Unlock the secret: how planning transforms your wellness brand
Introduction
Branding. The thing businesses pay millions of dollars to get right and yet often botch — either they haven’t planned ahead for what they want from their brand, or they haven’t followed up to evolve it as their business moves through one stage or another. These are common mistakes, and getting them right can transform your business.
So today, we’re going to talk about one of the unsung heroes of the branding process: planning.
I know, not the most exciting aspect of branding, but by planning with purpose, you ensure your brand aligns with your values and resonates with your audience, and it all starts there.
As we get into this work, if you’re new here, we created a free branding guide, "Your healthcare and wellness brand," to learn best practices to help your brand thrive. The idea is that this work should be fun and also leave you with a stronger marketing foundation for your business. Check it out below and start there if you’re so inclined!
Section 1: Planning for a good brand with purpose
The purpose of planning
“By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.”
Effective planning is the backbone of any successful brand. It provides a roadmap for where you want to go and how you intend to get there. Planning helps you stay focused on your goals, ensures consistency in your branding efforts, and allows you to anticipate and adapt to changes in the market. For wellness branding, where trust and authenticity are paramount, careful planning can make all the difference.
Goal setting
Setting clear goals is essential for purposeful branding. Start by defining long-term objectives that align with your brand values. Break these down into actionable short-term goals to keep your team focused and motivated. Goals might include increasing brand awareness, expanding your customer base, or launching new products.
Use the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to ensure your goals are clear and attainable. Regularly review and adjust these goals as needed to stay aligned with your purpose.
Build your brand values and identity
Start with defining your brand values and identity. Our workbook, "your healthcare and wellness brand," is a great resource to guide you through this initial planning phase. It helps you articulate your brand values and create a solid foundation for your brand.
Define your core values: Identify the values and principles that are most important to your business. These could include integrity, innovation, customer focus, sustainability, etc.
Create a mission statement: Summarize what your business does, who it serves, and its core objectives. This statement should be clear and inspiring.
Develop a vision statement: Outline your long-term goals and what you want your business to achieve in the future. This should be aspirational and forward-looking.
Identify your unique value proposition: Determine what sets your brand apart from the competition. What benefits can you offer customers that nobody else can? Why should they choose you over others?
Ensure brand consistency: Make sure your branding, messaging, voice and customer interactions consistently reflect your values and purpose.
By starting with these steps, you can lay a solid foundation for a brand that resonates with your audience and stands out in the wellness market.
Section 2: Validate your brand
Talk with others
We’re told as individuals not to seek too much outside validation, but as business owners, we have to acknowledge we can’t do everything alone. To be done well, validation about your brand requires the help from others. So reach out to stakeholders to glean insights into whether they believe your brand reflects your values and resonates with them - your target audience. To validate this, consider talking with:
Friends and family: They know you well and can provide honest feedback.
Current clients: They’ll have the best account of a customer’s experience with your brand.
Prospective clients: Their perceptions can help you understand how new audiences view your brand.
Mentors and industry peers: They can offer expert advice and insights.
Employees: They are ambassadors of your brand and can provide an internal perspective.
Gather feedback
Collecting feedback effectively involves using a variety of methods to get comprehensive insights. Consider the following approaches:
Surveys: Use online tools to create structured questionnaires.
Focus groups: Organize sessions with a small group to discuss your brand in-depth.
Informal chats: Have casual conversations to gather spontaneous feedback.
Social media polls: Use your social platforms to ask quick questions and engage with your audience.
Customer reviews: Analyze feedback left on review sites and your own platforms.
One-on-one interviews: Conduct detailed interviews for more personalized feedback.
By combining these methods, you can get a well-rounded view of how your brand is perceived and identify areas for improvement.
Section 3: Research the competition
I’ve had clients feel “weird” about researching the competition, but this simply must be done if you want to know how to differentiate your business.
Conduct a Google or Bing search
Look at your competitors' websites and social media presence. Analyze their brand values and positioning. This research can reveal gaps and opportunities in the market, helping you refine your wellness marketing strategy.
Explore other mediums
Don't limit your research to websites. Check industry publications, reviews, and forums. These sources provide a broader view of your competition and potential areas for improvement in your wellness marketing efforts.
Section 4: Start the work
Now for the fun part! Roll up your sleeves and get started.
Determine your budget
Assess how much you can invest in your branding efforts. Your budget will influence the look and feel of your brand.
Make choices based on budget
Decide where to allocate your resources. Whether it's refreshing your website or creating new marketing materials, focus on high-impact areas first.
Hiring professionals like designers and marketers can also be a wise investment.
Practical steps
Begin with high-impact areas like your website and social media. These are often the first points of contact with your audience and are crucial for digital healthcare marketing.
Create a timeline and action plan to keep your efforts on track. Tools like Monday.com, Asana and Trello can help you here, especially if you need to coordinate your action plan and tasks with others.
Section 5: Establish the rhythm of the business
A "“rhythm of the business” or ROB as some tech companies call it, helps you establish a regular set of check ins to ensure various aspects of your business, in this case, your brand, are running smoothly. This in turn helps you make realtime improvements. Here’s a few things to keep in mind as you build your ROB:
Regular reviews
Schedule quarterly reviews to assess your brand's performance (check out our easy to follow blog article about what marketing metrics you should be tracking!) to get an idea of what you might want to track!). Adjust strategies based on feedback and market changes to keep your brand relevant.
Best practices
Put key activities on your calendar, such as brand audits and team meetings.
Use project management tools to stay organized.
Involve your team in the review and planning process to maintain consistency and drive engagement.
Conclusion
Planning is the cornerstone of successful wellness branding. By setting clear goals, validating your brand, researching the competition, and allocating resources effectively, you can create a strong and consistent brand presence. Regular reviews and best practices ensure your brand remains relevant and aligned with your values. Use our workbook, "Your healthcare and wellness brand," to guide you through these steps and elevate your wellness marketing strategy. Happy branding!