Medical Association Branding Blog
Springboard Brand & Creative Strategy is pleased to present to you our Medical Association Branding Blog. As an innovative branding and communications firm, we are constantly writing about many of the latest trends impacting medical health associations.
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Medical Association Branding: How Do You Gauge Success?
By: Corinne Albrecht
Medical associations support their members through educational opportunities, networking forums, mentoring programs, public awareness activities, leadership activities and advocacy efforts, among others. But how do they determine how successful they are?
- Membership growth?
- Retention of member?
- Engagement of member?
- Member satisfaction?
- Seminar attendance?
- Revenue?
- Visitors to websites?
- Facebook likes?
- Patient interactions?
- Advocacy wins?
The answer is – all of the above. So how do you measure your success? For associations, it begins and ends with the members.
Membership growth is a hot topic. Most associations strive for membership growth. More members = more revenue = successful association, right?
So how do you market to and attract new members? Start with your existing membership. Ask, how well do they know your brand? What do you stand for? What is your perceived value to them as medical professionals?
Understanding your most dedicated membership can help you learn more about them. Hence, it will deepen their relationship with your association. Determining your brand values is the first step into finding new ways to communicate with your members and potential members.
Springboard has worked with multiple medical association clients to define their brands. Also, we have helped develop value propositions and programs to meet member needs. Member marketing toolkits, eNewsletters, landing pages and microsites, testimonial videos, marketing videos, among others, are all within your reach. Again, starting with member needs is that first step.
Many member businesses do not have the resources to develop marketing materials on their own. Therefore, we help to provide templated marketing materials to your members to improve their volumes, and demonstrate a real value in their membership. Resulting in greater member in satisfaction, retention and recruitment.
This is just one example of how Springboard can help brand your association –
- Learn what your members, and potential members value and need.
- Develop a program to communicate that value and address member needs.
- Implement that program.
- Measure the results.
Contact us at Springboard to learn more about how we can help your association succeed!
7 Success Factors for Branding your Medical Association
Medical associations used have gone from “behind the scenes” to “front and center” in terms of implementing branding and marketing strategies. This has evolved from the shifting goals of associations as they move from merely providing member education and networking opportunities to creating a unique niche in the marketplace and seeking to drive consumer behavior in the direction of members.
It seems members want more from their dues and have high expectations in terms of the value their membership should bring to their association and respective practice of medicine. Dermatologic surgeons, radiologists, plastic surgeons, orthopedists, to name only a few, have all realized significant value-add from their membership as their organization’s have invested in developing unique stories and strategies to help build their patient volume and overall reputation. Even hospital-based central service professionals have used branding and marketing to encourage member certification and tie their story to a quality patient experience.
Chances are, your medical association is considering some form of branding rejuvenation. If that’s the case, here are seven success factors for your consideration:
1. Gain input from your members
Most likely, there’s a group of members who have been influencing you to launch a brand campaign. These are the perfect group to include in some sort of “marketing and/or public relations” committee. Learn what’s important to them and, more importantly, what differentiates the strategy from other organizations.
2. Balance with customer research
Regardless of whether your customers are consumers, professionals, or another audience, it is imperative that you discover what’s important to them, and balance this with the internal impression of your organization as gleaned from the aforementioned work group.
3. Create a strong brand message/story unique to your members
Based on your objectives and findings from both internal and external research, now is the time to develop your brand story and strategy. While there are several criteria and approaches to developing a strategy, make sure it’s unique to your organization and is supported by many “reasons to believe.”
4. Include your members as organic messengers
Your primary channel for telling your story is your membership. Each and every member of your association should understand the thinking behind the strategy and have access to materials to help share it with their customers. Toolkits comprised of campaign materials are an excellent way to disseminate the information and achieve consistency in the marketplace. Of course, in today’s digital world, these materials should be available online via a campaign landing page or microsite.
5. Never stop educating members about the campaign
You might get tired of telling members about the campaign and how they can contribute and benefit. You might think you’ve saturated them with reminders. Chances are, when you’ve reached this point – they are only beginning to “hear” you. You can’t do enough to keep your members apprised and engaged in the program and gaining their support to carry it through in their marketplace or practice. Your website and publications are excellent vehicles to keep the message front and center with your members.
6. Quarterly reviews/meetings/analytics
Use the workgroup, not only for their input up-front, but throughout the course of the campaign to review its progress and make any necessary adjustments. You should be evaluating the success of the campaign on a quarterly basis and factoring in analytics from your digital efforts in the overall initiative.
7. Brand reinforcement throughout all marketing activities
Once your brand strategy is determined, and your story is being told to the marketplace, think “consistency.” Let the brand strategy guide your other marketing communications efforts such as social media, publications, and your annual meetings. The beauty of a brand strategy is your organization now has a platform from which it can drive and orchestrate all other marketing messages and channels. Take advantage of your hard work!
For more information on branding and marketing your medical association, please contact Rob Rosenberg, President – Springboard Brand & Creative Strategy at rob@springboardbrand.com or give us a call at 847.398.4920.