Brand Your Way to Success

Coca-Cola, Apple, Ford, McDonald’s – what comes to your mind when you think of these names? Yes, it’s the brand. A brand is not just a logo, design, or personality – it is, after all, perceptions. Your brand is the way your organization is perceived by those who experience it. A true brand needs to be broader, more purpose-oriented, and create an understanding of what the organization is all about –not just from a consumer standpoint but also from the internal stakeholders. A brand is the single most important asset to differentiate your organization consistently over time. It communicates the unique competitive advantage that influences the desired audience to see you as their best choice.

When you think of any Apple product, for instance, your first few thoughts are probably going to be like  “classy camera, the best source of web browsing, great availability of video playbook, highly secured mini-computer phone” and so on. So, I would say that this is the brand promise that Apple provides. Now when you go to an Apple store (be it online or physical), the ambiance, the ease of navigation provides an experience that helps you build immediate trust and credibility to Apple products and services. In a nutshell - Brand Promise + Brand Experience = Relationship. This means that what consumers think of you before they meet you is just as important as their experience with the service or product you provide them and that’s applicable in Healthcare too.

Remember that your brand is experience and experience is your brand. You can have the most compelling brand message in your category, but it doesn’t matter if the experience isn’t reinforcing it. For us as a service organization, it’s increasingly important to start with the experience our customers want as we define our brand. The strongest brands build highly relevant and hard-to-replicate experiences. From the first impressions they make in the relationship building and early evaluation phase, how they integrate with their customer’s business, the expertise and problem-solving they bring forth, it is all connected back to their brand.

I would like to share 5 key areas where a strong brand can make an impact:

A brand creates a strong bond – the first thing that a brand creates is an attachment – be it personal or professional. This bond is created through mission, policies, services, or products. Branding is the combination of marketing and advertising elements that form a cohesive snapshot of your organization. It is imperative to always be authentic and transparent. It is the values and the benefits that you provide to your clients which helps to create a bond. Always remember that clients or customers will care about your brand when they understand and believe in you.

Employees become brand advocates –When employees become brand advocates and when employees spread a positive message, it reflects the working environment and impacts the brand. Word-of-mouth always plays an important role when it comes to branding. It can go a long way in position the brand.

People prefer established brands for their care – A strong brand plays an important role in decision-making. When it comes to health and care, many clients and customers are willing to pay more to get the best in the field. So, living up to the brand promise and providing value-added service always make a huge difference. Well-known healthcare brands always have a market advantage.

Branding sharpens your competitive edge – It does this by establishing an emotional bond with your clients, be it individual patients, providers, or payers. It is your organization’s reputation and your promise that a strong brand is instantly recognizable, and it resonates with people. The more powerful your brand, the easier it is for consumers to choose you. And the less vulnerable your healthcare business will be to outside forces that aim to erode your loyal customer base.

Build a loyal client base – When your client finally chooses to take your service, it is branding that will make or break the relationship. If your client or customer has a good experience with you, they are more than likely to return in the future. Great branding makes customers retain their loyalty within the company and then tell others about their experience. Customer advocates are the most valuable marketing tools your company can use to change minds and persuade leads.

As more organizations step up their efforts to build strong brands, we expect to see more innovation in ways that convey value to both primary and secondary audiences. They will likely energize employees for greater engagement. These strengthened brands will have that extra edge, providing an intangible value that goes one step further than price or function.