Strong Healthcare Brands Connect With Audiences More Effectively
The healthcare market hasn’t always been a turbulent environment. But as we’ve all witnessed, a global pandemic, accelerated innovation, and rapidly changing economic conditions have put undue pressure on health systems large and small. That pressure then gets passed on to healthcare companies as their typical audiences and buyers become more budget conscious and risk-averse.
While a strong brand can’t eliminate all the pressures of the market, it can help you more effectively connect and communicate with your audiences. A strong brand begins from the very core of your organization. Our say it. live it.® philosophy is how we approach the branding process in a way that reveals a true iteration of your brand.
Three Ways Core’s "say it. live it.® " Philosophy Creates Brand Alignment
say it. live it.® can’t be separated from how we engage with clients. It’s woven throughout our entire branding process. This process dives deep — into your offerings, your audience, and what pillars your brand is built on. This allows you to identify the most authentic articulation of your brand, and discover an accurate and unique position.
Our proven process for uncovering, defining and articulating brands includes five phases: Discover. Define. Develop. Deploy. Debrief. Through these phases we conduct thorough research, define the brand foundation and strategic positioning, establish and align values internally and externally,, and then execute and refine our efforts to reach your audiences in a meaningful way. Throughout the process, we ensure we are listening to both the voice of the customer and internal stakeholders. This allows us to understand what your brand truly stands for, ensuring we're authentic and focused in delivering experiences your customers value..
Authenticity and positioning are the beginning of your competitive advantage in the healthcare market. Here are three ways our unique process helps you solidify your values and connect with your audience.
1. Positioning and Competitive Analysis
Our say it. live it.® framework guides our branding efforts. Instead of simply identifying a gap in the market or asking you how you want your brand to be perceived, we thoroughly research the market conditions, your existing brand, the competitive landscape, and your customer feedback, among other factors.
Our philosophy is always to define the brand from the inside out, and use that as a guide to identify your unique positioning — driven by the humans responsible for bringing your brand to life. Sometimes the outcome is aspirational. Other times it’s a process of distilling your brand and clarifying what’s already there.
In either scenario, the priority is creating alignment. When we conduct research and discovery to find the values your employees live and your customers buy, we achieve a brand expression that reflects who you are now, and who you want to be.
2. Strategic Planning and Roadmapping
Our experience and expertise in the healthcare industry allows our team to hone in on what makes your brand unique and valuable — and we use that information to develop a strategic roadmap.
Roadmapping depends on your goals and your starting position. Are you reevaluating your brand or completely rebranding as a result of a merger or acquisition? Are you dealing with low net promoter scores, indicating a disconnect with your customers? Or are you simply trying to get ahead of market pressures and increased competition?
Any of these situations will necessitate a review of who you are, where you are in the market, and what activities will improve your outcomes. After we uncover your position within the competitive landscape, we use our say it. live it.® philosophy to guide long-term efforts to build and maintain brand alignment.
3. Building a Human Connection
At the end of the day, you achieve brand alignment when your company is more than just a brand name. Your brand includes the people delivering on your brand promise — your team and your employees. We focus on creating brands that resonate in the marketplace because our perspective on brand alignment begins and ends with people.
The articulation of your brand needs to include values that your employees can and will live out in their day-to-day roles. Further, when you identify authentic values, recruiting and retaining the right talent becomes easier. People looking for jobs will connect with your brand, and that helps them connect with customers and end-users.
Healthcare is human. The say it. live it.® philosophy is designed with that in mind. The ultimate goal is creating a brand driven by the humans behind it, and going beyond words to define actions and provide ongoing opportunities to reinforce and extend the impact of the brand through your team.
Authenticity is the Difference in a Crowded Healthcare Market
It’s not effective to simply point at a map and plot where you want your brand to land.
But that’s essentially how many branding processes take shape. As a healthcare marketing leader, you have an intimate knowledge of your organization's values, struggles, and inner workings. That’s why it’s so vital that you engage experienced branding experts that know your industry as well as you do.
Otherwise, the outcome won’t be authentic or aligned through each layer of your business. And that’s what makes the difference today, in a crowded, turbulent marketplace.
Healthcare isn’t a luxury — your products and services need to connect with the humans that rely on them. And by creating an authentic brand that your employees can live out through their values, you achieve a brand that truly connects with your customers and ultimately, patients.
