When we think of “brand,” our minds often go to logos and business cards. A brand is much more powerful than that! Your brand is the sum of your “clients’” experiences with your practice and their expectations. A unique, clear, consistent brand can help your medical practice convey what you’re all about and stand out from your competitors. Here’s what to think about when developing your brand.
Know Your Unique Market Positioning
The very essence of your brand can be described in terms of your goals, pillars, audience, and market positioning. The “look and feel” of your brand will build on these, so make sure you have a deep understanding of what’s at the heart of your practice before you start developing a visual brand identity.
Develop:
- A brand mission statement – a one-sentence description of what you do, who you serve, and what your long-term goal is.
- Your market positioning – what differentiates you from your competitors?
- Your audience – who are your primary and secondary audiences?
- Your brand pillars – what are the key “traits” that underpin your brand?
Developing this brand “foundation” is critical and may involve discussions with key stakeholders and branding professionals together with deep market research. But once you know what you’re all about, it’ll be that much easier to build a compelling visual identity.
Defining Your Brand Identity
After you’ve built the foundation of your brand, you can start defining your visual identity. The goal here is to create something consistent and cohesive that encompasses your overall market positioning and mission. You want to ensure that there’s harmony between what you deliver and the expectations in the minds of stakeholders and patients. Consider the following:
- Color palette – colors suggest specific moods and alignment with certain beliefs (e.g., green suggests eco-friendliness)
- Typefaces – different fonts evoke different feelings. For example, serif fonts suggest a legacy, whereas sans fonts hint at futurism.
- Tone of voice – how do you speak when you communicate to your patients? Do you use specific terms? Medical terminology? Or plain language? Are you friendly and accessible or elevated and professional?
These elements can then be built into a larger brand identity and marketing collateral, including:
- Logos and icons
- Website
- Print and digital marketing materials
- Signage and interior design
- Uniforms
- Social media presence
When integrated into a considered, holistic brand, these elements work together to position your practice as superior- and attract and retain patients.
Your Space is Part of Your Brand
Crucially, consider also how the location and look and feel of your practice align with your brand. Where you practice – and in what kind of space – will evoke certain feelings and associations, so getting your location right is critical. Are you an urgent care practice where visibility and availability matter most? Or a pediatrics space where comfort and accessibility for families are vital? Whatever your specialization, your space should reflect your brand goals and promises.
If you’re updating or overhauling your brand, and your current space no longer reflects your mission, talk to Gittleson Zuppas Medical Realty about leveraging a lease renewal with beneficial terms or sourcing a new space more in line with your goals as a practice. We can help ensure that your space and brand work together so that you can continue to deliver on your promises.