Mary Poppins: Health Care Marketing Guru, Part III

Need a plot refresher? Missed our second post?

“The Perfect Nanny”

This song comes early in the movie. Julie Andrews has yet to enter the picture. The two darling but bratty Banks children have scared off another nanny. Father is angry. Mother is upset. The housekeepers are laughing. The kids, in an attempt to find a little more fun from their incoming au pair, write their own advertisement.

If you want this choice position
Have a cheery disposition
Rosy cheeks, no warts!
Play games, all sort

This song makes a great case for how to be successful in health care marketing. Your brand’s recruitment efforts should go beyond the black and white of the job description and into the personality of the candidate and how the candidates attitudes and core values relate to your health system’s brand.

To identify the right match, start by delving into your brand. Figure out what your brand means and stand for and how to hire for a perfect match. Culture trumps strategy every day.

When was the last time your marketing team met with your health system’s HR team to talk recruitment, brand, culture and long-term strategic goals? If it’s been awhile (or never!), maybe it’s time for a pow-wow. Get the culture of the organization right and your marketing strategy will take off.

“Step In Time”

Who can forget this big dance number on the roofs of London’s homes? All the chimney sweeps throughout the city respond to Bert’s call and gather together for a call and response fast-paced frolic. The great thing about this song is the synergy of the dancers.

Working together on a coherent and complete message across a large system can be a challenge, but it’s worth it. Having a coherent brand message and consistent look and feel are the difference between a memorable brand and an invisible brand. Your message will be louder and clearer. Your messages will resonate where once they may have missed the mark.

Recently, we worked with a large health system to unify its family of hospitals, which had competed in the past for patients. We conducted interviews with staff from all the hospitals to identify what unified the hospitals – culture, strategy, goals. To start you off on unifying your large health system brand, try our “This or That” exercise. It’s simple and inspires conversation.

Working as a large system has its own set of rules. We know the red tape can be frustrating, but the results are worth the extra effort.

Enjoying our musical escapade through the land of Disney musicals? Let us know!