“I am not in the business, I am the business”

This great line from the 80’s film ‘Blade Runner’ got me thinking about how important it is for everyone within a business to represent a company’s brand values and be part of the company’s vision.

Whilst many people may think of a brand as a logo, a set of colours and a memorable strapline. A strong company brand means so much more. A well applied brand will live and evolve in the minds of existing and potential patients. With so many choices available to consumers, a strong company brand is essential to create an emotional connection with your target demographic. It is therefore essential for all employees to buy into your brand and brand values.

The idea of using your employees as brand representatives probably won’t be new to you, after all, most businesses will provide a uniform or dress code. But effective branding goes much deeper than wearing the company logo on your scrubs.

Here are a few suggestions to help your employees buy into your brand:

[x_accordion_item title=”Define and reinforce your mission statement“]Your mission statement will help set the tone of your brand. Every employee, whether it is their first day or they’ve been with you for 20 years, must be aware of your company’s vision and how you want to achieve it.

We recommend you have a brand book to outline all of the important elements of your brand. This is a great tool for new team members as they will get a good understanding of how important the brand is to the success of your practice.[/x_accordion_item]

[x_accordion_item title=”Ensure external and internal communications are consistent“]If the message you are giving your patients differs from the one you are giving your employees how can there be any continuity in your brand?

From a patient’s point of view, who is the first point of contact they have with your business? In most cases, their first human contact with your business will be via the telephone or when they walk through the door. Does this first interaction represent your brand values? This first interaction is the time your brand becomes real for most customers. Your brand values will now either be enhanced or undermined by what your staff say and do.

You need to make sure that all of your staff are on the same page when it comes to communicating and understanding the ‘tone of voice’ that needs to be used.[/x_accordion_item]

[x_accordion_item title=”Recognise individuals who excel“]Make sure that you acknowledge the members of staff that are truly representing your brand, people like to be rewarded.

Consider appointing a brand ambassador or champion, a point of contact who would be able to explain what your brand values are and be able to reinforce this information to your employees. They would also be able to educate employees on how your brand values are reflected at different parts of a patients journey, and help to train all employees on ways in which they can deliver the brand promise.[/x_accordion_item]

[x_accordion_item title=”Encourage feedback“]Give your employees the chance to offer their feedback and take that feedback on board. This will reinforce the brand even further for your employees as they will have been the ones to define certain elements of the brand.

If appointed, a brand champion should request feedback from both staff and patients to look for ways that the brand can improve and areas that people feel are not aligned with your brand values.[/x_accordion_item]

By having staff that live your brand values, it can help align your patient journey with your brand values. If you would like your brand values to reflect your practice both internally and externally please get in touch. Call 01872 300232 or email us at hello@hivebusiness.co.uk.