What do position statements and global positioning systems (GPS) have in common? It occurs to me that just as an association’s mission, vision, brand, and strategic plan guide the leadership in its path to its objectives, the NSGC’s position statements are a metaphorical GPS for a particular issue.
For example, the NSGC Board recently approved a position statement on gene patenting. The basic process to develop the statement was the same as has been used for NSGC’s other position statements. An event in the news triggered the Public Policy Committee to undergo an examination of gene patenting from the perspective of the NSGC. The discussion included, as it always should, consideration of whether the genetic counseling profession has relevant expertise and a unique point of view to bring to a broader debate about an issue. In the end, the Committee concluded that indeed, genetic counselors, in their role in assessing patients’ genetic risks, should share a perspective about the ability of holders of gene patents to issue exclusive licenses. As experts in genetic counseling, we know that genetic testing is changing and moving toward whole-genome and multi-gene analysis. Exclusive licenses on gene patents will impede access and development of genetic testing just as we seek to gain from a growing understanding of how genes interact to cause disease. A draft statement was released to the membership for comment, changes were incorporated, and the Board approved the revised statement.
Now, organizations or people outside NSGC can easily assess where NSGC stands on the issue of gene patenting. It’s the equivalent to mapping “current location” on a GPS! As an added benefit, the NSGC leadership can use the statement to guide policy decisions or requests for comments about the issue of gene patenting. It does not, however, imply that all NSGC members agree with the statement; each member is entitled to his or her own viewpoint, which may differ as a reflection of the growing diversity in our field.
So, if I receive any calls from the media or questions from other organizations about NSGC’s opinion on gene patenting, I’ll enter the coordinates of the particular inquiry into our position statement and evaluate our response.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What can NSGC learn from TV?
Last fall as a guest blogger on this blog (see entry September 21, 2009 below) and recently as a contributor to Perspectives in Genetic Counseling (http://www.nsgc.org/members_only/perspectives/winter09/Perspectives_Winter_2009.pdf). I wrote about the importance of branding an association. When the NSGC Board decided several years ago to develop an NSGC “brand”, the first step was to select a specific audience, or “target customer”. To illustrate the selection of a target customer, I look to my favorite cable television station, tbs. A TV station has many similarities to an association, as it is service-based and depends heavily on support from external parties, namely advertisers. Attracting more advertisers means investment in the programming, which attracts more target viewers, which attracts more advertisers – a television version of the circle of life.
Some of you may remember, as I do, the TBS station from many years ago when it was the “TBS Superstation” and ran a hodge-podge of re-runs and movies typical for many cable channels. If you don’t remember, you are reinforcing the reasons why TBS needed to change! At that time, the channel was not clearly differentiated from other stations as the place to go for a specific type of programming. In other words, TBS was not very memorable and potential viewers couldn’t tell whether it was the station for them or not.
TBS underwent a re-branding effort beginning in 2005, and I was fortunate to hear the brand manager speak about the effort later that same year. The first step the management took was to analyze the different possible TV viewers and place them into categories. They considered many types of characteristics such as gender, age, employment status, household constitution (e.g. number and age of adults, children, etc), hobbies, etc. Next, they identified the customer group, or target, that they could serve better than anyone: the busy adult who wants “comfort TV” that is a reliable release from daily demands of work and household responsibilities. The benefit the station thought it could provide was an escape with familiar friends on funny programs. (Think about Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, etc.)
This process of identifying a target customer and what benefits an organization or product can bring to that customer better than anyone else is the basis for creating a brand. NSGC went through a similar process. Board members determined that the best way for NSGC to serve genetic counselors was to promote the profession itself, an activity that no other organization is likely to undertake. To do so, the NSGC Board chose to target physicians, who are key gatekeepers for patients’ access to genetic counselors and repeated beneficiaries of the value genetic counselors bring to their patients. After all, who will hear about the patient’s satisfaction with having received helpful, easy-to-understand translation of genetic information to facilitate decision-making? The physician who referred! And who could potentially discourage a patient who has heard about genetic counseling and asks whether it is appropriate for her? Again, the physician – at least one who hasn’t heard from NSGC’s brand campaign yet and therefore doesn’t know the value the patient and physician both receive from a genetic counseling consultation.
