S3E07: "Creating Delightful Customer Experiences", with Susan Willig, CEO & Chief Brand Strategist at TrueNorth

The Marketing Consultation

In this new episode of The Marketing Consultation, we are joined by Susan Willig, a marketing leader with significant experience in the healthcare sector, particularly in brand strategy and patient access. The discussion delves into the importance of early market positioning for startups and strategies for differentiating a brand in a crowded market.

Susan emphasizes the necessity of establishing a strong value proposition early on. This involves understanding the target market and setting a solid brand strategy foundation, which guides all subsequent efforts and resource allocation.

In a crowded market, creating memorable customer experiences, or "delighters," is crucial. Susan advocates for developing detailed Personas through both qualitative and quantitative research. This deep understanding empowers employees to better serve the audience, ultimately leading to more effective marketing strategies.

Addressing the challenge of resource constraints, Susan recommends focusing on purposeful content creation and effective use of content calendars. She highlights the importance of behavioral change in marketing, ensuring content supports the audience throughout their journey. Susan shares her process of defining a compelling value proposition, which involves understanding current and desired behaviors of the target audience and clearly articulating how the product meets those needs uniquely.

Consistency in messaging is vital, but Susan acknowledges the need for adaptation based on market feedback and new insights. The conversation also touches on personal branding, with Susan discussing its importance, which mirrors brand strategy principles. Understanding one's core competencies and communicating them clearly and authentically is key to building a strong personal brand.

Overall, Susan’s insights offer valuable guidance for healthcare marketers, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, understanding the audience, and maintaining consistency while being adaptable.