Who Cares About Branding? Everyone.
Reinforce your brand with as many touch points as possible— whether you’re a car manufacturer or a physician recruiter
Article originally appeared in PracticeLink's client newsletter -
Let’s say you’re in the market for a new car and want to get the best deal for your money. You open your local newspaper and find two advertisements.
The first ad reads: “Brand-new Devon, power steering, power windows. Only $19,599.”
The second ad reads: “Brand-new Honda Civic, power steering, power windows. Only $19,599.”
Which car do you choose? If you’re like most of us, you choose the new Honda. Perhaps only a major car enthusiast would know that the Devon, a high-end boutique sports car, is the far better option for that price. The reason most of us would have selected the Honda Civic is obvious—Honda does an excellent job branding its product.
How does this translate to physician recruitment? Physicians look at career opportunities in the same way.
Does perception really matter to physicians?
Baby boomers, Gen Xers, Gen Yers and Millennials are the first generations that are entrenched in mass media. We are all very brand aware, brand oriented and, like it or not, brand loyal—even to a fault. When it comes to branding, we all care. We don’t want just any MP3 player; we want an iPod. We don’t want just any laundry detergent; we want Tide.
Doctors are the same way. They take pride in their accomplishments. They take joy in where they received their undergraduate degree. They relish the opportunity to tell complete strangers about their medical school education. They boast to each other about their residency and fellowship training. And yes, they see their future employer as having either a positive or negative influence on their personal brand.
When physicians see your organization advertised, will they see it as something they’d be proud to put on their CVs? Or will they not know how good it is, much the way we didn’t know the Devon was the better car option?
How do I get started?
There are some important things to remember about communicating your brand. First, you need to be honest or people will see through you. If McDonald’s tried to convince us that it was a four-star restaurant, we would all laugh.
Second, you need to be patient. It took Honda, Apple and other iconic companies time to build their brands, and they continue to make branding a priority within every communication they send out.
Third, you need to be committed. Whether you’re attending a medical society conference or working with your internal team on your recruitment website, you have to do whatever it takes to present your organization in the best possible light.
Finally, you need to be willing to make an investment. Communicating a strong brand isn’t easy—or cheap. Honda, Apple and yes, even McDonald’s, understand that communicating their brands effectively in today’s oversaturated marketplace requires reaching audiences in multiple ways and at multiple times.
Similarly, recruiting physicians is getting more and more competitive. As the economy turns around and budgets open up, more players are getting into the market. E-mail, direct mail, conference attendance, print advertising, banner advertisements—all are essential tools in communicating the brand of your organization.
After all, when physicians are looking at all their options, which would you rather be—the Honda or the Devon?