Once the target customer and key benefits to that customer are determined, the next stage of branding is tactical, meaning that all the creative development occurs, such as designing a new logo and choosing colors, developing key phrases about benefits, etc. If you aren’t among tbs’ viewers, you can see an example of its creative work on its website, www.tbs.com. The tbs logo, with its casual, lower-case letters, half-circle “smile”, and the phrase “very funny”, says it all! The result is that the target customer can consistently count on finding that welcome “release” in tuning to tbs.
Did it work? The station’s management faced some initial challenges with changing to advertisers seeking its new target customer. I recall seeing an advertisement in the fall of 2005 for “The Matrix” -- very funny? I don’t think so. However, a recent, quick review of its website demonstrates a line-up of character-filled, funny sitcoms as well as original programming that suggests success and the ability to invest in further development of its “very funny” brand. Also, its advertising likely appeals to the target viewer: Progressive.com’s humorous online “store”, a Pinesol queen with a handsome servant, and numerous time-saving products to manage the home like Turbotax, Select Harvest Light soup, and Bounty paper towels.
What does tbs’ branding success have to do with NSGC’s recently begun branding efforts?
Branding NSGC will increase visibility and credibility for genetic counselors. This means NSGC will attract more dollars through advertisers, collaborators, membership, etc. allowing NSGC to expand and enhance member services and increase investment in critical strategic initiatives like improving access to genetic counseling services. Physicians will recognize which patients will benefit the most and refer a larger number and/or more appropriate patients. Prospective students are more likely to learn about the genetic counseling profession to potentially increase the diversity of our field.
I hope this example has helped demonstrate why NSGC is investing in creating a brand and how we will do so. I’m exhausted from writing this blog and just want to relax in front of television…I wonder what’s on tbs?
Some of you may remember, as I do, the TBS station from many years ago when it was the “TBS Superstation” and ran a hodge-podge of re-runs and movies typical for many cable channels. If you don’t remember, you are reinforcing the reasons why TBS needed to change! At that time, the channel was not clearly differentiated from other stations as the place to go for a specific type of programming. In other words, TBS was not very memorable and potential viewers couldn’t tell whether it was the station for them or not.
TBS underwent a re-branding effort beginning in 2005, and I was fortunate to hear the brand manager speak about the effort later that same year. The first step the management took was to analyze the different possible TV viewers and place them into categories. They considered many types of characteristics such as gender, age, employment status, household constitution (e.g. number and age of adults, children, etc), hobbies, etc. Next, they identified the customer group, or target, that they could serve better than anyone: the busy adult who wants “comfort TV” that is a reliable release from daily demands of work and household responsibilities. The benefit the station thought it could provide was an escape with familiar friends on funny programs. (Think about Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, etc.)
This process of identifying a target customer and what benefits an organization or product can bring to that customer better than anyone else is the basis for creating a brand. NSGC went through a similar process. Board members determined that the best way for NSGC to serve genetic counselors was to promote the profession itself, an activity that no other organization is likely to undertake. To do so, the NSGC Board chose to target physicians, who are key gatekeepers for patients’ access to genetic counselors and repeated beneficiaries of the value genetic counselors bring to their patients. After all, who will hear about the patient’s satisfaction with having received helpful, easy-to-understand translation of genetic information to facilitate decision-making? The physician who referred! And who could potentially discourage a patient who has heard about genetic counseling and asks whether it is appropriate for her? Again, the physician – at least one who hasn’t heard from NSGC’s brand campaign yet and therefore doesn’t know the value the patient and physician both receive from a genetic counseling consultation.
Once the target customer and key benefits to that customer are determined, the next stage of branding is tactical, meaning that all the creative development occurs, such as designing a new logo and choosing colors, developing key phrases about benefits, etc. If you aren’t among tbs’ viewers, you can see an example of its creative work on its website, www.tbs.com. The tbs logo, with its casual, lower-case letters, half-circle “smile”, and the phrase “very funny”, says it all! The result is that the target customer can consistently count on finding that welcome “release” in tuning to tbs.
