by Rob Rosenberg | Oct 15, 2019 | Branding & Identity, Springboard News
Fall is a season of great transformation. From colorful leaves to kick-offs and playoffs, the season brings change, reflection and hope. In the healthcare industry, fall also unearths many metamorphoses among companies, hospitals, and health systems. After months of planning, studying, researching, and “cocooning” new ideas, brands emerge and dot the landscapes across U.S. markets. Many of these names surface from the multitude of mergers and acquisitions that have also been in the planning stages during the summer months. I always enjoy reading about these new brands and learning their story as told by a new name, logo, and tagline. Some, you can tell, are thoughtful, customer-based, and research-influenced. Others seem to come out of the blue (healthcare’s favorite color, of course) with little explanation and depth. This always begs the question in brand evolution; what comes first – the name or the position? By “position,” I’m referring to the classic marketing discipline of determining the “why” of your enterprise and “where” it intends to be established in the minds of your key audiences. Without stringing you along, I’ll provide my viewpoint on the discussion of what comes first; I strongly believe every healthcare brand naming opportunity should start with and revolve around an evaluation/evolution of a brand position. This provides the opportunity to develop a unique marketing strategy and reinforce it with a name, identity, and tagline that communicate your story. How great is that! A name and identity which actually makes sense in the context of your brand. Its equity and relevance, and not just comprised of clever or computer-generated terms that offer little differentiation and no value proposition. Working with clients of all sizes, and in all segments of the healthcare industry, the nature of a request determines their level of sophistication and long-term view of a new brand and name. If the request is, “we need a new name,” there’s a good chance they’ll want the same exercise again in two years. If it’s “we need a new brand,” this typically implies the desire for a new market position and corresponding branding elements. So, while the argument around the chicken and the egg continues, I believe there’s less of one with healthcare brand naming and positioning. It starts with a strong, desired market position and all the branding elements, including the name, work to support it. Just coming up with names that will “work” and then determining the brand position is an exercise in futility; and success will not be what it’s cracked up to be. Contact Springboard Brand & Creative Strategy for more... 
by Rob Rosenberg | Aug 21, 2019 | Branding & Identity
Twenty years ago, when some companies were “printing money,” corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies were often developed as a way to deflect consumer attention away from big profits, write-off more expenses, and – in fairness to those who did – do good for the sake of society. Studies prove that CSR has a positive impact on a brand; increasing preference, loyalty, and engagement. The companies benefit, too, with less employee turnover and more revenue. That was then. This is now, and CSR seems to have taken a back seat. Not saying it doesn’t exist, but it appears less visible and instrumental in brand strategies. There are probably good reasons for this; certainly digital media is highly targeted and therefore these types of initiatives are not as mainstream as they once were, markets are much more competitive and some brands can’t afford to spread budgets too thin, and senior marketing people are less willing to take risks and implement programs that don’t generate an immediate ROI. After all, CMO’s are the most volatile in the C-suite with an average tenure under five years and constantly feel the heat in terms of performance – and CSR initiatives can’t always be measured in weeks or months. Beyond the economy and corporate performances, the world needs more CSR and it can do wonders for your brand relevance. We live in a time of social turmoil; whether it’s tragic mass shootings, political divide, acts of hatred and bullying, or just a general sense of uneasiness in our world. This is not a climate for strong brand “selling.” In fact, there are many audiences (i.e. Millennials) who don’t want to “buy.” They want to support, help, and heal. And your brand should focus on these initiatives, too. Brand relevance is created not only on what’s important to your consumers lifestyles, but also what’s meaningful in their lives. Marketers have reacted well to changing lifestyles by recognizing today’s “family” is vastly different from 20 years ago and showcasing these different profiles in their communications strategies. But the opportunity exists to also recognize social trends and create CSR strategies around how your brand is helping the world or community in which it lives. Take a stand. Have a POV. Make a case. Do more than “sell” your brand. Look for non-traditional ways to integrate your brand into the lives of your constituents, both inside and outside your organization. Years ago, a great client – Lehigh Valley Health Network – was willing to put its money where its heart was and developed and launched one of the nation’s first anti-texting/while driving campaigns. Using the theme, “Stop in the name of love,” the initiative underscored the dangers of distracted driving and created a multi-layered strategy including yard signs, community ed events, physician engagement, and traditional media to spread the word. Oh, they also were willing to invest in the Diana Ross’ music to make the effort more visible and memorable. Talk about being culturally relevant – engagement was never higher and the organization benefited from all the metrics; employee satisfaction, revenue, loyalty, you name it! Bottom-line, CSR isn’t about the bottom line. It’s about creating a “heartbeat” for your brand. Using its strength of it to do good and make people feel better. And in today’s world, there’s nothing more culturally relevant than... 
