Building a solid brand plays an enormous part in gaining trust with the audience in any sector. This is especially important in healthcare, as healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients will only buy from brands that they have 100 % confidence in. Medical devices, diagnostic instruments, single use disposables, PPE and sterilisation systems are all designed to help make patients better and keep the many people working across the healthcare industries safe.

 

What is healthcare branding?

Your branding is how your company is perceived in the healthcare sector and wider scientific space. It goes way beyond your logo and colour palette; it’s about building trust and credibility, and forging an emotional connection with patients, HCPs and other stakeholders.

 

Why is branding important in healthcare​?

A strong brand – think Abbott, GE HealthCare or Siemens – will help you to stand out in a crowded and competitive healthcare market, communicating a value proposition that fosters long-term loyalty. But you can’t just say that your brand is, for example, trustworthy; you must live up to your values in everything that you do. Let’s stick with trust for a moment, and explore what this might mean in practice:

• If you are pushing a thought leadership PR agenda, ensure that your brand ambassadors are aligned and delivering the same messages to your audience.
• Ensure that the science and technical details are accurate in anything written or visual, including graphs, tables and images.
• Make sure that all claims are backed by supporting evidence, and your content is well-referenced.

 

Your scientific audience will quickly recognise poor quality or inaccurate content, potentially damaging your brand.

 

Healthcare brand guidelines: 5 steps to create a strong brand in healthcare

1. Define the brand identity and mission

We feel this is best achieved through a collaborative approach, for example, by running a workshop with of a good representation of people from across your business.

• Start by thinking about your brand values, what makes you who you are, what motivates you as people and as a business – from innovation and ambition to integrity and curiosity.
• From these values, build out your mission statement. For example, a company that manufactures a cost-effective, easy-to-use, POC diagnostic instrument might state that it ‘aims to improve healthcare access in the developing world’.
• You’re now ready to clarify your market position, refine your external messages, and develop a brand narrative, ensuring that it is reflected in every interaction you have digitally, in the media and face to face.

 

2. Create a memorable visual identity

Your logo is often the first thing an external stakeholder sees, but conveying your entire brand story through a single design is a tall order. It has been done by some brands – Red Cross is a good example, which developed a logo that is synonymous with emergency healthcare worldwide – but it’s best to focus on developing a logo that visually reflects your brand values and creates an emotional connection. Keep it simple – less is more – and make sure it works both digitally and in large print format. And be sure to create brand guidelines that define how it should be used by everyone in the business.

 

3. Build a strong digital presence

Your digital presence should reflect your visual identity and brand narrative consistently across all platforms: on your website and microsites, across social media, in digital advertising, and even in your emails. We recommend developing personas – your target audiences from a sales perspective – and building a messaging framework that draws them in step by step, starting with high level messaging and transitioning to benefit-led communications as they interact with your brand more. These messages can be communicated across your digital channels as well as in your offline marketing collaterals.

 

4. Establish credibility and trust through content marketing

This is all about the kinds of content you publish. In healthcare and the life sciences, you should focus on:

• Creating educational content that clearly explains your products and services, including blog posts, explainer videos, animations, podcasts, case studies and testimonials from your existing customers.
• Positioning your company as a thought leader in the market by sharing research, industry insights and expert opinions from professionals in your organisation. Aim to become a trusted source of knowledge.
• Finding advocators of your brand and aligning your brand with well-known KOLs and influencers in the healthcare industry.

 

5. Seek professional support!

Your brand is the single most powerful asset in your business… if you get it right. (Note the word ‘single’, as we all know your people make your business boom.) Adopting a strategic approach to brand and narrative development can sometimes be overlooked as more pressing challenges surface in your business. However, these are vital first steps, as they help you to truly understand your company’s DNA. With these firmly established, you then have a united brand vision and a blueprint for your team to follow to ensure they are all aligned.

 

It can be challenging for your marketing team to drive this internally, and you generally need your leadership to be a part of the process. External facilitation can really help here; an unbiased third party with no agenda – other than to help you achieve your goals – can ensure that everybody who contributes to the process is heard, asking the right questions and developing an accurate reflection of your brand.

 

How KDM can help

We bring a deep expertise in market positioning, brand strategy and design, working with your team to develop a brand that aligns with your overall business objectives and shines the brightest in the healthcare and life sciences market. At kdm, we bridge the gap between science and marketing, creating technically accurate and compelling marketing strategies that help our clients to build brands that are engaging, credible and scientifically sound.

 

Get in touch to find out how we can elevate your brand and build a narrative that portrays the authority you deserve in your market.