Branding is often misunderstood. Branding goes beyond the visual identity of a business such as a name, logo, or colors. A brand encompasses how your client experiences your business and helps consumers know what to expect from your practice. Your brand represents your promise to your clients.
How Branding Works
Branding promotes recognition. Developing a great brand includes four stages:
- Identify your target audience which includes your potential clients, referral sources, employees, business partners
- Create a brand strategy that appeals to your target audience
- Identify your brand positioning (how your brand differs from your competitors)
- Manage the evolving perception of your brand (ie your reputation)
A Good Brand Creates Connection and Impact
Your brand helps you connect with your clients emotionally. When a client thinks of your brand, how do you want them to feel?
What should they expect from your business from your visual identity (logo, website, products, ads) to your interactions (services, support, experiences with staff)?
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” ~ Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon
Why Branding is Important
Effective branding can grow your reach and drive new business. When branding goes wrong or is simply absent, business can falter and reputations can be tarnished.
Let’s suppose that you go to a service provider’s website to learn more about the company before making an appointment. The website feels outdated, doesn’t look good on your cell phone, and is difficult to navigate. Still, you decide to call them to schedule an appointment. The person you speak to is rude, gruff, and does not seem to value you as a potential customer. Against your better judgement, you schedule your appointment only to be displeased with the service. The next time you hear mention of this business, what feeling will be evoked within you? Will you feel confident, trusting, willing to do business with them again, or refer them? Or will you shudder at their mention, share your negative experience with others in fair warning, and seek out their competition next time you’re in need?
People are more likely to do business with a brand that evokes trust, familiarity, and dependability.
Branding Influences Future Business
Regardless of whether or not you actively manage your brand’s reputation, your brand WILL build up a reputation. What kind of reputation do you want your private practice to have? That is the blueprint that should be echoed through your logo, website, marketing messages, and practice/client management.
Authenticity and honesty play a major role in the business world. Up to 86% of shoppers will research a brand on social media before deciding to do business with it. So, make sure that your presence on these platforms is as honest and authentic as possible.
Is Your Brand Making a Good First Impression?
On average, it takes about 7 seconds to make the first impression. That’s why you need to ensure that everything about your brand’s presence is top-notch in order to secure a positive first impression.
A strong brand generates referrals, word-of-mouth advertising, repeat clients, and market share. Take the time to thoughtfully and carefully craft your brand and brand messaging.
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” ~ Will Rogers
If you want a brand that fits your practice and connects with the clients you want to serve so you can grow your reach and increase your income, we’ve got you.
Get a brand that speaks for itself, and create an impact.
What Creates a Successful Brand?
Learn the five key steps that your brand needs to have in place to create a successful brand identity.
Growing Your Private Practice Reach
If you want a branding strategy that will connect, get you noticed, and make your ideal clients choose you over your competitors, please reach out. I have helped hundreds of private practices just like yours nail their branding and marketing, book more clients, and make a difference.
Let’s grow your brand and get you booked.
