Dr. Brad started his practice seven years ago on a shoestring budget. He created his generic logo in five minutes using a website because he didn't have the time to figure out how to make something special. Over the years, he's developed different forms, presentations, brochures and handouts. He used whatever font and color appealed to him in the moment. As a result, his practice "image" is confused and haphazard.
Dr. Brad recently created a few social media profiles and used whatever images were handy on his computer. His posts are random and sporadic. One patient said "I didn't realize that was your Facebook page because the pictures weren't of you or your office."
On the other hand, Dr. Steve started his practice two years ago with a very small budget. He knew he needed to present a unique and professional image to his new community, so he bartered services with a graphic artist to develop an awesome logo and to design his social media templates, website, letterhead, business cards, presentations, and brochures. He was thrilled with the results. His marketing dollars stretched further because, as one patient said, "Every time I see those colors and font style, I know it's you!"
Which one of the above scenarios best describes your practice? If you're like most health care professionals, you probably fall somewhere in the middle. But when was the last time you thought about your practice branding? Branding is one of those terms many practice management and marketing companies talk about, but rarely define. The brand of your practice can simply be described as what your practice stands for – the implied promise you make to your patients.
For example, the Apple brand represents technology and change, while Capital One promises convenience and no hassle. Your brand should adeptly summarize you and your practice, what sets you apart from your competitors, and the value you offer.
Practice branding should be done systematically and with intention. Therefore, the optimal time to think about branding is before you open your practice or make a major change, but it's never too late to get started! Those are hectic times in the life of a practice owner, and it can be daunting to add one more thing to your plate. However, branding your practice doesn't have to be difficult. Let's look at four easy steps to nail your practice brand!
Step 1: Define Yourself
The very first step is to define your practice. What are the purpose and mission of your practice? What problem(s) do you address and what solution(s) do you provide? Does your practice use a specific technique or focus on a certain population? Do you want to specialize in spinal correction, healthy lifestyles, personal injury, rehabilitation, weight loss, nutrition, functional medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, athletic injuries and performance, et cetera? What do you stand for, clinically? What feelings do you want to elicit in your community?
Before you can introduce your brand to the world, you must understand what you're trying to convey. Often, this part of the branding process is pretty clear for the practitioner.
Practical Tip: Don't try to be all things to all people. Doing so will only dilute your message and your brand. Clarify what you're most passionate about doing in your practice, and build your brand around that.
Step 2: Determine Your Image
Next, think about what image(s) you want to represent your practice. Yes, your logo is important as the foundation of your branding efforts, but there's more to consider here. For a polished and professional look, hire a graphic artist to develop the color palette, fonts, templates, and graphics associated with your brand. They should all be congruent with your purpose, mission, vision, values, and goals. For example, it's incongruent if you wish to develop a geriatric brand and your palette contains child-like primary colors.
Practical Tip: Apply your image choices consistently across all things that represent your practice, including your website, social media, forms, brochures, business cards, décor, promotional items, webinars, podcasts, email, etc.
Step 3: Develop a Brand Strategy
Your "brand strategy" is the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your branding efforts. Your "why" was addressed in step one. The "who" considers the target audience you wish to discover your brand. In other words, who is your ideal patient? What, specifically, are you going to communicate to them? For example, do you want them to be aware of your grand opening, a new service, a special offer, or something else?
Where are you going to find your ideal patients to be able to deliver the branded messages? If your target audience is pregnant women and families, where will you find them (physically or virtually)? A postcard to their house may reach them, but perhaps you can develop relationships with local pediatricians, doulas, and midwives.
When are you going to contact your ideal patients? If you're using social media, do a little research as to which platforms your ideal patients use and the most effective time to post on each platform. Will your communication be a one-time event or an ongoing process of contacts? If so, specifically how will that be accomplished each step of the way?
Practical Tip: Consider the tone of your communications. Do you want the wording to be formal or more conversational? Be congruent and consistent across all formats.
Step 4: Follow-Through
Once you've finished the first three steps, you must follow through with your efforts. If you deviate from your branding, it's confusing to your ideal patients ... and that's never a good thing. Train your team on your brand and how to best reflect the desired image.
Practical tip: Schedule it! Develop a written schedule of communication and stick to it.
Branding Pays Off
Dr. Brad decided to rebrand his practice after he realized his message was confusing to people. Since his practice focuses on primarily male teen athletes, his graphic artist designed a logo to convey the message of peak performance. He chose a neutral color palette in shades of blues and grays and revamped all of his paperwork, social media, and other marketing materials. Dr. Brad even refreshed the paint in his office using his color palette. He hired a photographer to take a professional headshot to use across all media as well. Finally, he sat down with his team and developed a strategy to reach high school athletes, coaches, and parents. The workload was divided so no one individual was overwhelmed. Within three months he saw dramatic growth in his practice, which he attributed to his streamlined branding.
Branding is a complex process neglected by many professionals. If you don't create your brand with intention, a brand impression will still develop ... it just might not be the one you want! Even if you've been in practice for a while, take a step back and look at your branding in light of these four steps. A little effort can go a long way, so I encourage you to start working on your branding today.
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