Your hospital or health system may have a potent branding tool sitting in the C-suite right now.
Restructuring a hospital's business model amidst regulatory uncertainty is stressful. But it also presents a great opportunity for healthcare organizations to redefine their message. Reaching out to patients as individuals is valuable for building trust between providers and patients, especially as consumers ask for more healthcare experiences tailored to their preferences and values.
The hospital CEO sets an organization's tone and influences its vision, culture and overall brand. Some organizations are making their CEO the face of their campaign to help humanize and personalize the otherwise nebulous, medicinal and diagnostic image of modern healthcare.
Not all CEOs are the right match for your message. C-suite leaders who are uncomfortable in the spotlight, for instance, may have difficulty getting an organization's message to resonate.
CEOs with the right personality, skills and enthusiasm for public speaking can make powerful brand spokespeople. Here are four benefits CEOs can bring to marketing strategy, according to Franklin Street, a healthcare marketing analyst and consulting firm.
Internal motivation. Placing the CEO at the front lines can rally associates and employees around a more defined and central figure.
Community influence. Clearly promoting the CEO as a public figure by featuring him or her in marketing campaigns can familiarize community leaders with hospital leadership. This is increasingly valuable as hospitals look to form partnerships and start conversations with community-based organizations.
Leadership buy-in. Involving the CEO in hospital branding ensures leadership support the branding campaign.
Neutralize internal politics. As the highest-ranking official, the CEO is a natural fit to represent the entire hospital brand. This helps to eliminate internal political battles as to what service line or which physicians the organization chooses to include in a campaign.