Strong hospital brands drive perception

Strong healthcare brands control their own destinies

Hospitals and physician practices that invest in proactive brand-building communications shape their own futures. By identifying an honest competitive position and marketing it to their internal and external audiences, they can drive perceptions and expectations of their brand. They can also weather the pressures of economic and market influences without being forced to take reactive measures or change tactics.

Just look at some of the top U.S. hospital brands, organizations such as the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital or Mass General. These brands operate from positions of power: consumers know them; what to expect, and what they deliver. Barring a big mistake, these healthcare brands don’t have to work as hard to maintain their leadership positions.

Below this top tier, it’s a branding game with players moving up and down the awareness and market share ladder. Weak and unarticulated brands will experience ongoing erosion, slipping gradually down the food chain. Hospitals with memorable brands will continue to grow until they’re supplanted by an emerging competitor with a stronger brand.

A clear brand position aligns physicians and staff

Consumers aren’t the only target of positioning and brand-building communications. A strong brand has a powerful influence with internal audiences, too. A clearly stated position helps align employees and physicians to the company mission and provides a model for behavior and common goals for the customer experience.

• Inspire and engage staff by promoting your competitive position and brand messages with your team. Share core values and model behavior to help them consistently deliver the expected customer experience.
• Align physicians with the hospital’s brand mission to drive patient referrals and brand advocacy. Physicians are powerful allies as marketing partners and advocates for the organization.

When your management team, marketers, and frontline service personnel are clear on what you’re selling, they can direct their behavior, their appearance and their customer interactions to reinforce the brand promise.

Learn more in our white paper, Four Reasons to Invest in Hospital Branding.