Of the many challenges behavioral health provider organization executives face, one of the most overlooked is the “marketing challenge.” New market competition, payer pressure on volumes, and workforce shortages mean more organizations have made competitive positioning more important than ever. Yet marketing remains underutilized as a strategic tool.

Marketing executives working at mental health and…

Health and human services organization executives are under increasing pressure to drive growth in markets defined by heightened competition and ongoing consolidation. This growth can come about in many different ways, including mergers, acquisitions, organic growth that leverages both existing and new services, and expansions into new markets and consumer groups. Many executives understand that…

Marketing is often overlooked within health and human service provider organizations because leaders treat it as optional to performance. The prevailing assumption is that marketing may help, but that poor or underperforming marketing will not negatively affect growth, credibility, or competitiveness. In reality, poor marketing is a liability that will degrade strategy.

“Check-the-box” marketing, characterized…

Press releases are ubiquitous in marketing departments, but in any information-saturated environment, a press release alone rarely achieves the reach or influence organizations need from a well-run, strategically aligned marketing investment.

To earn that investment and maximize the impact of a message, executives must ensure that a single announcement is translated into a coordinated, cross-platform…

Brand identity has long been undervalued in health and human services, where many nonprofit provider organizations have assumed their mission, qualified staff, and a broad array of services “speak for themselves.” That assumption was not entirely incorrect in a market dominated by third-party referrals and payer-directed decisionmaking. Brand differentiation was simply not a strategic priority.