Brief Profile of Seema Arora
As per Silverstein & Sayre’s article, the female economy in Harvard Business Review (September 2009), indicated a tremendous potential in six industries: food, fitness, beauty, apparel, health care, and financial services. At ResMed, we are honoured to recognise our leading female marketer, with more than two decades of expertise in marketing, brand management, communication, and advertising, Seema Arora.
She has a track record of creating brands from scratch and is passionate about coming up with plans to produce significant financial gains. Seema is a dynamic, imaginative female leader who does more than just talk the talk. She has developed and rolled out multiple campaigns and developed the discussion on the topic of sleep health in India and showcasing how it is essential that women lead in healthcare sector.
Passionate in Marketing caught up with Seema Arora to discuss about her journey, her role at ResMed, the growth of ResMed through marketing and how the healthcare industry is being led by women with great dedication, and it is expanding and thriving significantly.
- How has your journey shaped you into the person and leader that you are today?
Ans: An experience of two decades in marketing has given me a great deal of knowledge, and an aspect which is vital is the presence of visionary leadership. In my professional life, I had idealistic mentors who helped me gain practical experience with processes, cross-functional teams, and the relationship I have with them now empowers me and my development as a leader.
The type of business and industry I am into, is evolving on a day-to-day basis. Consumers are increasingly taking ownership of their own wellness. The healthcare industry has taught me to value of the perspectives offered by our consumers and to consider their feedback when planning and developing strategies.
As per my understanding, the learning curve increases significantly when an individual starts and progresses in their career and eventually starts approaching saturation before plateauing. Being a leader has taught me that learning never stops, and we are constantly capable of acquiring fresh abilities from our team and subordinates.
I believe it is essential to understand that while we progress and gain expertise, we need to be aware that circumstances, the environment around us, and even our career path can alter, however it is essential to look forward and keep developing ourselves. My journey has inspired me to never stop learning and to never lose perspective of what customers want.
- What were the initial challenges breaking into the Indian market and what are the current challenges in the marketing environment for healthcare?
Ans: The healthcare marketing environment has seen a significant transition. The communication has changed from the physical world to the digital interactive environment. Healthcare marketing has evolved to be more consumer-centric in order to reach, engage, and appeal to the customers. Marketing in the healthcare sector has multiple layers with various guidelines to be followed, which makes it difficult to market the products and services of the company.
Hospitals, medical equipment, clinical studies, and telehealth constitute India’s healthcare sector. Due to the country’s large population, we have a lack of accessibility to basic medical facilities, with approximately 1000 patients for every 1 doctor, which is lower than most countries.
The country must promote preventive care, particularly for managing chronic diseases, and the health sector must strengthen its abilities and expertise. Given the aforementioned obstacles, marketing a product in the healthcare industry is challenging, and increasing awareness of the disorder and the product is a primary objective for the marketing strategy.
- What marketing strategy is most crucial when working for a company that prioritises human experiences?
Ans: According to our analysis, the consumers have shifted into the centre of the care paradigm as a result of shifting healthcare dynamics and technology-enhanced consumer experiences. This has led to us understanding that consumers are crucial while working for a company that prioritises the human experience. They have transformed from being decision followers to facilitators of decisions. It is essential to concentrate the marketing approach on the intended audience. In the healthcare industry, stickiness is important for chronic disease management. Understanding individual experiences, gathering feedback, and providing the greatest experience possible for the customer are priorities.
In the healthcare sector, comprehending the different disorders is a fragmented process, particularly in the management of chronic diseases. It is essential to educate and empower customers at all touch points and to conceptualise customer-centred strategies which are simple and clear, understandable by audiences, and exemplify a powerful message can assist in attracting consumers and minimize ambiguity.
Leveraging digital tools is one of the essential aspects of a marketing strategy today. Considering how significantly individual decision-making differs, many digital tools and social media can be used to better understand the consumer and their decision-making process.
- How has marketing helped ResMed’s expansion in the healthcare industry?
Ans: The focus of care, in our perspective, has transitioned to the patient as a consequence of shifting market dynamics and innovation strategies that are strengthened by technology. The cornerstone to overall wellness is getting sufficient quality sleep since it rejuvenates the body and restores the damaged cells.
The focus of ResMed’s marketing campaigns has been on the underdiagnosis of chronic diseases, particularly sleep disorders. According to ResMed’s 2022 sleep survey, 59% of respondents thought snoring was a sign of a good night’s sleep. This lack of information of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) highlights the need for awareness of sleep health in the country. As March is the World Sleep Month, ResMed also conducts a global sleep survey to understand the consumer better and develop the marketing strategies as per the consumer insights to determine what would perform great for the intended audiences.
ResMed’s marketing initiatives such as #WakeUpToGoodSleep and #AwakenYourBest highlighted the need to increase understanding of the value of sleep for wellness among patients and medical professionals and on raising awareness about the need to get enough sleep for one’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It attempts to address commons misconceptions regarding snoring and sleep apnea. The campaigns and the educational video which were launched led to a 26% increase in website traffic and 20–30% increase in sleep-related enquiries, which highlighted that individuals are looking for sleep remedies.
Through fostering trust, raising awareness, and offering value to their target market, marketing has assisted ResMed in establishing contact with their patient audience. To drive awareness of the many products and services available to treat sleep disorders, further symposiums, web education series and summits are also organised with leading medical professionals.
- Do you have any advice for those aspiring to pursue a career in marketing?
Ans: Marketing is and always will be a constantly evolving field, and it is crucial to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. Individuals ought to constantly undertake research and analysis on their intended audience. Moreover, a comprehensive understanding of the business is essential for achieving high metrics and return on investment. In an era where the dynamics in the market and the healthcare sector are evolving so fast, the vertical which are emerging quickly is the content what we want to communicate to our consumers, whether itis digital content and offline content.
While marketing involves multiple facets, my recommendation for those seeking a profession in marketing is to be precise as to which fields they would be interested in such as brand management, product marketing, product development, etc. when it pertains to the professional career.
- Any insights you would like to share for emerging women in leadership roles?
Ans: I believe we have come a long way, where women across the world have made significant progress in their fields. Believing in yourself and your abilities is a crucial pillar to success. While there are a few barriers that prevent female professionals from pursuing their careers, I am seeing how women are continuing to make advancements and pursuing demanding professions. Today, businesses have started focusing on aspects like child day-care facilities, leaves which are more women centric in an effort to create an efficient working environment.
It is our responsibility to create an environment where the women leaders can grow and nurture themselves since doing so will aid in their ascent to the top.
