Last spring, communities around the globe joined together every night to applaud, ring bells, and show appreciation for the hardworking healthcare professionals that were facing the unprecedented crisis of covid-19. Brands joined in, with many social media posts proclaiming solidarity and thanks for frontline workers.
Nearly a year later, those nightly cheers are a distant memory—but healthcare workers are still fighting the pandemic, with many regions experiencing staff shortages and peak covid hospitalizations in very recent weeks.
For brands, the opportunity to make a difference by recognizing and celebrating healthcare workers has not faded. SheerID recently conducted a study of nearly 1,000 healthcare workers across the US and the UK that sheds light on the current state of healthcare workers—and how brands can support them.
Here are a few of our key findings.
Healthcare Workers Are Burned Out—And Marketers Can Relate
As covid-19 vaccines roll out across the globe, so does our collective hope for a brighter future. But after a year of working on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare workers are still dealing with enormous burnout and personal trauma—and a sense of being forgotten by the general public.
When you combine this with 2020’s heated politicization of basic preventative measures like mask-wearing and social distancing, it’s no wonder two-thirds or more of all healthcare workers we surveyed said the pandemic has left them feeling tired. Many also expressed feeling frustrated and overwhelmed.
While it’s nowhere near the stress experienced by healthcare workers, the pandemic has challenged marketers, too. Last year, a record 12,200 stores closed their doors permanently. Many marketers have struggled to keep revenue and customer acquisition numbers from dropping, and faced layoffs or restructuring when they couldn’t.
Our research suggests that one marketing channel can help both healthcare workers and brands: personalized offers.
Uplifting Healthcare Workers And Building Brand Loyalty Through Personalized Offers
When asked how they would feel upon learning that they’ve been offered a discount or special perk not available to the general public because of their healthcare employment, more than 63% of our survey respondents said they would feel valued. Over 50% reported feeling rewarded and thanked.
This feeling of being valued is meaningful, and forges an emotional connection between healthcare workers and the brands they come to view as allies.
Around 59% of all survey respondents said that they would shop more often with a brand that gives them a personalized offer than one that doesn’t, and the vast majority reported actively seeking out brands that offer exclusive discounts to healthcare workers (80% of US respondents, 91% of respondents from the UK).
Personalized Offers Draw New Healthcare Worker Customers
Every marketer knows that rising above the noise and standing out from the crowd is a powerful avenue to growing your customer base. Recognizing and connecting with healthcare professionals through personalized offers accomplishes just that: 60% of US respondents and 48% of UK respondents said that a healthcare worker discount would prompt them to try a new brand for the first time.
And almost every respondent—over 97% globally—reported that they would share an exclusive offer with fellow healthcare professionals.
As the pandemic continues into early 2021, it’s important to honor the frontline healthcare professionals who spend long days caring for their communities, often without appreciation from the general public. Personalized offers may not be a cure for burnout, but they can provide a moment of gratitude and recognition to healthcare workers—while helping marketers grow their businesses and reach new customers at the same time.
Download Our Report: Caring for the Caregivers – What Healthcare Workers Want from Brands and How You Can Win Their Business
