The Healthtech Marketing Show

• Building a Brand in Healthcare's Most Competitive AI Market

  Brand has become the B-word in our industry. It’s almost viewed as a dirty word in certain C-Suites and marketing leaders bring it up at their peril.But let's face it, without a strong brand, your sales are going nowhere. And this is especially the case in healthcare technology, where buyers have favorites and start a 13+ month buyer journey with a shortlist in mind.In this episode, I sit down again with my friend and healthtech marketing leader, Lea Chatham, to unpack what it takes to create and build a strong brand.We discuss what it really takes to build a brand in the white-hot ambient AI/clinical scribe space. We start with the reality that large buying groups are overwhelmed with noise, and increasingly turn to a few trusted sources to quietly shortlist the top two or three vendors before they ever talk to sales. If you’re not consistently showing up with credibility in those channels, you may never even make the long list, let alone the shortlist. Lea and I then dive into the specific brand challenges she’s taken on at Heidi Health. Heidi began as a bottom-up, product-led, physician-led company with a very “sign up free and try it” feel. Lea walks through how they’ve repositioned Heidi to a broader “AI care partner” that can sit beside any clinician across organizations of all sizes, while still staying obsessed with physician experience and adoption. We also explore the broader competitive landscape in ambient AI. Lea describes two main camps: solutions tightly embedded in the EHR, and “untethered” scribes where integration is the last step rather than the first. From there we zoom out into brand strategy and execution. We talk about the constant push to create “branded demand,” where every brand investment also drives pipeline, and every demand gen motion reinforces the brand. Lea explains that you can’t build a serious brand in this market purely organically. You have to spend selectively, like picking a few big bets (like going big with CHIME, co-authoring an award submission with marquee enterprise customers, or key analyst relationships) that can create outsized visibility and credibility quickly while your broader organic engine spins up. Key Topics Covered:"(00:00)" Setting the Stage: Ambient AI “Land Grab” & Buying Groups"(03:10)" Heidi as the “New Kid” & the Enterprise Brand Barrier"(06:20)" Measuring Brand Without a Six-Figure Budget"(10:20)" Mapping the Ambient AI Landscape & Heidi’s Positioning"(16:20)" Global Brand, Local Markets: From Scribe to “AI Care Partner”"(19:30)" Tailoring Messaging for Personas, ICPs & Regions"(25:10)" Brand Consistency, Naming, and Product Architecture"(30:10)" Building the Heidi Brand in the US: Tactics & “Branded Demand”"(35:40)" Adapting SEO for the AI & Prompt Era"(38:00)" Final Advice: Strategic Spend & Big Bets (CHIME Case Study)If you are interested in discussing this or any other topic, let's have a chat.  Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call, but rather an opportunity to talk through your questions and challenges.Follow me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to The Healthtech Marketing Show on Spotify or watch us on YouTube for more insights into marketing, AI, ABM, buyer journeys, and beyond!Thank you to our presenting sponsors, HIMSS, a leader in advancing health equity, digital innovation, and data-driven care through technology, policy, and community collaboration. And also HealthcareNOW, 24/7 expert shows, interviews, and podcasts, powering healthcare leaders with innovation, policy, and strategy insights.

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• AI Quick Take - AEO vs SEO

  Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) really just SEO with a fresh coat of paint, or are we looking at something fundamentally different? This question has been nagging at me for weeks, and in this AI Quick Take I try to answer it.This started with a lunch conversation at the Marketing AI Conference in Cleveland, where an SEO expert told me AEO was merely a 10% incremental change from traditional SEO. Then I saw a post from Drew Neisser featuring a CMO who called AEO and GEO "a load of crap," suggesting that following SEO best practices would be sufficient. But after analyzing our own data at Health Launchpad and hearing similar stories from clients, I'm not convinced they're right.Our website traffic grew 10% month-over-month for four years straight, with 65-80% driven by SEO. Now SEO accounts for less than 40% of our traffic, but the decline has been offset by increases in referral and direct traffic from answer engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. We're moving into what many call a zero-click world where users get answers, not links. The new gatekeepers aren't search engines anymore - they're answer engines that read, interpret, and decide what's worth repeating. In this episode, I will unpack why I think AEO truly is a big deal and requires thinking differently about how we approach digital marketing.Key Topics Covered:"(00:00:00)" Introduction"(00:01:30)" The Question: Is AEO Just SEO Rebranded?"(00:05:00)" Is This SEO 2.0 or Something Different?"(00:05:30)" The Reality of Traditional SEO"(00:06:30)" Health Launchpad's Traffic Data"(00:08:00)" The Zero-Click World"(00:09:00)" Answers Not Links"(00:10:00)" The Skeptics' Point of View"(00:11:00)" Overlapping Tactics vs Overlapping Strategy"(00:12:00)" SEO vs AEO: Ranked vs Retrieved"(00:14:00)" Pre-Qualified Buyers from AI Engines"(00:15:00)" Zyppy's Research: 86% Citations from Owned Content"(00:17:30)" The Measurement Challenge"(00:19:00)" New Metrics: Retrieval Frequency and Answer Share"(00:22:00)" Four Key Takeaways"(00:24:30)" Future-Proofing Your Brand"(00:25:30)" Closing AdviceIf you are interested in discussing this or any other topic, let's have a chat.  Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call, but rather an opportunity to talk through your questions and challenges.Follow me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to The Healthtech Marketing Show on Spotify or watch us on YouTube for more insights into marketing, AI, ABM, buyer journeys, and beyond!Thank you to our presenting sponsors, HIMSS, a leader in advancing health equity, digital innovation, and data-driven care through technology, policy, and community collaboration. And also HealthcareNOW, 24/7 expert shows, interviews, and podcasts, powering healthcare leaders with innovation, policy, and strategy insights.