by Natalie Wong | Jul 22, 2019 | Branding & Identity, Healthcare Branding, Healthcare Marketing, Hospital Branding, Hospital Marketing
Coming up with fresh content for your healthcare website can be challenging, but is vital since content is the most important ranking factor in Google’s search algorithm. Stale content can lead to bored readers and duplicate content can lead to penalties from Google. Don’t let content on your website become dull and repetitive by following these tips below to keeping your healthcare marketing content fresh. 1. Research Hot Topics and Keywords Use Google Keyword Planner and Answer the Public to see what people are searching for on the web that’s related to your business and services. These are the most searched keywords, phrases and questions – if you don’t have content on these topics, you are missing a huge opportunity to reach these people. As you can see from the chart below, about 50% of blog traffic is found through search results. It is crucial to write blogs on relevant topics that people are most interested in. Source: Neil Patel 2. Take Advantage of Holidays and Healthcare Awareness Months Every month, there is either a holiday or healthcare topic to spread awareness and show support. Take advantage of writing blogs that are relevant and timely to your services. Content can include education on the monthly healthcare awareness topics and tips on how to stay healthy during the holidays. 3. Investigate Your Competition Take a look at your competitors’ websites and blogs to generate new ideas and topics. It is not recommended to copy their content, but it is helpful to get ideas that you can publish at a later date. This will help you compete with like-businesses and stay relevant in the market. 4. Mix Different Types of Content Together While written content is a strong ranking factor for Google, pair it with short video snippets, infographics, podcasts, and more. Instead of just reading content, these mixed media types are helpful to keep visitors engaged and interested in your blog posts. Also, it’s always a bonus to post videos on YouTube since Google owns this video social media platform. 5. Rewrite and Update Existing Pages There is always room for improvement. When you can’t think of a new topic to write about, take a look at your old blogs to see how you can make them better. Your old content may include outdated statistics or research that is no longer relevant. Take the time to rewrite these pages – Google will see these changes as fresh content. If you’re ever stuck on what to write for your healthcare marketing content, consider these 5 tips to keep your content fresh and relevant. For more information, please contact Springboard Brand & Creative... 
by Cori Albrecht | Jun 24, 2019 | Branding & Identity, Healthcare Branding, Springboard News
Branding Your “Branded” Medical Practice When you hear the word “brand,” your first thought may be a logo or a tagline, especially if you are tied to a branded health system. However, branding your medical practice is much more than that, and more complicated. Your medical practice brand should create a unique space in the minds of your key customers and help you attract new patients. The goal behind a branding campaign is to develop messaging that will raise awareness and engagement among potential customers. It should help you stand out from the crowd and then get customers to use and prefer your practice so that when the need for your services arises, they automatically think of, and choose, YOU. So, what does this mean to your medical practice? Defining your brand will help you identify where you are now, and where you want to be in the minds of your customers. With this information, you will be able to chart your future course, prioritize your plans, use your resources effectively, inspire your staff and stakeholders, and ultimately increase patient volumes. So, how do you go about building a brand for your practice? Here are four strategies: 1. Identify your core competencies You must first identify your where your practice is now, in terms of core competencies, including: competition market trends key services unique benefits target audiences as well as customer knowledge, attitude and usage The goal is to identify the unique equity (your overarching market position) for your medical practice and the appropriate strategy. This includes brand platform, essence, and overall “story” to the marketplace that appeals to the unique traits and needs of your prospective patients. 2. Determine your brand story Uncovering your unique equity will help your practice discover your core brand story. In addition, you have the challenge of complementing the system brand for your enterprise. Springboard’s approach to positioning engenders a greater appreciation of your brand essence and generates an in-depth understanding of your brand promise to the marketplace. Your medical practice story should encompass the common strengths, personalities and competencies of your physicians and office staff. This will help develop the most effective and powerful ideas to communicate the new brand platform. 3. Engage internal audiences Once the desired brand position has been established, you must ensure that brand is reinforced by all members of the practice. Your brand is something your patients feel, hear or see when they visit your office, interact with you or deal with your staff. It includes all touchpoints with of your practice; from the sign over your door and the usability of your website to the educational and promotional collateral you provide to patients, such as brochures and direct mail. The success of your brand ultimately depends on your patients’ experiences, and how they perceive your practice. Energizing and engaging your internal audiences is key. 4. Promote your story to external audiences Now it is time to deliver your story to your target audience. This process involves developing the most effective and powerful ideas to communicate your new brand platform, then promoting your messaging via online and traditional marketing tactics such as websites, landing pages, digital and social marketing, print ads, online videos, etc. In terms of communications, Springboard believes there should be a smooth transition of the brand strategy into creative execution and market implementation. The key here is that the brand strategy does not get “lost in translation” when bringing it to the marketplace. Springboard has full-service capabilities in the development and implementation of brand strategies and communications programs, bringing campaigns to life in all media; traditional and digital. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help develop and tell your brand... 
