Hospital Branding - Dig Deep for your DNA, Inspire, and Patience
J ust returned from the SHSMD 2009 conference in Orlando and delighted that - even in today's economy - over 700 hospital marketing professionals were in attendance. Lots of good sessions and energy. I had the chance to speak on "Operationalizing Your Brand" with Susan Hoffman of Lehigh Valley Health Network. It's a terrific story to share, but in a nutshell, we discussed the need to dig deep within your organization to uncover its true DNA (Differentiating Native Attributes), inspire employees, and have patience. It takes at least two years for the brand to resonate in the market. Sounds simple, yet many hospital marketers aren't digging deep enough to uncover the DNA of their brand. Rather, they are settling for a strategy and attributes that are either "me too" or "ho hum." My favorite place to help clients look for their brand essence is in the history books of their organizations. There's a reason every company, organization, pro