January 16, 2020
It’s only January so I think looking back at 2019 is still fair game, and it sure was an interesting year for Aria, integrated heatlhcare marketing and for healthcare IT in general.
From politics and policy changes to M&A to an incredibly active start-up/investment scene, the healthcare industry has been dynamic to say the least. As a healthcare public relations agency in Boston, Aria has been right at the heart of these trends which made for a very successful and exciting year in terms of being able to do interesting and productive work for our clients, growing our business and enhancing our ability to continue to deliver the highest quality work.
We believe that the key to successful healthcare PR is thought leadership as when you are driving the discussion around industry issues, innovation and best practices in your niche, you are in turn building awareness and preference for your brand. Good thought leadership thrives on issues, pain points and market opportunities, and from that perspective 2019 was – to use a military term – a target-rich environment. From ACA repeal, Medicare for All, and ONC's proposed rule on information-blocking, to transparency orders, value-based care, and consumerism– there were many big issues and concerns in the industry last year, and that trend only looks to continue in 2020.
For Aria, 2019 was a year of growth with new clients, new staff coming on-board and very little attrition on either front. I am also pleased that we had the luxury of being able to be judicious in the new clients we took on and in managing our growth rate. I have seen so many firms try to swallow too much too fast, and the result is always lower quality work, frustrated clients and staff burn-out. In this world of health IT we operate in, it’s ultimately a very small universe of people and companies you wind up working with over and over again. Maintaining a reputation for quality is not just essential, it’s existential, and once you lose that rep it’s very hard to build it back up.
That said, while our 2019 growth was impressive at every level, I am most proud of the Aria team and the great work we have done for our clients and I am proud of our staff and client retention, because those are the metrics that really correlate to productivity, efficiency, profitability and satisfaction. Who knows what 2020 will bring, but it will be interesting and I can’t imagine a better team of clients and colleagues to work with as we embark on that adventure.
If you are attending HIMSS20, we’d love to chat with you. Reach out to info@ariamarketing.com to set something up!
