No brand will have the power of a real connection if it is solely based on internal values, desires, and points of view. In fact, it is critical to have the ability to see your hospice brand outside of your own view. Building a brand that will move the target must begin with focusing on the consumer not the service or your company’s objectives. This is what we call an ‘outside in’ perspective.
And it comes from in depth research, target analysis and an understanding of human nature. And when it comes to hospice, it means understanding the psychological purchase price of hospice care – a phrase Anoroc’s penned after our years of studying the hospice decision cycle. But there is a flip side. Beyond building a brand that moves targets you must build a branding program that turns employees into brand advocates. They are a powerful representation of your brand; they are your brand in living technicolor.
Through the past two decades we’ve worked with numerous companies to refresh, reinvent and revitalize their hospice brands. During the rebranding process a large part of our consideration is focused on internal audiences. From leadership teams drilled down to admission nurses, secretaries and CNAs, they have been a part of empowering the brand refresh by understanding its meaning, being vested in its promise and believing in their role to affect its power. To us, they are a critical audience as critical as the in home gate keeper, the case manager and the physician.
Recently back from a brand rollout in San Diego, where we had the opportunity to present a brand refresh to an audience of close to 500+ employees, never before had the power of internal brand force ever seemed more powerful. Firstly, our client is an agency dream, incredible to work with, a true partner in creating something remarkable. So imagine the brand rollout complete with a theater size screen, swag bags, balloons and a leadership team vested in empowering their employees.
Cue the applause, cue the cheers, cue the employees testifying that the brand reflects who they are, what is in their hearts and their own life story. Cue a company with a vested team of brand advocates talking about their company at the coffee shop, in line at the grocery store, and on the church pew.
Imagine their accountant walking up to me after the presentation and saying. “I always thought I was only the accountant, but now I know I’m much more and even what I do really matters. I’m the brand too!” So as you consider taking a look at your brand and moving to a direction that will speak to a new generation of consumers, consumers more defined in making choice, in researching options, in dictating their own end of life care, don’t forget who is setting next to them at Starbucks.
Anoroc creates hospice communication strategies that engage consumers and referring publics turning them into active hospice advocates and positioning hospice providers as the provider of choice. Learn more at www.redefininghospice.com