Did it work? The station’s management faced some initial challenges with changing to advertisers seeking its new target customer. I recall seeing an advertisement in the fall of 2005 for “The Matrix” -- very funny? I don’t think so. However, a recent, quick review of its website demonstrates a line-up of character-filled, funny sitcoms as well as original programming that suggests success and the ability to invest in further development of its “very funny” brand. Also, its advertising likely appeals to the target viewer: Progressive.com’s humorous online “store”, a Pinesol queen with a handsome servant, and numerous time-saving products to manage the home like Turbotax, Select Harvest Light soup, and Bounty paper towels.
What does tbs’ branding success have to do with NSGC’s recently begun branding efforts?
Branding NSGC will increase visibility and credibility for genetic counselors. This means NSGC will attract more dollars through advertisers, collaborators, membership, etc. allowing NSGC to expand and enhance member services and increase investment in critical strategic initiatives like improving access to genetic counseling services. Physicians will recognize which patients will benefit the most and refer a larger number and/or more appropriate patients. Prospective students are more likely to learn about the genetic counseling profession to potentially increase the diversity of our field.
I hope this example has helped demonstrate why NSGC is investing in creating a brand and how we will do so. I’m exhausted from writing this blog and just want to relax in front of television…I wonder what’s on tbs?
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
As many of you have heard, the NSGC is undergoing a transformation around our branding and marketing efforts. This includes a new logo, color palette, website and marketing target for our profession. In recent years, the American Board of Genetic Counseling went through the same process. We thought it would be helpful to hear more about the process. Anne Greb who was a member of the ABGC board of directors during this time was gracious enough to be a guest blogger to provide some perspective to our membership. What follows is Anne’s account of the process. Thanks Anne,
Liz Kearney
NSGC President
I recently had the opportunity to serve on ABGC’s Board of Directors. At my very first board meeting, I remember much discussion among the board members about how as a group, genetic counselors just didn’t understand ABGC’s mission, much less how important it is. Besides confusion about ABGC’s role, the Board realized that the organization had an image problem. Some on the Board argued that ABGC’s role is to protect the public by recognizing genetic counselors who are competent to provide genetic counseling services. Others felt that ABGC needed to do a better job helping counselors promote their credential. After many discussions and much debate, the Board decided that ABGC needed a make-over.
Like many multi-talented and hardworking genetic counselors, we as board members thought we could figure out what to do about ABGC’s image problem and then do it. I had recently been involved in a marketing initiative at my own institution and knew that we were out of our league. If we were serious about changing ABGC’s image, we would need professional help. To this day, I’m still not sure how I was able to convince the Board to enlist the help of a marketing firm, but I did. Even though this involved a significant investment, in the end the Board understood how important promoting the value of the ABGC credential was in the continued evolution of the genetic counseling profession.
At this point the hard part was done (for the most part!). Working with our marketing firm to develop a plan was enlightening and a lot of fun. Nothing replaces the value of an outsider’s perception and insight. The firm identified the factors they felt contributed to the misperceptions about ABGC and a realistic strategy was outlined to address them. The really fun part for me (a wanna be graphic designer) was to work with them to develop what in the business is called the “trade dress,” or the look of an organization. The process was actually pretty interesting. Ground rules needed to be established since there would never be 100% agreement on the final look. Our marketing firm told us that no matter what we came up with, half of our group will like it and the other half won’t. So up front we decided who would be involved in making the decision about the new look and the others would just have to stay quiet – not easy for genetic counselors!
In the end, these marketing efforts helped ABGC move forward. The organization’s new look is more professional and sophisticated. ABGC has a different attitude about its relationships with its constituents and can more effectively meet their needs. The bottom line – marketing is necessary for the success and growth of any organization. It wasn’t enough for just the members of ABGC’s board of directors to believe in the organization and its mission, others needed to also.
Anne E. Greb, M.S., C.G.C.
