Troy, NY (PRWEB) May 21, 2012
In today's highly competitive healthcare environment, hospitals and physicians practices strive for every advantage to move their organization above the rest. Many invest in new facilities, expanded services and high-priced advertising campaigns, but marketing data suggests only a few invest in the more subtle but surprisingly powerful strategy of brand building. The new issue of Protocol, a healthcare marketing report, discusses the advantages of having a strong and consistent brand.
Titled “Why Branding Still Matters for Hospital Marketers,” Protocol examines four reasons branding should remain a priority in the healthcare industry:
1. Strong healthcare brands control their own destinies;
2. A clear brand position aligns physicians and staff;
3. Brand tools ensure consistent communications; and
4. Branding supports multichannel and social media initiatives.
According to an estimate by Chris Bevolo, author of The Marketer’s Guide to Brand Strategy, less than 20% of U.S. hospitals are guided by an active brand strategy. That’s only one-fifth of the more than 6,000 hospitals nationwide.
Hospitals’ failure to embrace and leverage brand positioning as a growth strategy is due to a convergence in marketing trends that has put the industry behind on the branding curve.
“Building a strong brand isn't easy, especially for healthcare organizations that once held a monopoly on consumer choice,” said Mark Shipley, President and Chief Strategic Officer of Smith & Jones.
“Until recently, it wasn’t necessary to advertise healthcare services. Today, there are countless choices for care, and increasing financial exposure is making patients more likely to question the cost or need for expensive medical care. Hospitals are now forced to brand and market their services to retain even their local consumers’ care spending,“ Shipley concluded.
With hospital marketers struggling to build sensible, ROI-driven marketing strategies, there has never been a greater need to embrace basic branding competencies to remain competitive, align audiences and support consistent multichannel communications.
Access “Why Branding Still Matters for Hospital Marketers,” and subscribe to Protocol at http://www.smithandjones.com.
About Protocol
Protocol is the marketing report for hospital CEOs and practice administrators, delivering timely, relevant and practical information that healthcare leaders can apply to their organization’s marketing communications and branding efforts. The newsletter is published by Smith & Jones, an advertising and brand strategy firm that specializes in marketing for hospital systems and large physician practices. Learn more at http://www.smithandjones.com.