Urban legend has it that Coca-Cola once stopped advertising for a period, and in spite of its fame and size, was quickly impacted by lower customer awareness. Building brand awareness is vital to the long-term growth of healthcare organizations, but some efforts deliver better returns than others.
Influencer Marketing
The old adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know that counts,” accurately describes the trend toward influencer marketing. The Association of National Advertisers states 75 percent of U.S. advertisers use influencer marketing, and due to its success, 43 percent expect to increase spending in 2019.
Inviting influencers into your circle is an excellent way to increase brand awareness, because they have an established following that trusts them. When they mention your products and services, there’s an immediate connection between you and their audience.
Some ways to use influencers include:
- recruiting them as ambassadors on social media
- sponsoring them in some way
- using them as spokespersons for your brand
Biotech company Genentech is a good example, with its recruitment of celebrity breast cancer survivor Giuliana Rancic. The #NotOneType campaign helps highlight how breast cancer affects a diversity of people.
Build Brand Advocacy
While celebrity advocates are helpful, few things are as critical to brand awareness as consumer advocacy. Many healthcare brands these days invest in real consumers, developing them as brand evangelists by seeking their opinion on products and services.
This adds a sense of realism to brands that might otherwise be lacking if the focus is paid influencers. It’s also a good way to get closer to your audience and win their trust.
Become Socially Engaged
Social media remains essential to successful healthcare brand awareness, not only to attract new patients, but also to increase retention.
Consumers have multiple opinions about healthcare providers, and if you want them to return regularly, it’s important to be their first thought when they need healthcare options. Engage them regularly through informative, helpful social media content, and use social channels as a customer service tool, too.
The #Movember campaign is a great example of social engagement. Run by the Movember Foundation, it raises awareness of men’s health issues. The annual campaign challenges men to skip shaving for a month to raise awareness and funds. The resulting conversations are shared on social channels, which tells the story in an authentic way. This helps the Foundation’s brand shine in its marketplace.
To discuss brand awareness efforts that can really make a difference to your healthcare organization, call Wax Custom Communications at 305-350-5700 or visit waxcom.com.