Genetic Counseling Graduate Program DirectorWayne State University School of Medicine
Liz Kearney
NSGC President
I recently had the opportunity to serve on ABGC’s Board of Directors. At my very first board meeting, I remember much discussion among the board members about how as a group, genetic counselors just didn’t understand ABGC’s mission, much less how important it is. Besides confusion about ABGC’s role, the Board realized that the organization had an image problem. Some on the Board argued that ABGC’s role is to protect the public by recognizing genetic counselors who are competent to provide genetic counseling services. Others felt that ABGC needed to do a better job helping counselors promote their credential. After many discussions and much debate, the Board decided that ABGC needed a make-over.
Like many multi-talented and hardworking genetic counselors, we as board members thought we could figure out what to do about ABGC’s image problem and then do it. I had recently been involved in a marketing initiative at my own institution and knew that we were out of our league. If we were serious about changing ABGC’s image, we would need professional help. To this day, I’m still not sure how I was able to convince the Board to enlist the help of a marketing firm, but I did. Even though this involved a significant investment, in the end the Board understood how important promoting the value of the ABGC credential was in the continued evolution of the genetic counseling profession.
At this point the hard part was done (for the most part!). Working with our marketing firm to develop a plan was enlightening and a lot of fun. Nothing replaces the value of an outsider’s perception and insight. The firm identified the factors they felt contributed to the misperceptions about ABGC and a realistic strategy was outlined to address them. The really fun part for me (a wanna be graphic designer) was to work with them to develop what in the business is called the “trade dress,” or the look of an organization. The process was actually pretty interesting. Ground rules needed to be established since there would never be 100% agreement on the final look. Our marketing firm told us that no matter what we came up with, half of our group will like it and the other half won’t. So up front we decided who would be involved in making the decision about the new look and the others would just have to stay quiet – not easy for genetic counselors!
In the end, these marketing efforts helped ABGC move forward. The organization’s new look is more professional and sophisticated. ABGC has a different attitude about its relationships with its constituents and can more effectively meet their needs. The bottom line – marketing is necessary for the success and growth of any organization. It wasn’t enough for just the members of ABGC’s board of directors to believe in the organization and its mission, others needed to also.
Anne E. Greb, M.S., C.G.C.
Genetic Counseling Graduate Program DirectorWayne State University School of Medicine
Monday, January 4, 2010
New Year, New President…New NSGC?
New Year’s is a time for both reflection and resolutions. For me, as I begin 2010 as NSGC’s new President, I can’t help but think back to the first time I served on the NSGC Board as the Region VI Representative from 2002-2004. NSGC was different then. We had 21 Board members and met as a full Board only twice per year apart from some intermittent email. The Committee Chairs, who were appointed by the President, served on the Board along with the Regional Representatives and Officers who were elected through the majority votes for one of two candidates.
Today, we have twelve Board Members selected by a Nominating Committee that reviews each applicant’s written application and interview, and the selected candidates are ratified by the membership. The Board meets monthly by conference call in addition to the twice per year in-person meetings and frequent, in-depth email discussions. Committee Chairs are selected by the President and create strategies to accomplish the overall organizational goals outlined in NSGC’s strategic plan. The intention of these changes is to create a more nimble, strategic organization; more work will be done going forward to be proactive and predict changes that affect the practice of genetic counseling in the era of genomic medicine.
Just as NSGC was different during my first term on the Board, I was different then, too. Looking back at that naïve region rep, I almost feel as if I’m reviewing someone else’s performance rather than my own. What did she know about running an association? She actually had to ask for help in manipulating the Excel file NSGC used for the annual budget. And the unfamiliarity of terms like “environmental scanning” and “strategic planning” made her sweat.
Since then, I’ve been to business school, worked in a corporate environment, and lost a parent. It’s hard to say which of these experiences has been more profound, but I know with certainty they have changed me permanently and shaped my vision for NSGC and for myself as one of its leaders.
As for transition from 2009 to 2010, there was of course no NSGC celebration at Times Square or even a virtual Times Square. And it would be a stretch to say we have a “new NSGC”. There are changes though. We have new Board and Committee Members and a new strategic plan (http://www.nsgc.org/about/strategicPlan.cfm). Each of NSGC’s leaders has made a resolution to complete this plan. As a result, there will be more changes in 2010 including a new website, new legislation we hope to introduce to Congress, a new marketing plan, and a new focus on leadership.
