People think of branding as a logo and slogan, but branding inits purest sense includes positioning, which is how you position yourself in the marketplace in relation to other similar businesses.
Some examples of positioning a dentist could adopt include “experienced smile makeover dentist”, “full service dental implants” and “friendly family dentist with comprehensive treatment for the whole family”. There are many positionings a dentist could use.
In the corporate world, you see many examples of positioning. BMW is the “Ultimate Driving Machine®”; with Walmart, you can “Save money. Live better,” and at Whole Foods Market, you can feel confident you’ll find a wide selection of organic, healthy (and expensive) foods!
Logos
A logo can be part of a company’s branding, but it’s especially important for businesses with more than one location, such as Home Depot, or for businesses with a nationwide or international presence, such as Nike. A well-established logo quickly lets shoppers know which brand they are dealing with.
As most dentists are in one location, a logo becomes relatively unimportant, but a well-designed, appropriate logo can enhance the appeal of a website and other marketing materials.
Market Research = Successful Branding
Successful brands come to stand for a specific set of standards and values. Consumers know, for example, that they can get better-than-average coffee at Starbucks, while “Joe’s Coffee Shop” on the corner may or may not serve decent coffee.
Behind a successful large brand is a wealth of market research. Advertising agencies and corporations survey consumers to find out what’s important to them in their brand. The data they discover is called “hot buttons.”
These hot buttons are used throughout the brand’s marketing efforts, including in their slogans and imagery.
We apply this technology across all our dental marketing to ensure our text and images resonate with consumers seeking a dental practice.
How can a dentist use Branding?
A dentist needs to market their practice so it stands out from the crowd. Today’s consumer has many choices. A few clicks on his laptop, and he has 30+ dentists to choose from in the local area just on the first page of Google.
It is important to have clear messaging and imagery that immediately convey the benefits of visiting your practice and what they can expect. For best results, this messaging and imagery should be based on market research.
How successful is this approach?
It can make the difference between barely any inquiries at all and tens of inquiries in a month! We have taken websites that were already well-positioned on Google, high up on the Google results page for search terms such as “dentist” or “dental implants”, and by redoing them, doubled, tripled or even quadrupled the number of people calling and emailing in for appointments.
If you would like to learn more about how we could help you boost your new patient numbers, please give us a call at (855) 486-2410.
