Is your healthcare brand architecture out of alignment?

What has many product lines? A multitude of names and logos ? An undifferentiated brand combined with a confusing brand architecture? And different looking marketing communications pieces within the same organization describing service lines, technology and clinical programs?

Hospitals, home healthcare agencies and specialty pharmacies to name a few. Managed care, medical device and pharma have it under control. Hints it's a major contributor to profitability; that ability to have a clear differentiated band in the market.

Too many times in healthcare, especially in hospitals, home healthcare agencies and specialty pharmacies, I have seen an absence of brand architecture. The logo and name of the hospital or other provider in multiple colors in different places in marketing communication materials. No standardization of key brand messaging.

Today, nobody flies under the radar screen. Healthcare organizations that understand the importance of brand image, brand architecture, brand equity and the impact dollar wise to the bottom-line, are growing organically and venturing into new healthcare services. Using the power of their brand to bring implied program or service credibility because of their brand reputation. They have it under control and guard it jealously.

It's all about the brand

In the new healthcare environment, your brand is becoming more important than ever. In a dynamically evolving healthcare marketplace where the healthcare consumer is on their merry to making purchase decisions. Where quality and price mean something. Healthcare consumers need a clear understanding and representation of your brand. If your brand is out of alignment, then you are losing revenue and credibility in the market.

This is also about marketing leadership. I speak to your ability to influence and change the organization of your employment. Educate. Inform. Teach. Do whatever you have to as a marketer too influence and lead your organization. Too much is a stake. Become a leading revenue marketer by creating a strong and enduring central brand.

Marketing is about generating revenue. You can't generate the revenue you need to grow and prosper because your brand or in some cases, multitude of brands are out of alignment in the marketplace.

The clock is ticking. The choice is yours. Fix your brand architecture now, or follow similar organizations to the ash heap of history.

Michael Krivich is an internationally followed healthcare marketing blogger with over 4,000 monthly pages views in over 52 countries worldwide. He is founder of the michael J group, a healthcare marketing consultancy dedicated to creating value through strategic marketing for hospitals and health system regardless of payment mechanism, either fee-for-service or value-based to increase market-share, revenue , brand and demonstrate actual return on marketing investment. Michael is a Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives and a Professional Certified Marketer, American Marketing Association.