Creativity and storytelling for customer pain points
"People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it and what you do simply proves what you believe." - Simon Sinek
In this edition:
A clear brand narrative helps your customers find you in a sea of competitors
One hospital is creatively treating pregnant women living with disabilities
Stay physically active on a hectic schedule
STORY
Innovating for underserved customers
After 3 years working as a medical doctor in Kenyatta National Hospital, entrepreneurship felt like the next step for Dr. Wachira Murage so he set up Savannah Hospital.
The pain point
While obstetrics and gynaecology will always be an in-demand specialty, it’s the customer segment he identified that took his idea a step further.
“Many pregnant women living with disabilities face a unique set of challenges. These include lack of access to information on where to access specialised care and inability to make appointments leading to future complications,” he says.
The plan
They needed a clear measurable way to find and repeatedly engage with their customers i.e. a go-to-market strategy (GTM).
They provided free teleconsults to demonstrate the value of their services (awareness & consideration), subsidised in-clinic services to get them through the door (conversion) and payment packages to ensure they visited the clinic throughout their pregnancy (retention).
They also utilised traditional media like radio stations to educate the general public on challenges faced by their customers positioning themselves as experts in this area.
This exposure coupled with satisfied clients created a referral engine and they’ve since set up “Bump n Brunch", a free event, to educate pregnant mothers.
The lessons
Three takeaways from Savannah’s ideation to execution are:
Segment your customers and intentionally evolve with them as you scale;
Restructure your services to capture unique target markets;
Stand out by testing different strategies in a crowded market.
SPOTLIGHT
Powered by technology
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EXPLAINER
Stand out with a unique brand narrative
“Doctors need to understand the value they’re putting into the market, how to price the value and how to demonstrate that value to the patient. How do I convince a patient that the skin graft I’m doing for them is worth a million shillings? Those are the things they don’t teach you in med school.” - Dr. J.P Ogalo, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Ogalo is describing a brand narrative — the story that defines who you are, what you stand for, and why your business exists. It shapes what people think or feel when they hear your brand name.
It matters across three areas: team (company culture), customer (loyalty and retention) and product (quality and impact) but we’re focusing on the customer.
If you’re a weight loss coach, your customer is probably struggling with motivation or doesn’t even know where to start but wants to change their life. They may also be concerned about how long it will take to see results and how much it costs.
All these feelings and fears are clues into what brand narrative will speak to your desired customer — and other coaches are speaking to them too.
After you understand customer pain points here are four steps to craft your brand narrative:
Define your why as a business: “I make starting your weight loss journey easy and walk with you throughout the hard”.
Highlight what you do better than anyone else/most people: “I care for your mind and changing body through weekly calls with a therapist”.
Your journey is part of the story too: “I didn’t understand fitness and nutrition basics so it took me 1 year to lose 20 kgs, I’ll help you get there in 6 months”.
Stay consistent and practice: Your brand narrative is your sales pitch everywhere—whether it’s your website, social media, or customer service.
A brand narrative is more than a slogan or a mission statement; it’s the emotional and authentic story that customers see themselves in regardless of your services.
Dr. Ogalo recommends leading with statements that appeal to your customer’s desired outcomes e.g. looking attractive gives your customer more confidence to pursue relationships.
NEWS
Access to healthcare
Husband forced to pay cash for wife’s delivery after government disabled NHIF [Read]
Parliament approves Safaricom’s health digitisation project citing high speed internet and extensive network as key tech advantages [Read]
St Peter's Orthopaedics and Surgical Speciality Centre slashes dental service fees to increase access to quality care [Read]
HEALTH ED
4 easy ways to stay active on a hectic schedule
Add short workouts into your routine: Set a reminder to stretch or move every hour and do a short, intense morning routine of jumping jacks or yoga to start your day with energy.
Walk more often: walk instead of driving to close destinations, take the stairs whenever possible and take a walk after meals to boost digestion and stay active.
Make active social plans: Walk, hike, cycle and do other group activities like Zumba and kickboxing with friends instead of coffee dates. Join community fitness events that curate event calendars.
Use technology for accountability: Most smartphones today have fitness apps that can help you track your movement. Set a goal of reaching 5,000 - 10,000 steps a day.
In business, the words ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ don’t have to be restricted to specific strategies, departments or individuals. They can form a part of culture so that you’re constantly evaluating not only how your customers use your services, but how they access or perceive them.
Stay active, keep innovating.