At this point in the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve exhausted our bank of ideas and people to operationalize them. Unfortunately, the need for vaccine compliance has never been greater. So, what’s a healthcare marketer to do?
Our recommendation – go back to the beginning.
Know your audience. It’s one of the first things you learn in Marketing 101, and it’s still the key to reaching a specific demographic and convincing them to take action.
To help our overwhelmed clients and anyone tasked with messaging right now, some of our Ten Adams experts combined their knowledge with vaccine confidence data provided by the CDC and results from the Kaiser Permanente study, Human Centered Recommendations for Increasing Vaccine Uptake, to give you six smart ideas for boosting vaccine rates among the well-intentioned but unmotivated younger adults.
Consider it our way of supporting those of you in the communication trenches. We see you. We know you are frustrated. Take these ideas and run with them!
Six Smart Ideas for Converting Vaccine Stragglers and Skeptics
Jennifer Horton, VP Strategy and Account Services
At this point in the pandemic, facts and figures are background noise. Breaking through information overload and moving the needle on vaccination rates will require addressing the pain points of very specific audiences in very specific ways. Grab your marketing personas and use them to identify the top two groups most likely to reconsider their current status. Spend your time and resources there.
Claire Chavez, Digital Marketing Specialist
Adults, especially millennials, want trusted information from authentic sources. After identifying the biggest concerns in your community, find someone with the same trepidations and have them explain what motivated them to change their mind and get a vaccine. Extra credit if you make it a short video and post it on social media channels popular with the 40-and-under crowd!
Brandon Scott, VP Digital
Have someone in their 20s or 30s test your digital transaction process. This group seeks convenience and flexibility. They are access driven and expect immediate action. If they can’t find and schedule a vaccine in a couple of clicks, game over.
Claire Bosma, Communication Strategist
Be authentic and use your homecourt advantage. Share data and facts about what COVID-19 looks like in your town and solidify your status as a trusted source of information. By tailoring your message to local people and what they experience, you become more nimble and able to address new obstacles or areas of concern in real time.
Nancy Daugherty, VP Operations
A lot of people in the unvaccinated category aren’t necessarily opposed to the vaccine, they just haven’t gotten around to it yet. The only way to capture this group of laggards is to take the vaccine directly to their school, work, or place of worship. Do away with pre-registering and appointments if possible because this group does not plan ahead.
Ashley Johnson, Content Writer
The level of skepticism related to corporate messaging has never been so high. To combat distrust of anything with a logo or tagline, create educational content that helps people and post it online. Infographics, resource lists, blogs and testimonials will reach your intended audience by way of social media sharing. Younger adults are more likely to read and believe information discovered, then shared, by their peers and trusted influencers.
Your Audience
From a national perspective, young people and those who identify as Black, Non-Hispanic have the lowest rates of vaccination. More than 14 percent of American adults say they will probably NOT or definitely NOT get vaccinated. Just over 74 percent are fully vaccinated, so your goal is to convert the remaining 12 percent.
Who Remains Unvaccinated?
CDC data through September 4, 2021, shows the following percentage of Americans
Are fully vaccinated -74.1%
Probably or definitely will not get vaccinated – 14.2%
Probably will get vaccinated or are unsure – 8.9%
Definitely plan to get vaccinated – 2.8%
Less than 50% of people age 24 and younger are fully vaccinated.
Only 30% of Black, Non-Hispanic people are fully vaccinated.
Does your team need some extra hands to get it all done?
Ten Adams can help. Connect with our experts.
