Previously, we talked about how to create your practice’s mission statement and logo and determine your brand voice/personality. Now that these things have been established, let’s talk about how to implement them.

Here are 5 ways to incorporate your brand into your marketing:

1. Create a website for your practice

Now that you have a logo, established brand colors, fonts, design elements, and a brand voice to guide you, you have all the tools needed to begin building your website.  Website design can be a complex project when building your brand identity. It’s not enough to go with the website that looks the best or adheres to your newly created brand guidelines. Your website needs to be built for search engine optimization, lead capturing, conversion, and user experience-which includes a responsive mobile design. It can be challenging to find the right web developer, so make sure to do your research and invest your time and marketing budget with a marketing partner who can do it with or for you.

Keep in mind, your website is typically the first or last place a potential patient looks before requesting an appointment, so it’s important it’s done right.

2. Develop shareable marketing materials

As you continue to expand your brand identity, the next step is developing professional marketing materials. These materials will be used to promote your practice and (concisely) state who you are and the services you offer. A best practice to keep in mind when developing your materials, is that taking action should require as little work from a potential patient as possible. For example, a link to a website homepage is not nearly as impactful or convenient as a PDF, brochure, or link to a specific page on your website that clearly communicates your offering and engages the audience to want to know more. Essentially, you will need to create a one-page introduction and summary for your practice.

To help you narrow down the most important aspects of your business and your brand, think about the following:

• • What do you want customers to know about you?
  • How can you communicate that in a persuasive way?

3. Build your brand presence on social media

To continue to engage current and potential patients, it’s important to expand your brand past your website and establish a social media presence for your practice. As an independent dental practice owner, you have a lot to juggle, and managing multiple social media platforms probably sounds less than appealing. To ensure you’re effectively using your time and reaching your target patient demographic, it can be helpful to do some research on what audiences uses each social platform the most. That way you can focus your efforts on 1-2 platforms where you are likely to have the biggest impact.

Regardless of the social platforms you use, consistency is the key to building a strong brand identity. This includes the graphics and content you share.

4. Create (and share) content that aligns with your brand identity

Successful digital marketing centers around generating content.  It’s important to consistently create and share content that aligns with your brand identity. To do this, you can:

• • Start a podcast
  • Create a blog page on your website
  • Invest in video marketing
  • Use social media posts and stories

Each presents a unique opportunity to connect with your customers and share oral health tips and industry innovations. No matter what type of content you create, it’s important to maintain your brand identity throughout, including in your marketing messaging, images, color palette, and more. This can increase awareness for your brand, differentiate your practice from the competition, and help to build a brand community.

5. Continue to leverage your brand identity to build awareness for your business

Developing a brand identity is an ongoing process. Through branding and service consistency, you will gain brand recognition within your community that will help drive increased patient loyalty and profitability for your practice. An inconsistent brand experience, even as a one-off can deter customers so it’s important to protect your brand identity at all costs.

Here are some key takeaways for you to remember when building your practice’s brand identity:

• • Make sure your brand guidelines are easily accessible and clear for any partners/vendors who are utilizing your logo to ensure that your brand’s identity is maintained when being used by others.
  • Keep examples handy as a reminder of how your brand should look and sound across every medium.
  • Have fun developing the look, feel, and tone. This is meant to represent the heart of your practice and you!

“Brands start as an idea; colors, shapes, and words give them an identity; and consistency over time makes them iconic.”

Need help creating or implementing your brand voice? We’ve partnered with LocaliQ to offer practices access to a wide-range of marketing support at member-exclusive pricing. Click here to learn more.

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