So, what is my New Year’s Resolution as NSGC’s new President? It’s simple. To serve NSGC to the best of my ability with the hope that when I raise my glass at midnight on December 31, 2010, NSGC and its members will be just a little better off than they were the year before.
Happy New Year, NSGC.
Today, we have twelve Board Members selected by a Nominating Committee that reviews each applicant’s written application and interview, and the selected candidates are ratified by the membership. The Board meets monthly by conference call in addition to the twice per year in-person meetings and frequent, in-depth email discussions. Committee Chairs are selected by the President and create strategies to accomplish the overall organizational goals outlined in NSGC’s strategic plan. The intention of these changes is to create a more nimble, strategic organization; more work will be done going forward to be proactive and predict changes that affect the practice of genetic counseling in the era of genomic medicine.
Just as NSGC was different during my first term on the Board, I was different then, too. Looking back at that naïve region rep, I almost feel as if I’m reviewing someone else’s performance rather than my own. What did she know about running an association? She actually had to ask for help in manipulating the Excel file NSGC used for the annual budget. And the unfamiliarity of terms like “environmental scanning” and “strategic planning” made her sweat.
Since then, I’ve been to business school, worked in a corporate environment, and lost a parent. It’s hard to say which of these experiences has been more profound, but I know with certainty they have changed me permanently and shaped my vision for NSGC and for myself as one of its leaders.
As for transition from 2009 to 2010, there was of course no NSGC celebration at Times Square or even a virtual Times Square. And it would be a stretch to say we have a “new NSGC”. There are changes though. We have new Board and Committee Members and a new strategic plan (http://www.nsgc.org/about/strategicPlan.cfm). Each of NSGC’s leaders has made a resolution to complete this plan. As a result, there will be more changes in 2010 including a new website, new legislation we hope to introduce to Congress, a new marketing plan, and a new focus on leadership.
So, what is my New Year’s Resolution as NSGC’s new President? It’s simple. To serve NSGC to the best of my ability with the hope that when I raise my glass at midnight on December 31, 2010, NSGC and its members will be just a little better off than they were the year before.
Happy New Year, NSGC.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
My Final Presidential Blog for 2009
I wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. It has been an honor to serve as the president for the last year. It has been a very challenging and rewarding year for our profession. We have built on our past successes and will continue to do so into 2010. I am very excited at the direction the NSGC is taking. Many of the projects that we started in 2009 or before will come to fruition in 2010 including our new logo, website, and new branding and marketing strategies. In addition, we continue to make strides with state licensure and should have our federal legislation, which will recognize genetic counselors as providers under Medicare, introduced in the coming year as well.
Remember each of us take some responsibility for the future of our profession and it only moves forward with the collective efforts of our entire membership. You should all take great pride in past accomplishments and help insure future success by continuing to provide your feedback and support to the NSGC.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as the president and I look forward to helping our current and future leaders integrate the genetic counseling profession across the healthcare spectrum.
Steven Keiles, MS, CGC
President, NSGC
Remember each of us take some responsibility for the future of our profession and it only moves forward with the collective efforts of our entire membership. You should all take great pride in past accomplishments and help insure future success by continuing to provide your feedback and support to the NSGC.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as the president and I look forward to helping our current and future leaders integrate the genetic counseling profession across the healthcare spectrum.
Steven Keiles, MS, CGC
President, NSGC
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Voice of NSGC Spanning the Globe
Sorry it has been awhile since my last update but I have been traveling a bit on behalf of NSGC in addition to my day job at Ambry Genetics. I promise to provide more frequent communications throughout the rest of the year. As many of you know, the National Society of Genetic Counselors is one of the thought leaders in genetic counseling and the emerging field of genetic medicine. It is in this vane that we are constantly being asked to provide our input at the table when these important discussions take place.
In late August, I attended a meeting in Atlanta where I served as a member of the National Task Force for the Early Identification of Childhood Neuromuscular Disorders. This task force was cosponsored by Parent Project MD and the CDC and the major goal of the group is to decrease the time to appropriate referral and diagnosis for children with neuromuscular disorders. This is an ongoing project with 2 more years of funding. A website and further plans are currently in development. NSGC was the only genetics provider organization that served on this task force.
