |