You may not know her music or recognise her face among a sea of pop stars, but you will more than likely have heard of Taylor Swift. That is, unless you leave your practice at night, go straight home, shut the blinds and switch off completely from the outside world.
The US singer-songwriter, who constantly attracts much media attention, recently released a new album – cleverly called Reputation – and drastically changed her image with it, promptly making 2017’s top-seller list and blowing the previous ‘Brand Swift’ out of the water.
Pop stars and celebrities are often the mistresses (or masters) of reinvention and, with an entourage of ‘spin’ doctors, designers and style gurus on tap, a reputation can be spun on a sixpence – and a fresh brand promptly reborn.
Although we don’t all have access to such creative wizardry, every business requires a brand in order to capture the attention of consumers and promote its services and products. Dental practices are no exception.
A brand needs to be nurtured across all platforms – in the real world as well as online – to make it instantly recognisable. It also needs to honestly reflect the practice’s reputation. A practice owner must therefore take control of this reputation in order to create a brand that consistently mirrors the business.
A brand should encapsulate an ethos and be evident everywhere – from the practice signage to the design of the reception desk, within the dental plan literature to the way all members of the team communicate with patients – whether prospective or current.
Indeed, the practice team plays a big part in supporting the brand and it is important members understand what the practice stands for and why. If necessary, you may want to create a script for team members to follow so that key messages and tone relayed are in keeping with the practice ethos.
Do patients understand your USP? Does what you offer encompass all your values?
By taking control of your reputation – and, therefore, your brand – you can steer the practice to a profitable future. Assess what it is that makes your business instantly recognisable – and nurture it, share it and amplify it. Here are some ideas on how to give your brand the star treatment…
1. Be a trendsetter
Don’t be scared to be different. Go out on a limb to make your practice stand out from the crowd. Consider staging open days or school visits to offer free oral health education. Stay up to speed with evidence-based treatments and be the practice that offers them in your vicinity.
2. Self-promote
Raise awareness of your activities, your treatments or a particularly successful clinical case and share it on your website, via social media or with local news websites. Become the ‘go to’ practice for key dental advice.
3. Be unique
What’s your USP? What makes your practice a popular choice? Do you offer weekend and out-of-hours appointments or free teeth whitening with any orthodontic treatment? Find a reason for potential patients to seek you out and for loyal patients to remain so.
4. Have a great support band
A dentist is only as good as the support ‘band’. Involve the team in creating your brand – invite feedback and ideas – and make sure they understand and promote what it is that makes the practice so special.
5. Invest in the future
Put your money where your mouth is. Invest in some cutting-edge equipment and products to deliver the dental treatments patients want. Thanks to the internet, we are all far more clued up as to what is available in any given market – and nowhere is this truer than in dentistry.