In September, I attended a National Institutes of Health (NIH) meeting, “Examining the Scientific Basis for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Carrier Screening”. The meeting which is cosponsored by The National Human Genome Research Institute, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke will inform the research agenda for the field, and provide a venue for discussion among researchers, voluntary organizations, professional societies, and NIH staff. The meeting agenda included presentations on the state of the science and on policy issues, along with discussion opportunities. Attendees included representatives of genetics societies, ACOG, and many advocacy groups related to neuromuscular disorders that include SMA. Follow up conversations and next steps are in progress.
This month I had the opportunity to speak at the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) annual meeting in San Diego. The topic covered the latest developments of the NSGC and focused on collaborations. In addition, we have been working more with ISONG and our 2010 annual meetings will be back to back in Dallas. We are looking forward to having some great learning opportunities for both our organizations members. In addition, the talk I had an opportunity to moderate a panel of patients with genetic conditions and how they deal with the challenges these conditions present. Following the ISONG meeting I had one whole day at home before heading off the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) meeting in Honolulu (not as glamorous as it sounds). I was invited by Bruce Korf, MD the current president of the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) to present an update from NSGC to their board of directors. I also had the opportunity to meet several staff members of the ACMG. We are hopeful the continued increase in communication between our two organizations will be mutually beneficial.
The presence of NSGC at meetings like those described above will continue to reinforce our vision and our mission.
Steven Keiles, MS, CGC
NSGC President
In late August, I attended a meeting in Atlanta where I served as a member of the National Task Force for the Early Identification of Childhood Neuromuscular Disorders. This task force was cosponsored by Parent Project MD and the CDC and the major goal of the group is to decrease the time to appropriate referral and diagnosis for children with neuromuscular disorders. This is an ongoing project with 2 more years of funding. A website and further plans are currently in development. NSGC was the only genetics provider organization that served on this task force.
In September, I attended a National Institutes of Health (NIH) meeting, “Examining the Scientific Basis for Spinal Muscular Atrophy Carrier Screening”. The meeting which is cosponsored by The National Human Genome Research Institute, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke will inform the research agenda for the field, and provide a venue for discussion among researchers, voluntary organizations, professional societies, and NIH staff. The meeting agenda included presentations on the state of the science and on policy issues, along with discussion opportunities. Attendees included representatives of genetics societies, ACOG, and many advocacy groups related to neuromuscular disorders that include SMA. Follow up conversations and next steps are in progress.
This month I had the opportunity to speak at the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) annual meeting in San Diego. The topic covered the latest developments of the NSGC and focused on collaborations. In addition, we have been working more with ISONG and our 2010 annual meetings will be back to back in Dallas. We are looking forward to having some great learning opportunities for both our organizations members. In addition, the talk I had an opportunity to moderate a panel of patients with genetic conditions and how they deal with the challenges these conditions present. Following the ISONG meeting I had one whole day at home before heading off the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) meeting in Honolulu (not as glamorous as it sounds). I was invited by Bruce Korf, MD the current president of the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) to present an update from NSGC to their board of directors. I also had the opportunity to meet several staff members of the ACMG. We are hopeful the continued increase in communication between our two organizations will be mutually beneficial.
The presence of NSGC at meetings like those described above will continue to reinforce our vision and our mission.
Steven Keiles, MS, CGC
NSGC President
Monday, September 21, 2009
Branding the NSGC
This is a perfect opportunity to introduce many of you to our president elect Liz Kearney. Liz, who also has an MBA in marketing, has been leading our branding efforts this past year. The following is from Liz to get everyone up to speed on the in and outs of branding the NSGC.
Steven Keiles, MS
NSGC President
When you hear the term “brand” or “branding”, what comes to your mind? You might think of consumer products (like Nike or Apple) or if you grew up in the heart of the Midwest like me, you might think of cattle! Being both a genetic counselor and a marketer, I’d like to share some thoughts on what branding is and why NSGC should embark on developing a brand.
Take a minute to think about your favorite consumer brand. What images do you picture? Does that brand have a spokesperson, and if so, what does he or she represent to you? What emotions does the brand evoke in you?
