Does your dental practice have a branding strategy? Or do you believe that branding is just for sales organizations?
I often hear the latter when consulting with my clients. Many solo-practitioners believe that branding is just not necessary for their dental practice. The truth is, frankly, developing and implementing a brand for your practice is an essential component of the success of your marketing plan. A brand is more than just a logo; it gives your practice an identity.
- Brands are valuable because they communicate the distinguishing elements of your practice and how it differs from your competitors.
- A brand can be expressed through a name, logo, slogan, colors, and/or a design scheme.
- Branding helps foster a sense of loyalty within customers. Think about the major brands: Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, McDonald’s – customers will specifically seek out these companies’ products because they understand that, for instance, a Coke is not the same as a Pepsi.
- Your brand will help your patients identify with and remain loyal to you and your practice. The most important component of your brand is YOU!
Consistency is key – communicating your brand in all of the written materials (website, letterhead, brochures, business cards) strengthens the message of your brand.
If you are not sure how to get started, the simplest place to start is with your practice vision/mission statement. Think about the words and/or phrases within your statement that you would like for patients to use when talking about your practice to others.
In summary, creating a brand helps your practice to be easily recognized, and informs customers why your practice is different from the competition.