4.2.26 Marketing hospital services

1 Aim and purpose of a corporate identity strategy

Achieve an accurate impression of the tasks, intentions and events in the hospital among all those involved (internally: employees, externally among target groups, customers, interest partners) through a two-way exchange and a shaping of the verbal and semiotic discourse about the hospital.

2 Desired effects

• Motivating employees with a positive attitude and retaining them at the hospital
• Positively influence employee behaviour at the point of service
• Increase the hospital's attractiveness as an employer
• Create a positive attitude among cost bearers (they only squander our good money or every euro spent on good services is well spent)
• Exerting a positive influence on political decision-makers

Strengthen understanding and trust among the public, especially among patients and partners

• Improving patient referrals through trust
• Facilitate cooperation with other organisations
• Be able to cope better with crises (slumps in confidence)
• Increase defence capability in the event of attacks on reputation
• Sharpen profile and positioning
• Filling a gap that is filled by traditional advertising in other companies, but which is frowned upon in the healthcare market and often seems out of place (note: traditional advertising is also losing importance in other sectors of the economy! See other advertising bans and a more critical public with increasing resistance to direct advertising statements).

3 Dangers of unclear communication and false expectations of CI strategy

Embellished image Public image does not match the strategy Self-presentation does not respond to expectations and preconceptions Creation of an alibi, a backdrop, a deceptive façade (Potemkin effect) Missing contour Substitute for a missing corporate concept Derivation of the corporate concept from a peudoemprically raised customer expectation. Misunderstanding of customer orientation. Rejection of the corporate image by employees Concealment of management errors Expectation of rapid, noticeable changes: Communicative content changes only slowly and requires a long-term strategy and sometimes substantial investments of imagination, time, perseverance and money.

4 Methods

- Image analysis through feature profile (how are we recognised? How are we differentiated from others?
- Confronting the reality of the hospital and the strategic goals with the image. Where is the difference? How should the hospital be perceived?
- Development of a communication strategy to merge the image and reality with the target state

5 What characterises the image of a region, for example?

You can derive the meaning of an image from the picture you have of a region, for example. What information do you use for this?
Economic performance
Cultural life with predominant religion
Environmental conditions, leisure opportunities, living environment
Education/science infrastructure
Transport links

6 Confrontation between reality/strategic objective and image

Assumes that the hospital has a clear strategic vision. What are the primary objectives? In an analytical analysis, it must be checked whether the perception of the hospital is in line with the objectives or deviates from them. What could be the reason for the difference? Past experience? Misleading self-portrayal or inadequate presentation? To this end, survey the visible features: corporate design, presentation in the press, buildings, products, appearance of staff in public. Stereotypes.

7 Communication strategy

7.1 Name

Is the name appropriate? What is it associated with? Does the name cover the mission and objectives? Does it sound fun-loving, amusing, factual, serious, solid, respectful, fearsome, technical, abstract? Does it match the main services/main fields of activity? How is the name visualised? Which colours go with it? What is the symbol for the central product?

7.2 Design manual

Implementation of the colours Implementation for all documents internally and at the "points of service" Implementation in the visual media Letterheads, forms, envelopes, address labels, business cards Reports, company documents Gift wrapping paper Give-aways, company imprints on consumer goods in the hospital Videos Broadcasting, TV presence Mailing lists Invitations Information on issues of general interest in our field

7.3 Media

Design of structural appearance
Print media design (see design manual)
Association of the name, the symbol with other brands, prominent personalities
Conferences, meetings, trade fairs, exhibitions
Press releases
House magazine
Neighbourhood newspaper
Info brochures
Journals, offprints, paperback series, sequels or special editions
Internet page
Interviews, presentations
Events on topics that are not directly related to the hospital: Psychology, law, music, architecture, literature, demography, liability, QM
Lectures, workshops
Allow yourself to be invited.
Hold large public events in a space accessible to all.
Contributions to discussions at conferences
Discussions with opinion leaders
Qualification of multipliers such as pastors, social workers, self-help groups, counselling centres
Telephone campaigns
Spectacular actions (Greenpeace)
Who stands by us? Celebrities speak out.
A figure of identification: Mrs Jerschke feels at home with us...
Guide brochures
Qualification measures ( The home carer)
Association work
Association for the promotion of ...
Participation in local associations, groups, clubs Sponsoring (rock concert, marching band or chamber music concerts)
Exhibitions
Linguistic: multilingual? English or Turkish?
What we tell about ourselves (the story behind): the hospital story
Which information channels do the target groups use to obtain information?
Distribution plan for adverts, positioning of articles
Who uses which media?
Answering enquiries
Visitor programmes
Flags, stickers, banners, balloons, windmill carrier bags, T-shirts, calendars
Who stands by the hospital anyway? E.g. the city council, the public health service, the ministry, the schools, the church, sports clubs, old people's homes

7.4 Messages

Who are the target groups? Who are we addressing? ßß To what extent do we want to communicate? Do we want to work in secret or present ourselves widely and publicly?
What are the key messages that should be communicated to the target groups?
We are co-operative, use synergies, expand, concentrate, are open, are last resort, what can we do best?
What topics do we focus on?
e.g. eco-theme: we reduce the consumption of energy, water and cleaning agents

What should take centre stage? The professional medical, scientific and technical expertise or the nursing and attractive hotel services (board and lodging)?

What values, goals and ideas do we want to identify with?
Environmental protection, equality, justice, solidarity, progress,
Tradition, truth, nature-loving, technology-obsessed, home-loving, cosmopolitan, cultivated, pragmatic-sober, playful-dreamy

How can communication be combined with marketing (finding the right customer for the right service) without damaging the hospital's reputation by giving the impression of advertising, which will remain a delicate matter in the social sector despite all this. Note: other sectors of the economy also have to manage without advertising, such as alcohol suppliers and cigarette manufacturers

No advertising! The hospital has nothing to sell, but a mission to fulfil. It must enhance its credibility, reassure the customer that they have made the right decision (postmarketing effect).ßß

Do not overwhelm the customer/addressees! Be careful with negative actions such as "Stop the..." or "Get rid of the..." Avoid appeals, moral reproaches or prescriptions to make the "right" decisions or behaviour.

8 What are the reasons for not using the hospital?

9 Why PR and why it is in everyone's interests:

Information about facts that would not be widely enough disseminated and known without such measures. Early clarification. Who needs to know what about us?

Help and support in making a decision, possibly with relief or encouragement to take active action. Taking into account the fact that not all people make a decision after carefully weighing up the pros and cons, but "on instinct".

Giving words and images to knowledge: we know a lot, but are unsure how to express it and whether it is appropriate to talk about it. Reduce fears.

Strengthen solidarity by convincingly communicating the irrefutability of cost coverage. Engage in dialogue - so that others, wherever they talk to each other, also have something to say.

Conveying new ideas that may be important for others.

10 Why data?

Can conclusions be drawn from the empirical study for the repositioning of PR work? Can they contribute to the definition or achievement of communication goals? Can they be used to justify decisions on communication measures, which would not be possible without the data?

Attachments

Questionnaire for image analysis