In today’s competitive medical landscape, your hospital needs to be able to differentiate itself from other providers. Effective market positioning can have a powerful impact on how your business is performing, attracting new patients, evolving your patient mix, and drawing high-performing doctors and employees.
You may already have a brand position in mind, but before embarking upon a brand overhaul or marketing campaign, it’s vital to undertake a market analysis. Review what your competitors are doing, and gauge how the public perceives you. This will help you identify potential gaps in the market, as well as determining what needs to be done to separate you from competing hospitals or clinics.
Armed with that information, you’ll be better placed to determine your market positioning. Let’s explore a few ways medical practices and hospitals can differentiate themselves based on positioning.
Clinical Specialist
If your hospital or clinic specializes in a particular area of medicine, then capitalize on this in your branding. You can use this specialism to position yourself as the go-to-choice in the market for that area of medicine.
Segment Specialist
This positioning targets a particular demographic or population group. A hospital focused on pediatrics, for example, can position itself away from hospitals that serve a broader swathe of the community.
Quick & Convenient
This positioning is for hospitals or clinics that maximize speed and convenience. If your hospital’s selling point is that you’re reliable and accessible, this can be a significant differentiating point.
Value Provider
If your hospital is known for being a reliable provider of services at competitive rates, you can target cost-conscious patients who will “shop” for high-value medical care. Cost competitiveness and transparency are key to this approach.
Branded Practice
Some hospitals and practices leverage their name recognition as a differentiating factor – the Mayo clinic, for example. If your hospital is well known or regarded locally or regionally, or is part of a franchise, your positioning can focus on this.
Research Specialist
Research hospitals have the advantage of being perceived as prestigious and cutting edge. Patients will choose these providers due to the promise of being able to receive innovative care that may not be available elsewhere.
Be Different
When determining your positioning, think critically at precisely what your hospital already offers, and where it excels. Focus on your strengths and use those to guide your market positioning. Ensure that your focus separates you from your competitors. Ask yourself what you offer that others in the market don’t, and make sure that this is captured in your branding.
Deliberately positioning your medical practice in the market can be the difference between mediocre performance and break-out success. Having a strong brand and powerful differentiator will help drive awareness, build trust, and separate your offering from other providers.