A brand doesn’t have to be any of those things; it’s about uniqueness, consistency, it’s recognisable and it has to have an engaged audience.
So why not turn your dental practice into a brand rather than just another dental practice. Some benefits of this would be to make your practice stand out from the competition, to build trust and reliability with your patients, and create consistency across multiple practices. If you feel a little unsure or don’t know where to start, we are here to help get your creative juices flowing and get you on the journey of becoming a brand.
When your patients think of you and your practice, what comes to mind?
Think about what you would like to be known for. Are you known for cosmetic treatment or are you a family friendly practice? Are you modern-looking or have you got a relaxing environment? Whatever your niche may be, remember to keep it in mind when it comes to your branding and messaging. Your brand will grow a lot faster when you are easily recognisable and well known for something you either stand for or a niche.
This can be the fun part, or it can be a frustrating part of creating your brand. This is a blog post on its own; especially when you look into the different emotions associated with colour.
If you are quite arty, then you will have a head start on designing your logo; use free software like Canva if you feel confident enough to produce your logo.
To play it safe it might be worth hiring a graphic designer to help you create the logo perfect for you; remember not rush this process because this logo embodies your brand.
Your logo will be the first thing your patients see and will instantly connect it with your practice; think of any large brand, what do you think when you see their logo? A logo doesn’t have to be an image it could be some font, just make sure you are happy with your logo and it effectively represents you, your practice and more importantly what you stand for.
What do you stand for? What are the core values of your practice? This feeds into the overall appeal of your brand. Think about creating a mission statement; something you feel passionate about and what you want your brand to be known for.
This ties into creating core values for practice; a small number of words that best sum up what your business stands for. Having core values help your staff to stay focused and gives them a structure of what is expected of them. If you are not sure how to create core values, then take a look at our blog to show you how.
Be consistent with your branding. we are not just talking about consistency having your logo all over your practice but the consistency of using your brand. It’s not just the visual element but every aspect of your brand, from the way the receptionists answer the phone to how you are seen online. It’s how your front of desk team interacts with your patients, it’s how you are seen online, it’s making sure that all content that you put out there is consistent with your tone of voice. Consistency turns into reliability which becomes recognisable.
Why do some brands stand out more than others? It’s because they have something to say. They create consistent, quality content that informs, educates and entertains their audience.
We are a naturally curious species, we are keen to learn and grow, and the fact that we have one of the biggest resources of our time fuels this further; the internet is a hub full of vast information. If you are not putting out content, then how will your patients see you as any kind of authority? If you are confident then consider making videos about dental health care, or the latest industry news, fun facts, funny stories, anything to make your patients educated about the oral health. If you are just starting out Perhaps start with writing a blog before you take the next step into video, and if you not sure where to start when it comes to creating blog content? then take a read of this.
If you are confident and comfortable with putting yourself out there, then why not create a personal brand that works alongside your practice brand? Being personal shows your patients that you are human, and it can create an instant connection. Be yourself, show off your personality and character could change your patient’s perception of you and your practice. It could help you shake the stuffy dentist image for a hip cool dentist that people will want to visit.
This can be achieved in multiple ways from putting your name on a blog, using your headshot to promote your treatments and videoing yourself and putting it out on your social media accounts. It’s about expressing your opinion, sharing your thoughts and views within the industry you love. This will make you stand out as passionate and a real thought leader that patients will seek out to visit you.
Look at Dr Milad Shadrooh AKA The Singing Dentist, he embraced social media, put himself out there and transformed himself into an influencer; building a personal brand, seen as a cool dentist that has been invited to talk about dentistry on TV.
Building a brand doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time to create content, build your brand awareness and grow your following. Be persistent and don’t get disheartened with the process, just make sure you’re consistent with your brand; after a while, you will build trust and a positive reputation.