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• Resilience Is the Message for 2026

  Healthcare is facing a “perfect storm”. And it’s a perfectly bad one!In this episode, I sit down with Mark Erwich, Health Launchpad Chief Strategy Officer. Mark is a healthcare technology marketing veteran with over 20 years in the industry. Mark and I discuss "the perfect storm" facing healthcare providers, and why traditional growth-focused messaging is no longer resonating with buyers.Mark unpacks the mounting pressures on hospitals and IDNs, from shrinking margins and labor shortages to an onslaught of regulatory changes, including OPBBA, Medicaid work requirements, and ACA cuts. The healthcare system is managing multiple compounding crises simultaneously, making traditional vendor pitches about "disruptive innovation" and feature-focused solutions feel tone-deaf.We explore how vendors need to shift from a growth mindset to a resilience framework. This means moving away from generic ROI calculators toward detailed value calculators that CFOs can actually trust, and replacing growth messaging with language focused on stability, sustainability, and operational excellence. As procurement departments look to consolidate their vendor relationships, the companies that will survive and thrive are those that can prove they understand their customers' challenges and deliver measurable margin improvements, not just promised cost savings.Key Topics Covered"(00:01:00)" Mark's Background in Healthcare Technology Marketing"(00:02:30)" The Perfect Storm: Current Challenges Facing Healthcare Providers"(00:03:00)" Financial Pressures and Margin Challenges"(00:03:30)" Clinician Shortages and Workforce Issues"(00:04:00)" Regulatory Dynamics and Federal Policy Changes"(00:05:00)" The Importance of Resilience Over Growth Mindset"(00:06:00)" How CFOs Are Planning for Uncertainty"(00:07:00)" Preparedness for Constant Change"(00:08:00)" How CFO Decision-Making Cascades Throughout Organizations"(00:08:30)" What Messaging No Longer Works"(00:09:00)" Margin Improvement vs. Cost Savings"(00:10:00)" ROI Calculators vs. Value Calculators"(00:11:00)" Building Trustworthy Financial Cases"(00:12:00)" Demonstrating Granular Impact on Hospital Operations"(00:13:00)" Shifting from Growth to Resilience Messaging"(00:14:00)" Messaging That Resonates: Stability, Sustainability, Operational ExcellenceIf you are interested in discussing this or any other topic, let's have a chat.  Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call, but rather an opportunity to talk through your questions and challenges.Follow me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to The Healthtech Marketing Show on Spotify or watch us on YouTube for more insights into marketing, AI, ABM, buyer journeys, and beyond!Thank you to our presenting sponsors, HIMSS, a leader in advancing health equity, digital innovation, and data-driven care through technology, policy, and community collaboration. And also HealthcareNOW, 24/7 expert shows, interviews, and podcasts, powering healthcare leaders with innovation, policy, and strategy insights.