by Rob Rosenberg | Apr 16, 2019 | Branding & Identity, Healthcare Branding, Healthcare Marketing, Springboard News
During an annual exam, your physician can get a good sense of your heart health with an EKG. As healthcare marketers, a Brand EKG can also give you a quick read of your brand’s health. Several years ago, this model was introduced to help hospitals, namely C-Suite representatives, understand consumer research findings and implications. As indicated above and based on the classic consumer marketing behavior model, a brand has to have established a strong sense of awareness and preference before leading to trial. This model has been expanded to include brand attributes such as likability, intent to recommend, and other layers of behavior. Based on an analysis of nearly 100 consumer studies, and validated by leading healthcare researchers, we concluded that a “healthy” brand EKG would have a variance of 12-15 percentage points between key indicators. A larger number would indicate an “unhealthy” brand that is not converting on the preceding attitude. For example, a brand with a preference score 20 percentage points higher than usage is not converting market share. This could be the result of many factors including accessibility, customer service, and operational considerations (schedule, capacity, etc.). Those brands not converting awareness to preference indicate a lack of differentiation or strong consumer brand relevance. Fast forward to 2019, and the same model can be used to assess the health of your digital marketing efforts. Springboard’s Digital EKG Healthcare marketers can add to their digital dashboards by providing a Digital Brand EKG indicating the level of conversion being established from a preceding behavior. For example, if impressions served (or similar metric) are significantly higher than CTR, you’ve done a good job targeting and delivering your digital message but you have not enticed anyone to take action. If you’re creating an action and people are clicking through but not engaging, then your landing page, website, or other content “hub” is not compelling enough. Adding an EKG to your current digital dashboard will help you and your team understand the layers of consumer behavior that are taking place with each online activity. Better yet, you’ll be able to develop content strategies and tactics to improve upon your ability to convert consumers through the behavior model. Better still, you’ll be able to strengthen the other metrics on your dashboard and impress the C-Suite with the health of your brand and EKG in terms (and formats) they’ll understand and appreciate. You might even be able to include B.D. initials after your name – Brand Doctor. Happy to help you assess your brand and digital health. Contact us... 
by Rob Rosenberg | Jan 23, 2019 | Branding & Identity, Springboard News
As the new year kicks in, there are all sorts of tips and habits to break in order to help improve your personal and professional success. For those in healthcare marketing, here are eight bad habits that need to be broken to help fix your strategies and outcomes. Focusing on marketing and not business building Marketing in many healthcare organizations still lands on the promotional side of the equation. Successful marketers are those who understand the growth goals of their organization and develop strategies, beyond campaigns and clicks, to generate revenue and support new customer acquisition. Developing the wrong dashboards You know you’re too focused on the promotional side of things when your marketing “dashboard” consists of primarily digital terms that leave the C-Suite in the dust. When you include business metrics, too, your dashboard will truly provide a snapshot of your organization’s marketing success in terms of share-of-wallet, customer acquisition, profit margin, and conversion rates. These will be sure to get the attention of your CEO and put your department and initiatives in a new light. Using market research to learn all about yourself Most market research studies ask a lot of questions about the brand, not about the customer. Other than demographics at the end, very few ask consumers, for example, about their interests and passions, what’s important to them, and the issues they’re most interested in. Look at your customer research from their POV and you’ll gain great insights on how to make your marketing strategies much more relevant and engaging. Not having a clearly defined brand position It’s head scratching and nail biting to develop a brand position that your organization can own, fits like a glove, and is different and relevant to the marketplace. But, oh is it worthwhile. Without this, your brand defaults to a “me too” position and means everything to everybody. Absolutely the opposite of what a brand position should be about. Messaging that is all chest beat, not heartbeat We talk about “Heartbeat Branding” as the intersection between culture, product benefits, and customer needs. It takes great insights about your customer and a continuous nature of learning, observation, and discovery about your marketplace to develop a heartbeat for your brand. The opposite side of this spectrum is a chest beat brand, one that only talks about itself and reels off a list of attributes and features. I’m sure you can guess the approach that is more interesting and engaging. Copy Overload With over 5,000 messages a day vying for the average person’s attention, studies show an approximate 8-second time span to make your point. This is why more communications are going visual; to capture attention, gain engagement, motive toward an action. There is always an important place for keywords and copy, but keep them short. Being Too Social Social media is no doubt powerful, but it doesn’t need to be “too” social. Brand strategies should drive your posts and, as with every other media, shouldn’t be “all things to all people.” Overly social posts don’t benefit from optimization of keywords and tend not to stay on brand, rather, they take your message in an entirely different direction. You can drive engagement and interaction without sacrificing the integrity of your posts and brand platform. Not making your internal audience a priority Internal communications has evolved over the years from a preview of an ad campaign to an engagement strategy with real ROI. Hospitals experiencing “leakage” often find that employees are unaware of the scope of services provided by their health system. Physician practices find that making in-system referrals can be tedious and time-consuming, therefore defaulting to old habits. As healthcare companies grow through merger and acquisition, it’s more imperative than ever to not only educate, but facilitate communications from within. We’re only one month in for 2019, and there’s still lots of time and opportunity to strengthen your healthcare branding and marketing strategies. Time flies, so take a moment to reflect on these suggestions and avoid defaulting to old habits that weaken your position, both personally and... 
