Part 1: The Short-Term ROI of a Rebrand

When was the last time you really thought about the health of your brand? Do your logo, mission, vision and values support the strategic needs of your organization? Or, do they cause headaches and frustration among your stakeholders?

The truth is, every business must re-evaluate the health of their brand at some point, just as you would any other area of the organization. Consider how hospitals and clinics have moved to telehealth visits due to patient demand and circumstances such as COVID-19. While the switch wasn’t easy, the marketplace demanded a shift and providers followed suit to stay relevant in an increasingly digital world.

The same set of rules apply to your brand. It needs to be closely scrutinized, well-maintained and updated in order to preserve credibility and relevance among critical audiences.

Ready for a Rebrand?

If you find yourself cringing when looking at your old school brochure, dealing with internal confusion about the trajectory of the brand or apologizing for the outdated state of your website, you may be ready for an upgrade. Perhaps the look needs to be modernized to bring it into this century. Or, maybe you need to find a custom business uniforms supplier to provide new uniforms for your employees.

While a new brand requires an investment of time and money, the short- and long-term gains far outweigh dollars spent. In Part I of this three-part series, we’ll dive into the quick-hitting impact a rebrand has on your bottom line.

 

What to expect as short-term ROI

 

1. Engaging company culture & improved recruitment efforts

Your brand doesn’t only exist within the mind of your customers. It affects your employees and company morale, too, and plays an important role in managing expectations for new and current team members. In fact, one article states that 49% of companies link good employee engagement to good branding, which is higher than other signs like quality of hire (47%). It goes on to state that “Good employer branding eventually becomes good employee engagement.” Thus, an investment in one supports the other.

Beyond engagement, good branding can support recruitment efforts and turnover reduction. Another article filled with employer branding stats says that 9 out of 10 candidates would apply for a job when the employer brand is actively maintained, and turnover can be reduced by 28% when companies invest in their brands.

Following a rebrand, an internal brand launch sets the stage for increased pride, motivation and alignment. When employees understand your mission, vision and values, they’re more likely to reflect them consistently and accurately to the outside world. Even better than telling them about the new brand, providing them with the tools necessary to promote it (i.e. brand guidelines, collateral, swag, etc.), builds excitement and empowerment.

“Internally, this whole refresh process was a great team-building opportunity,” said Matthew Wolf, Vice President of Seabrook. “It sends a message that we’re committed to what we do and encourages our own people to embrace it, too.”

 

2. Positive attention with strong marketing & communication

Stale, unoriginal or sloppy branding doesn’t cut it anymore. Just ask our client from Deeley Insurance Group.

“From a marketing standpoint, if you have a sloppy brand, you don’t want to invest in marketing,” said Laura Deeley Bren, President of Deeley Insurance Group “A rebrand is money well spent…It’s pivotal. It’s the defining moment for us.”

A new brand infuses your marketing efforts with relevance and vigor, helping you stand out from competitors and impress your audiences. Consumer expectations are on the rise with forty-five percent expecting remarkable design across marketing and sales collateral. If you don’t deliver, they may quickly move on to a competitor.

After a rebrand, plan a launch campaign with communications, public relations and advertising to boost awareness and engagement. This should include some education around why the brand has evolved, whether it was because of growth, a merger, changes in service offerings, etc. so it doesn’t leave any questions in the minds of internal and external audiences. When you present your new look and messaging in a repeated and consistent manner, you can expect active improvements on visibility, recall and revenue.

When your campaign is over, don’t stop communicating! Ever. The success of your brand depends on consistency, consistency and more consistency across every channel.

 

3. Upgrades to the patient experience (and loyalty, as a result)

As the behavioral healthcare space loses control over patient choice, the overall experience must be memorable and immersive. Patients want to interact with their healthcare providers as they would any other brand – Disney, Starbucks, Nordstrom and more. That’s why it’s important for all organizations to develop a consumer brand mentality. When your brand puts patient experience first, you’re likely to see return visits and loyalty skyrocket.

All that said, this is one of the hardest areas to implement. It’s not just about how you look from a logo standpoint. It’s about employee behavior, your digital platforms (your website, telehealth platform, social channels), physical locations and more. Ultimately, your brand drives strong performance in these areas. Especially when it’s understood and applied consistently across everything you do. 

“One thing that I am more recently learning is that these things are not static, they’re dynamic,” said Jonathan Lee, President and CEO of Signature Health. “So, we have to continuously ask questions about where our referral sources come from, what do they need, what do our patients need and so on. The continuous asking of the questions keeps you abreast of what that answer is as it subtly shifts.”

 

Meet the challenge

Consumerism is here to stay, and the behavioral healthcare organizations that invest in the clarity, consistency and connectivity of their brands are going to reap the immediate and long-standing rewards. Will you be one of them?

If you’re ready to improve your behavioral healthcare brand, we’re here to help. Contact us and sign up for a FREE 15-minute branding conversation with one of our experts today.