How to best position your healthcare brand in a crowded market.
It can be hard to stand out in healthcare these days, when there are so many brands and options. Sure: Taking a human-centric approach to your branding elements is a smart start. In fact, there are a slew of books about people-first messaging. (Simon Sinek’s Start with Why is a personal favorite.) There are even some killer agencies that can help you master that method.
But in an industry like health care, everyone claims they are changing—or even saving—lives. So, the bigger question is this:
How do you go beyond the premise of people-first positioning and really stand out? Here are three advanced maneuvers.
Focus on customer benefits.
You care deeply about your company. And you should. But that inward focus can make your marketing all about you—your business, your products, your services. These are the things you want to get the word out about. But as marketers, it’s best if we start with this assumption: Nobody cares about our business.
That sounds harsh, but it’s a reality, one that we need to embrace to make better choices. When we developed our plan for our own blog, for example, it was easy to add in titles about what we do; but when we looked through the Does Anyone Care? Lens, it was clear that we needed refocus on what our customers wanted—and give them exactly that. So far, it’s been pretty successful. (Hey, you’re here, after all.)
Show. Don’t tell.
This age-old writing axiom is crucial, especially when applied to weighty, emotional content—the kind that health care marketing is built on. If you’re building the case that your business changes lives, don’t hide that light—shine it! A great way to do this is with a high-quality, story-driven video that opens the door for your narrative. But, whatever medium you choose, let your customers see the benefits your service provides.
Offer a test drive.
Customer immersion will always increase sales conversion. Consider it. When a water treatment salesman visits your home and asks you where you might put the unit, you start imagining yourself as a buyer. That mental shift requires acceptance of a premise: making the purchase. It’s the reason why car lots offer test drives. Once you’re in, you’re in. We even took this approach for the Army National Guard, using Instagram stories to immerse viewers in the wild world of Basic Training.
And health care clients are perfect for immersion. They’ve had experiences, but they’re looking for the right one. Amidst all the noise, your web or mobile app’s interactive experience could be the signal that stands out. Customers make decisions based on trust. And because immersion builds trust, that translates to sales.