Building Your Brand in HealthCare

“Every brand makes promises. When a brand consistently fulfills its promises, it builds brand loyalty.”

— Leke Alder, International Author

To successfully build or redefine your healthcare brand, there’s a single component you must identify before you start — your brand platform. What is a brand platform? A brand platform establishes a foundation on which to build an enduring brand so patients build long-term loyalty and preference toward your brand. A brand platform provides structure for consistent and cost-effective messaging and differentiates your brand from the competition. Most importantly, the brand platform will set a direction for your internal operations and culture. It’s important not to confuse a brand platform with a one-time “campaign” or short-term spikes in conversations and conversions. Your brand platform is meant to be the long-lasting emotional foundation from which your brand messaging is executed over time.

To determine your brand platform, use your brand’s history combined with research. Think of what makes your brand unique. Do you have the best physicians in town? Do you have expertise in a particular specialty? Once you articulate your unique brand, there are fundamental areas you must address to be successful:

1. Culture:       Your brand platform is now the culture in which your brand lives every day. Operationally, every employee must buy into your culture, as every employee plays an important role in delivering the brand promise.
2. Commitment: Following a brand platform requires long-term commitment to following your set strategy. Results don’t happen overnight. If you remain dedicated, your brand will grow stronger. This will lead to long-term sustained increase in patient volume.
3. Investment: This complex strategy takes an immense investment of time and resources. If this investment remains consistent, it will build up your brand awareness and ultimately move you to the top of your consumers’ minds.

The previous quote bears repeating. “Every brand makes promises. When a brand consistently fulfills its promises, it builds brand loyalty.” Following this idea and sticking to your brand platform will build an everlasting brand affinity.

About the Author

Colleen Chappell

 Colleen knows what it’s like to sit in a Chief Marketing Officer’s chair or lead a business sales channel from the ground up. Top-tier national agencies once called her the client, and that experience has proven invaluable on the agency side of the business. Leveraging nearly 25 years of experience, she specializes in brand development, integrated marketing, advertising, public relations, pricing strategies and distribution channel launch and growth. Colleen brings an unstoppable stream of enthusiasm to the agency.

In 2010, she was named Tampa Bay’s Businesswoman of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and University of South Florida’s School of Mass Communications Outstanding Alumnus. In 2012, Colleen was recognized with the coveted international Bronze Stevie Award for Business Services Female Executive of the Year.

Colleen has a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications from the University of South Florida, is a Dale Carnegie graduate, and is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America. She serves on the executive boards of the Tampa Bay Partnership, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, and the American Marketing Association Global Headquarters Professional Chapters Council.