Why You Need To Brand Your Healthcare Business in Africa

Hamza Asumah, MD

Due to the increasing number of entrants into each industry and the continual need to develop a competitive edge over other organizations in the market, branding has become a standard component of business in recent years. It is vital to carefully consider how you position yourself in your industry if you want to stand out. Because of the increasing number of competitors and the eventual commoditization of healthcare professionals’ competence and value in delivering quality, this necessity has become even more crucial in Africa’s healthcare market.

According to ignite brands, when it comes to branding, perception is everything. It’s not so much about who you claim you are as it is about who your consumers say you are. As a result, it is critical to methodically carve out the path to what you want your consumers/customers to say about you.

Patient preference is increasingly impacting the dynamics of healthcare and the long-term profitability of businesses. Patients used to have limited option in terms of which hospital they went to since hospitals were exceedingly rare. Healthcare was regarded as a necessity rather than a luxury.

Due to the availability of substitutes in the sector, patients have the choice to select where and how they want to be treated. Their impressions of the industry’s multiple actors are at the root of the “where” problem. As a result, if you want to increase patient acquisition and income at your hospital, you must consider your brand carefully. This is something that many African healthcare companies lack due to a misunderstanding of its importance.

As performance metrics of private healthcare businesses in Africa now are measured by patient satisfaction, the new narrative in healthcare businesses is redefining the boundaries of what makes your business relevant to the one experiencing it.

The question therefore is how you can make your healthcare brand standout. These are a few tips that have been proven to be very helpful.

First, revise and add significance to your visuals. The most essential factor in shaping people’s perceptions is what they see and what it represents in their brains. The meaning of this mental positioning by patients defines where they put you in relation to your competition. This does not imply that you should devote all of your attention to logo colors and designs. As vital as that is, it is even more crucial that they signify something. Always keep in mind that the finest visual identities speak for something. Your brand’s aesthetic representation is crucial.

Second, discover how to create material that is both intriguing and useful. Because content is king in the healthcare industry, choosing the right material for your clients is crucial to building your brand. While promoting your brand, keep in mind the necessity of consistency. This is your company’s story.

Heartwarming stories of how your services have changed people’s lives. These would invariably build a strong emotional attachment in future patients while also strengthening and increasing repeat business. Consider creating content using videos, patient stories, and infographics. The television in your OPD isn’t only for watching local shows; it’s also a wealth of incredibly useful information that your patients will appreciate as they wait to see a prescriber.

Third, always try to link your brand with the patient’s needs and expectations. This is the only way to present patients with experiences that far exceed their expectations, transforming their impression of you in the process. Keep an eye on how you’re performing in terms of patient experience by gathering feedback and doing brand research via interviews and surveys. Keep an eye on the user experience of your brand.

Fourth, you may discover more about your competition by doing brand competitive research. This enables you to evaluate where you can best position yourself in the competitive landscape while successfully communicating the value you want your clients to understand and experience. Make sure to define your brand’s point of view.

Lastly, before rebranding, undertake a brand assessment to understand where you are today and where you want to go. Furthermore, understanding your competitors’ brand positions is crucial in establishing where you want to position your own. Rebranding does not imply having a new logo or a new name. It is a method of conducting business and influencing your patients’ impressions of your firm.

The days when individuals had no option but to go to any available hospital are long gone. We can no longer ignore the significance of branding. To remain relevant and grow, you must change patients’ impressions of your healthcare firm. Customers have grown more educated and empowered as a result of digital healthcare firms, and the sector is changing.

If healthcare businesses want to stand out from the crowd and develop meaningful, long-term relationships with their patients, they must engage in healthcare branding. According to Bret L. Simmons, PhD, “good branding makes you a signal in an ocean of noise.”

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