Modernising communications for a healthcare training provider

Background and objectives 

Gold Standard Frameworks’ (GSF) is a provider of end-of-life care (EOLC) training services. While their EOLC training remains as vital as ever, the company needed a new approach towards asserting itself in national conversations around EOLC and refreshing its communication approach in a digital age. Blue Lozenge supported GSF from December 2022 to April 2023 with stakeholder engagement and communication planning. Before work could begin in earnest, Blue Lozenge conducted an audit of GSF’s online presence. The audit identified areas of improvement in GSF’s online user journeys and public-facing platforms, which, following additional consultations with GSF, informed the following the following three objectives: 

• Refresh GSF’s visual identity and messaging 
• Increase revenue by winning new clients 
• Raise GSF’s profile and establish use of analytics 

Here’s how we tackled each one. 

Approach 

As part of our discovery process, GSF and the Blue Lozenge team evaluated GSF’s strengths and weaknesses and developed strategies to realise each of the three objectives.  

Objective one: Refresh look and focus messaging 

The consultations with GSF revealed the need for a refresh of its visual identity and greater control over messaging so that GSF could speak more clearly to its customers. We completed a full review of existing GSF assets and strategy documents to write a condensed high-level narrative for external communications. We then developed this narrative into audience-specific messaging and channel guidance to make it easier for GSF colleagues to create targeted communications for their specific markets of interest (including domiciliary care and commissioners). 

Simultaneously, Blue Lozenge designed new, digitally optimised assets that would ensure a consistent, modern and recognisable look-and-feel to GSF’s communications. These assets were used to refresh GSF’s social media accounts and its outgoing communications. The Blue Lozenge team also trained GSF colleagues to create assets within the newly established design parameters to keep communications consistent going forwards. 

Objective two: Increase income by winning new clients 

The website analysis indicated that sub-optimal user journey design was causing potential customers to abandon. To fix it, we rationalised and condensed the website homepage content and redesigned the navigation bar to reduce the number of decisions users have to make. We also made technical website recommendations to improve usability and search engine optimisation. 

We made the course-booking user journey easier by replacing a legacy manual booking process with Microsoft Forms, which allows users to auto-fill their information.  

GSF has produced an immense amount of content, but it has not always been on the right platform for consumption by its key audiences. To get more value out of GSF’s content, we catalogued the blog for conversion into LinkedIn thought leadership pieces. This ensured the content reached its intended professional audience and it now operates as a ‘pull’ form of communications, allowing GSF to reach professionals that aren’t already engaged with GSF.  

Objective three: Raise GSF’s profile and establish use of analytics 

To raise GSF’s profile, Blue Lozenge organised a virtual event aimed at integrated care system (ICS) leaders and EOLC specialists. The objective of the event was to raise awareness of GSF and its services, raise awareness of the importance of population-based EOLC and show how GSF can improve outcomes in an integrated system. The event featured speakers including leaders from the Care Quality Commission and Nottinghamshire ICS and was attended by 44 representatives of 14 ICSs as well as private care providers and GP groups. 

GSF also shifted to a rationalised social media strategy that saw its Facebook page retired, a new focus placed on its LinkedIn page where GSF can speak more directly to its professional audience, and supported GSF’s team and board in becoming individual active influencers in EOLC discussions on Twitter. We also designed a content calendar to schedule social media posts so that GSF has a consistent, professional presence online. 

To track growth in GSF’s profile, Blue Lozenge benchmarked a range of metrics from March 2022 (prior year) that capture interest and engagement. Blue Lozenge was also keen to ensure GSF could measure its email outreach. GSF procured an email marketing service that offers email analytics as well as tools that ensure consistent and professional stakeholder communications. 

Outcome

GSF saw immediate and dramatic year-on-year uplift in all key metrics in March 2023: 

• Converted expressions of interest +37%
• Training bookings +51%
• Referral traffic (including email channels) +30% 
• Click-throughs from social media +215% 
• Unique monthly pageviews +100%
• Bounce rate down 20 percentage points to 46% 
• Exit rate -50% 

“Efficient, knowledgeable and professional are all key words I would use to describe Blue Lozenge. The Blue Lozenge team showed a deep understanding of the health and care sector and created compelling content with a consistent voice that would resonate with our target audience.

Blue Lozenge helped us streamline systems and processes, ensuring that tasks were completed effectively and efficiently. We at GSF very much appreciated Blue Lozenge’s collaborative approach and willingness to impart knowledge and resources in order to achieve our combined objectives.”

Ann-Marie Lawrence, Marketing Coordinator

Contact 

If you need communication advice and support to improve the impact you would like to make in the health and care sector, please contact us at hello@bluelozenge.co.uk