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• AI Browsers Are Coming for Your Buyer Journeys

  One of the biggest challenges is that buyers control the buying process, and they don’t want to talk to vendors until they are good and ready. They do their research, talk to peers and analysts, do more research, and eventually, after several months, they will speak to a handful of vendors. And by then their mind is mainly made up.Here’s the really bad news.AI is going to give them even greater control, and the introduction of AI browsers is potentially a big step towards that.OpenAI recently launched ChatGPT Atlas, joining Perplexity's Comet and Google's increasing AI integration into search. These browsers represent a total reimagining of how we interact with the internet, and they could be as significant for B2B healthcare marketing as Google's original launch.In this AI Quick Take episode, I explore how AI browsers could fundamentally transform the way healthcare buyers research and purchase technology solutions. And at the end of the episode, I walk you through a practical 90-day plan to take action. Key Topics Covered"(00:00:00)" - Introduction and Episode Overview"(00:01:00)" - The Launch of AI Browsers (ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity Comet)"(00:03:00)" - What Makes AI Browsers Different from Traditional Browsers"(00:04:00)" - Agent Mode and Autonomous Research Capabilities"(00:06:00)" - How AI Browsers Change the Healthcare Buying Process"(00:08:00)" - The Compressed Buyer Journey"(00:09:00)" - Content Strategy Implications"(00:10:00)" - Trust and Credibility Factors"(00:11:00)" - The Transformation of SEO"(00:13:00)" - Rethinking the Buyer Journey"(00:14:00)" - Practical 90-Day Action Plan"(00:16:00)" - Long-Term Strategy Considerations"(00:18:00)" - Closing Thoughts and Call to ActionIf you are interested in discussing this or any other topic, let's have a chat.  Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call, but rather an opportunity to talk through your questions and challenges.Follow me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to The HealthTech Marketing Show on Spotify or watch us on YouTube for more insights into marketing, AI, ABM, buyer journeys, and beyond!Thank you to our presenting sponsors, HIMSS, a leader in advancing health equity, digital innovation, and data-driven care through technology, policy, and community collaboration. And also HealthcareNOW, 24/7 expert shows, interviews, and podcasts, powering healthcare leaders with innovation, policy, and strategy insights.

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• Our AI Story

  In this milestone 100th episode of The HealthTech Marketing Show, I reflect on the journey to reach this point and share something we've never done before—opening up about what we've been building at Health Launchpad with AI. The first episode launched almost four years ago with my friend Ben Person, and while there have been challenging moments where I considered stopping, the encouragement from listeners has made it all worthwhile. I'm grateful to HIMSS for their early support and to Healthcare Now for recently joining their syndication network, which has significantly boosted our reach.Today's episode is special because I'm pulling back the curtain on Health Launchpad's AI transformation. Drawing from our Healthech Marketing Network survey, we discovered that while 98% of healthtech marketing teams use AI, only 7% have a strategic roadmap for it. About six months ago, we realized we were in the same boat, using AI tactically without a clear strategy. Since then, we've developed a comprehensive approach, which I dive into in this episode.I also share what I learned at MAICON. This annual AI conference for marketers was mind-blowing. It was both the most exciting event I have been to and the most terrifying.We are on a mission to use AI to help our clients grow their business. I'm incredibly proud of how our team has embraced this transformation, and I want to extend an offer to anyone wrestling with their AI strategy. Book a call with me to discuss your journey. No sales pitch, just a conversation to share ideas and perhaps provide some guidance as you navigate this exciting but challenging landscape.Key Topics Covered"(00:00:00)" Introduction to Episode 100"(00:01:00)" The Healthech Marketing Show Origin Story"(00:04:00)" Health Launchpad's AI Announcement"(00:05:00)" Healthtech Marketing Network AI Survey Results"(00:07:00)" AI as Career Opportunity and Threat"(00:09:00)" The Disruption Wave and Changing Buyer Behavior"(00:10:00)" Our Three-Part AI Strategy Framework"(00:12:00)" Andrew Robertson on AI and Creativity"(00:13:00)" Making Work Easier with AI"(00:14:00)" Making Output Better - Beyond Average Information"(00:16:00)" Introducing the HLP BrAIn"(00:18:00)" Benchmarking AI-Enhanced Expertise"(00:20:00)" Custom GPTs and AI Agents"(00:22:00)" New AI Service Offerings"(00:23:00)" Team Transformation and Looking AheadReferences:Total Customer Growth BookAdweek’s article on why AI will unleash creative talentPodcast on AI-First Marketing at ScaleAI Generated Commercial by PJ AceIf you are interested in discussing this or any other topic, let's have a chat.  Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call, but rather an opportunity to talk through your questions and challenges.Follow me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to The HealthTech Marketing Show on Spotify or watch us on YouTube for more insights into marketing, AI, ABM, buyer journeys, and beyond!Thank you to our presenting sponsors, HIMSS, a leader in advancing health equity, digital innovation, and data-driven care through technology, policy, and community collaboration. And also HealthcareNOW, 24/7 expert shows, interviews, and podcasts, powering healthcare leaders with innovation, policy, and strategy insights.

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