Being somewhat of a shopaholic, one of my favorite brands is Coach. (Those of you who are more thrifty, feel free to judge!) To me, Coach represents style, quality, and luxury, and I envision well-dressed, professional women who exhibit confidence. This past holiday season, my husband demonstrated another benefit of branding when he purchased all of my gifts at Coach! Shopping at Coach assured him he was buying consistent quality that he knew I would appreciate. In other words, shopping by brand made his task easier. Of course, the efficiency of one-stop shopping and a 25% off coupon also probably had something to do with it.
However, this example demonstrates the power of a brand. A “brand” consists of all the images, emotions, and experiences that a brand evokes or associates in the customer’s mind to demonstrate the difference from other competing products or services. In other words, branding is not just a logo. It permeates all aspects of a customer’s entire experience with the product or service.
NSGC is embarking on a branding effort that began a few years ago when the NSGC Board created a brand platform that defines the benefits genetic counselors bring to healthcare; by doing so, the NSGC brings value to its members as it advocates for the genetic counseling profession. The next step in branding has recently begun, as the current Board approved moving forward with creation of basic brand elements, such as a new logo and brand color palette.
Why brand an association? There are many reasons! Branding builds external credibility and attracts attention and dollars; with a strong brand, the NSGC can increase the power of its voice to the external world to advocate for the profession. And more pragmatically, a well-developed brand platform provides guidance on how to spend limited resources. To build a powerful brand, we will have to make strategic choices and consistently represent the core elements of our brand in all aspects of what we do, including our programs, website, brochures, communications, and PR messaging.
I hope you are as excited as I am about this opportunity to increase NSGC’s visibility! I thank the NSGC Board and past leadership for its vision in initiating and supporting this effort.
Liz Kearney, MS
NSGC President-Elect
Steven Keiles, MS
NSGC President
When you hear the term “brand” or “branding”, what comes to your mind? You might think of consumer products (like Nike or Apple) or if you grew up in the heart of the Midwest like me, you might think of cattle! Being both a genetic counselor and a marketer, I’d like to share some thoughts on what branding is and why NSGC should embark on developing a brand.
Take a minute to think about your favorite consumer brand. What images do you picture? Does that brand have a spokesperson, and if so, what does he or she represent to you? What emotions does the brand evoke in you?
Being somewhat of a shopaholic, one of my favorite brands is Coach. (Those of you who are more thrifty, feel free to judge!) To me, Coach represents style, quality, and luxury, and I envision well-dressed, professional women who exhibit confidence. This past holiday season, my husband demonstrated another benefit of branding when he purchased all of my gifts at Coach! Shopping at Coach assured him he was buying consistent quality that he knew I would appreciate. In other words, shopping by brand made his task easier. Of course, the efficiency of one-stop shopping and a 25% off coupon also probably had something to do with it.
However, this example demonstrates the power of a brand. A “brand” consists of all the images, emotions, and experiences that a brand evokes or associates in the customer’s mind to demonstrate the difference from other competing products or services. In other words, branding is not just a logo. It permeates all aspects of a customer’s entire experience with the product or service.
NSGC is embarking on a branding effort that began a few years ago when the NSGC Board created a brand platform that defines the benefits genetic counselors bring to healthcare; by doing so, the NSGC brings value to its members as it advocates for the genetic counseling profession. The next step in branding has recently begun, as the current Board approved moving forward with creation of basic brand elements, such as a new logo and brand color palette.
Why brand an association? There are many reasons! Branding builds external credibility and attracts attention and dollars; with a strong brand, the NSGC can increase the power of its voice to the external world to advocate for the profession. And more pragmatically, a well-developed brand platform provides guidance on how to spend limited resources. To build a powerful brand, we will have to make strategic choices and consistently represent the core elements of our brand in all aspects of what we do, including our programs, website, brochures, communications, and PR messaging.
I hope you are as excited as I am about this opportunity to increase NSGC’s visibility! I thank the NSGC Board and past leadership for its vision in initiating and supporting this effort.
Liz Kearney, MS
NSGC President-Elect
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