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1. Multi-channel strategy

Reaching an audience with a targeted message has never been easier than it is today, but also more problematic.

First the good news. SMS and email offer an easy way to reach most members (95 percent of Americans own a mobile phone, per Pew Research Center polling). At CoreSource, we use mobile messaging to send members reminders about screenings, health care tips, and more. Even better news: members want these communications. Analysts at Kentico Software found that 69 percent of consumers appreciate getting texts or e-mails from their health care providers.

The bad news: there is no guarantee that your messaging will manage to cut through all the digital noise your members are bombarded with on a daily basis.

The situation calls for a "belt and suspenders" approach. Keep reaching out to members through digital means, and supplement those communications with traditional physical tools like posters, flyers, mailers, cards, table tents, and anything else that will put your message out there.

2. Keep it simple

The world of employee health care benefits is filled with complicated jargon and an alphabet soup of acronyms to keep track of. It can be tough to manage for those of us in the industry—imagine what it's like for the average member!

Be clear and simple in your messaging, and in the tools themselves. Members have to be able to understand a tool if they are going to use it. Keep videos short and to the point, use plain language in written materials, and always remember to focus on what the tool does to help the member. According to Gallup, two of the top three financial worries among Americans in 2017 were related to paying for health care, so make sure you explain to members how these tools will help them save money.

Is it a transparency tool, like Health care Bluebook, which helps members compare cost and quality of health care providers? Does it provide cost controls and greater convenience to members, like telemedicine? Does it make bill paying easier, like Simplicity? Let members know why they should use a tool, not just how great it is.

3. Remember the consumer point of view

Never forget: members are consumers. And in this case, they are consuming health care. Respect their perspective as such, and make your pitch to them with the same enthusiasm and care as you would for any potential customer.

Members/patients expect messages to be targeted and tailored to them, like the kind of personalized experience they have with sites like Amazon or Netflix. Direct digital communications, like the SMS service we highlighted above, help to remind members that they are seen as individuals, and that their experience matters.

The industry is also shifting to embrace a "whole-person" view of health, with more benefits available to members than just standard doctor and hospital coverage. Modern benefits packages address the physical, emotional, financial, and environmental underpinnings of health, engaging members in more ways than ever before and fostering engagement with benefits.

Members are more accountable for their health care decisions now than they have been in decades. Encouraging them to engage with the tools at their disposal is an important step in empowering them to make the best decisions possible for themselves and their families. Through simple, consumer-focused, multi-channel messaging, brokers and employers can help members make the most of these tools. As the health care landscape continues to shift, these three strategies should continue to be an effective guide.

Joanne E. McGowan is vice president, customer Experience & strategy execution at CoreSource. Joanne is responsible for continually enhancing the customer experience for CoreSource brokers, clients, and members.

Robert Wolfkiel is region president for the Northeast at CoreSource, where he is responsible for all aspects of sales and client management, business operations support, leadership initiatives, and strategic oversight for the Northeast region.