Can you articulate, in one simple sentence, what distinguishes your rural hospital from others?
Whether you had to ponder this question for a moment or immediately answered yes, it serves as a helpful reminder that creating and refining your hospital’s brand are essential to business success. Within the rural healthcare industry, hospitals face a unique set of challenges due to limited funding and resources, so it is particularly important for these organizations to develop and cultivate their own brands.
We all experience brands every day. We are bombarded by them in the grocery store, in the newspaper and on the Internet. But what is the process of branding for your rural hospital? And why is branding important?
Create a consistent identity for your hospital. Everything from the name of your hospital and your slogan or motto to your social-media presence, logo and company colors should be imbued with your brand. Branding focuses on your patients and guests: it tells them what you provide – and how. You want to choose words, images and colors for your brand that are engaging and approachable and that directly reflect the services and values of your hospital.
Gain recognition within your community. Branding helps you stand out. It differentiates your hospital from others. It speaks directly to your patients and guests. Branding creates consistency across all modes of outreach and communication so that your audience can quickly identify and connect with your hospital. It’s a simple reminder about your specialty services and departments.
Instantly grow your marketing reach. A brand makes marketing oh so simple. We know you have countless audiences to reach and many marketing channels to use. However, with consistent branding, you can easily replicate your message in a variety of formats.
Build employee morale. Get everyone on board. Branding creates employee pride, as it highlights your hospital’s strengths and creates a strong, cohesive identity. It shows that you value people. Employees will be more motivated to provide compassionate care and meet – and surpass – standards of customer service.
Attract new talent. When it comes to recruiting and retaining new employees, your distinct brand can draw talent to you. People want to work for an organization with a strong sense of identity, where people are proud of the high level of care and services they provide to patients and guests. Think of your brand as your initial selling point to prospective employees.
Boost customer service. If you highlight a high-quality patient and guest experience in your branding, it serves as a target – or goal – that your staff can aim for. Consistent branding reminds employees of their workplace values. It incentivizes employees to work their hardest and create the best patient and guest experiences possible.
It all begins with branding. Branding involves the ability to tell your healthcare facility’s unique story, to articulate your mission and services to patients and guests. Through branding you will see your customer service reach new heights – and of course your HCAHPS score, too!
Ready to craft or revise your hospital’s branding? Why not give us a call at 215-528-5775, or send me an email at steve@srj.net. You’ll be glad you did!
