Private practices are more cost-conscious, but they are also more likely to focus on patient education and wellness programs than they were a few years ago. As evidence, Worthy cited an increase in sales of promotional products and the fact that the marketing focus of brochures has shifted. She also said that companies are more likely to outsource jobs, since they may lack the workforce or the time to produce them in-house. However, not every company has hopped on the self-promotion bandwagon. Wells noted that in general, companies are moving to opposite ends of the spectrum while some are investing in collateral materials, other are only buying plain forms and other simple products in an attempt to curb costs.
Healthcare providers are busier, but earning less.
But even here, she sees potential opportunities. According to Andrew Duke, president of Metrographics, Fairfield, NJ, another growth product is scannable forms. And while most data is recorded and stored electronically, the report is still more likely to be printed out to be read. Metrographics specializes in the pharmaceutical field, and Duke believes the overall outlook for his niche is positive. Essentially, the pharmaceutical companies release new products on a monthly basis, which spurs a lot of spending on commercial printing and promotional products.