Partnering with Sponsors to

Partnering with Sponsors to Build Content and Grow Revenue

Marc Spritzer Director, Business Development, MGMAJeff Takacs, Director, Digital Content, MGMACraig Wiberg, Senior Editor, MGMAChris Harrop, Senior Editorial Manager, MGMA

• Produce highly rated, useful, and relevant content

• Grow revenue in your organization

• Build a win-win content strategy.

Objectives

- 3 -©2021 MGMA. All rights reserved.

TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WANT… LISTEN.


The secret is out.

• We're not mind readers.

• Know where and how to listen.• "...ideas based on what we hear."• Content created by members, for

members.

Source: https://associationsnow.com/2021/10/listen-up-heres-the-secret-to-knowing-which-content-is-worth-your-teams-time-and-effort

• While healthcare is constantly evolving, some things (like death and taxes) are inevitable.

SET A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND SAVE DATES


• New codes and fee schedules in October-January? Plan on it.

• Match Day in March. Plan on it.

• Board retreats and strategic planning near FY start/finish?

• Watch other associations in the healthcare ecosystem (HIMSS, AHIMA) for their new content.

Source: mgma.com/editorialcalendar

• Prioritize content needs• Will it still be hot when it’s delivered?

• Example: Telehealth (Everyone built some version in 2020; what’s next?)

• Example: Staffing and Outsourcing (Quick fixes today; culture and retention strategies for months/years to come)

• Map out a plan to distribute it• Synchronous and asynchronous

(Don’t put all your eggs in the live basket. Learn to love your library and let on-demand do the work for you on your members’ schedules and terms. Some of your best content may have legs years later.)

YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY


Need newsletter content? Get a reprint — they’re free.

• [email protected] or [email protected]

• PDF? Word? Tell us how you plan to use it.

• We ask for a link back to mgma.com when possible.

Weekly data stories via MGMA Stat (mgma.com/stat)

• Join the panel (text “STAT” to 33550) to share your voice

• New stories each Thursday

• Share the stories with your members however you like

NATIONAL MGMA IS HERE TO HELP


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Watch for new releases via MGMA Insights newsletter

• Free for anyone to subscribe (mgma.com/get-insights).

• Besides social, the first place to see new articles, tools, etc.

Don’t forget podcasts

• Two weekly podcasts (Insights and Week in Review)

• One monthly (Executive Session)

• Want to embed a podcast episode on your site? Let us know: [email protected]

NATIONAL MGMA IS HERE TO HELP


Work like a journalist (with tips from a former journalist)

• BuzzSumo: The best-performing headlines based on keywords

• Otter.ai: AI-enabled voice transcription(Integrations with Zoom, or just uploadcall/recording audio.Your transcript is your first draft.

DON’T FORGET THE DIY APPROACH



• Wavve: Easy-to-create animated videos based on your podcast audio for your social platforms. Free up to 120 seconds each month.

• Canva: Freemium options for just about anything (because not everyone should have a pricey Adobe subscription).




• Creative Commons Search (search.creativecommons.org): Don’t get sued over a blog photo or Instagram post. Trust that your visuals are free and/or legal to use (attribution/license types vary).

• Lumen5 (lumen5.com): Creates videos from your content for content marketing, thought leadership and brand awareness. Also has stock photo/video library.



• Members

• Leadership

• Vendors

• Consultants

• National MGMA

• Others

How do you source your content?


Can vendors supply me with great content and pay me at the same time? Yes! It's a win-win-win proposition.

Winner #1: Your audience Winner # 2: Your sponsors

Winner #3: Your organization

How about sponsored content?


How about sponsored content?


“I want to see ads that are relevant to me.”

How do you feel about that statement?

Strongly agreeAgree

NeutralDisagree

Strongly disagree

Example of relevant ad placement:

The article a viewer has come to see is about a remote patient monitoring success story.

Following the article, we have placed an ad for a sponsored whitepaper on the same subject.

What is the relationship of ads to content?


Is this blog post really an ad?


Would you allow Phreesia to run this piece on your site? Would you adapt it for them? Would they pay you for the space? Is it relevant to your audience? How many people will see it?

Channels

Live eventsWebsite (blogs, columns, ads)

Social MediaWebinarsText/SMS

Email NewslettersMagazine (Print, digital)

Podcast

What channels are best for sponsored placements?

• Call for abstracts

• Attending other Events

• Attending Webinars

• Networking

• Social Media

• Web form

• Serendipity

How do you match content needs with experts?


• The methods mentioned on the previous can all be used to have a database or spreadsheet to begin to source your content needs.

• Include vendors and their expertise in this database

Create a Database of Experts


General Rules for Channel Success


• Ask yourself: "What problem does this vendor's solution solve? If were to have this problem, what would I google? What article would I want Google to deliver to me?"

• The answer to this question is your blog post.

• Once you have written (or received from the sponsor) the post, your Content Management System should have an easy way for you to make sure the post is easy for google to find and deliver to googlers asking the question you originally asked.

Channel-specific tip: Blogs


Social media is four things:

• A source of ideas. What are folks discussing?

• A distribution platform for your own content.

• A feedback loop to see if your content is interesting others.

• A vehicle for making connections.

Don't let "social media success" be its own goal: keep your business objectives in mind and monitor the amount of time and effort you are putting in versus the return you are seeing.

Channel-specific tip: Social Media


We discussed the difference between an ad and helpful, rich content. The same logic applies to webinars. Webinars should provide attendees with an insight or tool that is immediately actionable in their practice.

A webinar should NOT be a promotion of or a demo of a product. That is a Product Demo and should be marketed as such.

Engage --> Educate --> Invite = Success

Promote --> Display --> Solicit = Failure

Channel-specific tip: Webinars


• Vendors really want to speak in front of your members. You have leverage.

• If you are offering them leads make sure you do not undercut the price

• Sessions must provide actionable education and not be a sales pitch

Engage --> Educate --> Invite = Success

Promote --> Display --> Solicit = Failure

Channel Specific Tips: Conferences


• Talk to them about the difference between education and selling

• Ask for an abstract

• Edit the article to meet the correct tone

• Bring a client for a case study, not a testimonial

• Try shorter session with vendors.

• Offer CEU credits to set parameters for the vendor speakers

• Require that they give you the presentation first

• See if they have a national expert who can present

• Survey the audience and share the result with the expert

• Let them know: This is a privilege that can be revoked

It is up to you to find and vet the Vendor SMEs


• Give them 10 minutes to open or close the meeting.

• Demos

• Solution Circles

• Be Creative!

• Follow the rule of relevance

Other ideas to include Vendors


Spark Sessions

• 30-minute session discussion lead by

sponsor and moderator

• Topics based on audience needs

• Supported by a graphical recording artist.

• Offered chat and audio options for

audience participation.

• Sponsors and attendees loved it• Sponsors had an image to use in

marketing

• Contracting: Simplify by standardizing

• Create a simple sales process

• CRM• Different kinds: Free, SAAS, OnPrem

• Sponsorships• Channel flexibility

• Pricing flexibility

• Partner first attitude

What does the relationship look like?


Measuring success depends on your client's goals. It may be one of many things:

How do you measure success?


• Leads

• Website visits

• Engagement (likes, shares, using interactive elements)

• Purchases

Measuring tools abound. Whatever the goal or measurement, agree on the terms prior to launch. Don't let the vendor define success of fail post-campaign.

• Lots of ways to define success• Clicks

• Opens

• Attendees

• Engagement

• Satisfaction

• Memberships

• Revenue

What does Success Look like


Documents

Partnering with Sponsors to