Bring new energy to your corporate identity in five steps.

By Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman

It’s possible to tune up your corporate marketing without ever getting your hands dirty. At least Harlan West, creative director of 22-year old HWDS Creative and publisher of Issuez, the News Magazine about Newsletter Design and Successful Corporate communications based in Los Angeles thinks so.

Healthcare companies should think of it as a marketing design tune-up with a focus on bringing new energy to the corporate identity of established organizations.

“A corporate re-brand makes everyone feel refreshed, from employees to owners, clients and suppliers,” said West.

And it’s easy to do. According to West any business can do a re-brand in five steps.

Step 1: Refresh, Refresh, Refresh
If an organization has been using the same newsletter template for the past three or more years, chances are it’s stale and badly in need of a refresh.

“Try a new look with some dynamic new graphics and a new typestyle and masthead. It will keep your company looking contemporary and state-of-the art,” said West.

You can also try converting your regular print publication to an online e-newsletter. “It could save your company thousands of dollars in print costs and you will impress both your boss and your clients,” said West.

Step 2: Update Your Corporate Identity
A corporate re-brand can start with a new logo, typestyle and tagline. It can then evolve to include a complete rebranding with a brand standards guide and new templates for design materials.

These updates, said West, give the company a whole new perspective.

Step 3: Save Money
There are new digital collateral materials that can save companies thousands of dollars in print costs. Mini designed presentation books, e-books, e-newsletters, and their new interactive page flipping i-mags are innovative ways to reach a target audience without incurring the high cost of printing, fulfillment, mailing and distribution.

Step 4: Take Your Outreach on the Road
Do something for your community. Participate in special events or promotions. For example, one of West’s clients dress up a bus with a vehicle wrap and collects toys for disadvantaged kids. The vehicle wrap promotes his client’s company. Giving back to your community shows that in your mission you care.

Step 5: Go Down in History
Commemorative events call for inspired design. Healthcare marketing for hospital openings, medical center openings, new facilities and anniversary celebrations are just a few of the events that inspire calls to West. Event materials range from e-invitations, commemorative books, pins, posters, and collateral, web pages and programs. Keepsakes keep the brand in the public’s mind.

Just remember that events are most successful when they are packaged in uniform design. Beginning with invitations and save-the-date cards and progressing to signage, banners, programs, posters, and e-blasts. “It’s important to develop a natural progression of materials that work together to help brand the event,” said West.