Sunday, June 2, 2013

Marketing Must-Have: Hospital Branding Booklet

Guidelines for Effective Hospital Branding and Healthcare Marketing 
 
Today’s average consumer is exposed to a stunning amount of marketing messages each and every day. From commercials and billboards to newspaper ads and product logos, it seems advertising has permeated almost every aspect of our lives. In fact, some studies proclaim that the marketing messages we see on a daily basis number in the thousands.

So if you’re a healthcare marketing director, what can you do to make sure your advertising efforts get noticed? How can you cut through the clutter and truly reach your target market? Where do you even begin?

The answer is surprisingly simple: Effective healthcare marketing always starts with a hospital branding booklet. A hospital branding booklet is crucial to any healthcare organization’s marketing efforts as it:

• Sets the stage for a consistent identity.
• Aids in consumer recognition.
• Provides a starting point for your healthcare marketing campaigns.

In other words, if you don’t have a hospital branding booklet, beware that your advertising efforts run the risk of appearing disorganized and disconnected. Watch out for a lack of consistency that will make it difficult for consumers (who are already overwhelmed with marketing messages) to recognize your brand. And know that when it comes time to create a marketing campaign, you’ll likely waste time trying to pinpoint even the most basic factors – such as the tone of your content and the general design.

Avoid these all-too-common problems by starting your hospital branding booklet today. Keep in mind the goal is to develop an image that is simple, consistent and – most importantly – memorable. Wondering what to include in your hospital branding booklet? Here are some recommendations:
• General brand details, such as your history, an explanation of who you are and what you do, your overall mission as a healthcare organization, etc.
 • Information on the language and tone you want to convey in all your marketing pieces.
 • Do’s and don’ts regarding your visual identity. Be sure to think beyond your logo and cover guidelines for typefaces, images and colors.

Before you get too far on your hospital branding booklet, ask for feedback from other members of your healthcare organization. While the bulk of the project will likely fall on the marketing department’s shoulders, the influences of such a fundamental and impactful piece will reach far beyond just the marketing team. For that reason, it’s important to gather insight from all areas of your healthcare organization to ensure everyone is on board with the brand you are creating.

So there you have it – everything you need to know to create an effective hospital branding booklet for your healthcare organization. Put yours into practice now and experience marketing success for years to come!

About image.works Since 1995, image.works’ innovative marketing materials have been helping financial institutions and healthcare organizations across the country build their brand and enhance their success. With products ranging from newsletters and annual reports to direct mail pieces, brochures and more, image.works consistently produces big-time results while providing all the personal attention of a small company. Experience the image.works difference today by calling 800.777.1663 or exploring www.imageworksdirect.com.

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