Many healthcare organizations had to pull back or turn off their marketing and advertising initiatives throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As we look to the future, healthcare organizations are looking to rebuild their messaging and revenue streams. Innovative, engaging healthcare branding should be the first step! Your branding is an important part of how your healthcare organization is perceived by those who work there and those who choose your facility for their care. It provides a baseline and platform to help build relationships with your patients and staff, set yourself apart from the competition, and establish your values and goals within your community.

As anyone in the field knows, the healthcare industry is extremely competitive when it comes to attracting and retaining both top talent and patients. This year, you may want to consider an investment in redeveloping your brand or strengthening your current brand to help your organization truly stand out and positively shape the perceptions and expectations of your business throughout the community. To help in your branding considerations and to move forward effectively and strategically, let’s take a step back and review the branding basics.

Audience Insights

The world has changed dramatically over the last few years, and healthcare organizations need to have a clear and current picture of the wants and needs of their customers. Don’t settle for old data or assumptions, get to the heart of what your audiences need to position yourself as the best possible healthcare provider.

A great brand strategy will always keep your target audiences as the focus. Doing a deep dive into your target audiences and your competitors will give you a better sense of understanding and help you better serve those communities.

Brand Positioning & Community Perception

Whatever you want to be known for, your branding should help you accomplish that. A strong brand puts you in control of how your healthcare organization is being viewed and perceived. People talk, and what they say matters to others, so make sure that you’re laying a strong branding foundation to guide those conversations! Whether you want to be the most trusted, caring, experienced, or innovative organization, the correct branding can help you earn that reputation within your community.

Rebranding in 2022 will allow you to revamp your organization’s story and create more meaningful connections with your community. If we take anything with us from the last few tumultuous years, it’s how absolutely vital healthcare workers and organizations are, so be sure to frame your branding in the best possible context as we look to the future. Tell your story and position your organization as the backbone of your community. Highlight all the ways you’ve helped get them through the tough times, and help them understand how you are helping them stay healthy and strong for the next chapter.

Employee Attraction and Retention

The pandemic has left the healthcare industry with staffing shortages, and your branding should help you attract and retain top talent. Your organization has a reputation when it comes to being an employer, your branding puts you in control of the narrative in terms of how you want to be perceived. As potential new hires are deciding whether or not to join your team, your branding can help make the case for you. Your healthcare branding plan should include how you prioritize the safety, protection, and well-being of your staff. It should highlight your corporate culture and mission, and provide messaging for all audiences that showcases why someone should want to be part of your team.

Retaining talent has never been more important in the healthcare industry, so it’s vital that you’re delivering on the branding and culture you’ve developed. Once you’ve hired great talent, your branding should keep staff engaged and optimistic about working there. A professional brand strategy will be easier to execute because it will be more authentic and well-organized. Employees should be living your brand promises day in and day out, creating a snowball effect of positive brand interactions and sentiment.

Patient Engagement

Beyond an employee focus to your branding, a focus on your patients and potential patients is imperative. Your brand strategy should facilitate relationship building with your community and patients. Position your organization as more than a place people can come to receive care, but as an organization that is willing to take time to understand patients, and puts them first. By taking the time to set up proper healthcare branding for your organization, you’ll be able to foster trust with your patients while also building a relationship that will instill loyalty during every part of the patient journey. And again, it’s imperative that your actions, policies, and behaviors authentically represent the brand. If your brand becomes rhetoric without substance, you will do far more harm to your reputation than good.

13 Benefits of Healthcare Branding in 2022

Your branding should serve as the foundation for all of your marketing and sales initiatives, but should also serve as the backbone of your organization. Your branding should give your employees a mission to rally around, and feel proud to be a part of. It should give your patients an overall sense of comfort and belonging. With so many healthcare options available for patients and staff to choose from today, you’ll want to make sure that they can easily find their fit with you. Your brand is the backbone of your business and should be a top priority in 2022.

1. Stand out in a competitive market
2. Generate better credibility and authority
3. Be more consistent with your marketing and messaging
4. Stay ahead of the competition
5. Foster meaningful connections and relationships
6. Encourage brand loyalty and positive brand sentiment
7. Support talent acquisition and retention
8. Identify patient trends and needs
9. Improve the patient journey and overall experience
10. Focus your marketing and sales targeting
11. Generate more patient referrals
12. Attract and retain top-level talent
13. Build more purposeful relationships within your community

Now that we’ve talked about why you need a fresh brand strategy for 2022, it’s time to better understand how DAE can help! Helping healthcare marketers understand the process and our innovative approach is one of our specialties. We’d love to learn more about your business and your audiences to show you how we can take your healthcare organization to the next level with a creative, engaging, and purposeful brand strategy!