Sharing your healthcare market position

Translate the hospital’s mission for stakeholders

Understanding what your hospital offers that’s unique, relevant and appealing to your target audience is the foundation for a competitive position. To realize the full potential of your marketing investment, your hospital must communicate this unique experience, and then deliver it consistently and reliably. People look to the CEO for gestures, meaning and focus – to help them embrace the hospital’s core values and understand how they influence the customer experience.

Here are some of the ways hospital CEOs can have a powerful positive effect on marketing their organization.

The CEO’s to-do list for hospital marketing:

• Understand and believe your hospital’s competitive position (If you don’t have a position that you can be passionate about, you need to get one).
• Clarify your mission statement. Learn to articulate it in one sentence, and as part of a 15-second elevator speech and a 30-minute presentation.
• Engage your counselors, managers and staff to define how to deliver the desired customer experience so everyone understands their roles.
• Make your brand story part of everyday conversations. Talk about it with your board, your managers, at chamber of commerce events and public-facing functions.
• Be resilient. When inside and outside forces exert their influence to go off strategy, resist the temptation to appease them and stay true to your mission.
• Know when to take a back seat. Understand that you can be a brand steward without becoming the brand spokesperson. And remember that third party endorsements are generally more credible than chest thumping or self promotion.