ABSTRACT
Branding has become an important intangible asset for organisations around the world. Initial arguments on branding in healthcare services discourse have narrowly focused on large healthcare institutions, with small healthcare organisations receiving less scholarly attention in empirical studies. This chapter takes the view that, irrespective of the nature and size of an enterprise, branding remains essential to organisational success. In sub-Saharan Africa, the surge in competition and market dynamisms do not affect only large organisations, but also small ones. Hence, there is the need for all organisations to brand themselves in order to command effective brand recall, recognition and awareness. This chapter focuses on perspectives on small healthcare institutions. Analysis of Gelb’s brand trust model shows that consistent brand experience, competitive differences, customer value and familiarity are crucial elements in successful brand building for small healthcare institutions. Similarly, an integration of consistent experience, competitive differences and customer value creation create the level of trust that patients and customers require from healthcare providers. While government efforts have failed to assist small healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa, branding should be seen as alternative tool to support their growth and success. In effect, the paper proposes that branding is not the preserve of large healthcare institutions, producing tangible and intangible offerings, but also a crucial function for small healthcare service providers, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, to build their brand and boost their market performance.
