How to Stand Out in a Saturated Dental Market
What Is a Brand?
We hear a lot about brands in our modern world. Marketing experts tell us that every business needs a strong, unique brand to succeed online. But how can a dental team build and maintain an effective dental brand? And is branding your dental practice the same thing as marketing?
It’s not a surprise that words like “branding” and “marketing” cause some confusion. Often the most obvious things become cloudy when we attach technical terms. In this case, we’re talking about something that every business automatically possesses. By default, every business has a brand. It’s impossible for a business to exist without one. It would be like someone existing without a personality or reputation; unless someone is dead or comatose, he/she has a personality or personal brand. Likewise, if a business is open, it has a personality, a reputation, and a brand as well.
What Is Your Dental Practice Brand?
Defining your practice brand is an important first step toward attracting new patients. If you have a mission statement, this is a good place to start because your brand reflects the guiding operational principles of your office. If you don’t have a mission statement, it would be a good idea to write one; by understanding your central goals, you and your team can more clearly articulate the brand you want people to see in your marketing campaigns.
When you project the core beliefs of your office, you are branding your dental practice, which will have an effect on the number and type of patients who schedule appointments. If, for example, your brand focuses on high-end cosmetic cases, you may not receive many calls in a small, rural town. Likewise, a family-oriented practice may not do well in an upscale urban neighborhood for single adults. So it’s important to make sure your brand resonates with the surrounding demographic.
Branding Your Dental Practice Builds Trust
The more the community sees your brand, the more they will trust it. McDonald’s, for example, is a trusted brand because it’s been around for a very long time. It might not be the healthiest option for a meal, but most people understand that McDonald’s offers a safe and predictable dining experience. The reason why: McDonald’s advertising is and has been ubiquitous, and this exposure has generated a high level of trust. The same can be said for other brands like Apple, Walmart, and Kellogg’s. The more people see a brand, the more they trust it and view it as legitimate. Such logic also applies to your dental practice, and this is why social media is so powerful. Even with a modest investment, dental practices can keep their brands in the public consciousness. Years ago, dentists were at the mercy of referrals and the Yellow Pages, but today, dentists can reach out directly to people and keep their dental brand fresh in their minds.
The Branding Formula
Branding your dental practice effectively follows four basic steps: 1) Develop a brand that resonates with your community. 2) Create exceptional marketing content that illustrates that brand. 3) Continuously develop your social channels and online reach. 4) Expose your brand to everyone living 7-10 miles from the office. By doing this, your dental practice will receive more calls. Period. Of course, each one of these steps requires skill and time, but thankfully very little money. With just modest paid advertising, a dental practice can get its message out and attract a consistent stream of new patients.
Branding Is a Team Effort
The responsibility of branding is too much for one person to accomplish, especially if that staff member has other duties. This is why branding your dental practice needs to be embraced by the entire dental team. Ultimately, the success of your office will benefit dentists, hygienists, and all support staff. That said, a growing dental practice should always find ways to reward employees who actively promote the office. Maybe in the form of free dentistry; maybe in the form of gift cards; maybe in the form of cash bonuses. It’s always a good idea to share success with the staff. Ultimately, your dental team members are brand ambassadors; in the office, on the phone with patients, and in the community—your team has a tremendous effect on how your brand is received and remembered.
