It is somewhat ironic to discover in an article about dental practice branding that, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Tate & Lyle is Britain’s oldest brand.
The company, founded almost 100 years ago, ditched its sugar refinery division back in 2010 but its legacy lives on, particularly in the iconic green and gold logo of Lyle’s Golden Syrup that pre-dates the business partnership by some 36 years. Today, it remains an instantly recognisable brand that has survived a remarkable 132 years.
While this demonstrates the power and longevity of a successful brand, what’s also interesting to note is that this alternative to honey, loved by vegans everywhere, still bears the same imagery on its tins – that of a lion’s carcass with a swarm of bees above it and the tagline ‘Out of the strong came forth sweetness’. One suspects that this branding would now fail miserably were it a 21st-century design!
However, this all goes to show that the concept of a brand is nothing new. A brand, in essence, is the ethos of a business to which consumers associate particular qualities and with which they immediately identify. It is as much a customer’s perceived value of a business, as it is the ethos the business wishes to portray.
What is branding?
To clarify, ‘branding’ creates and defines who you are (the brand) and ‘advertising or marketing’ promotes what you do as well as who you are (also the brand). In terms of a dental practice, they work in tandem to position your practice in the market.
A brand is more than a generic concept; rather it is your practice’s USP and indicates what sets you apart from the rest – from signage to voice, colour palette to staffing, social media activity to the way the reception team welcomes patients at the front desk. A brand should enhance the patient experience, should speak for you and identify you. It should underpin and reinforce existing patient relationships as well as promote to new customers. A brand should always be supported by everyone in the practice team – in the voices they use, the services they offer and the attitudes with which they do both.
It is also why any payment plan you provide for patients should be practice-branded. It too needs to reflect your ethos and be part of your brand ‘voice’, making the patient experience with you, your practice and your team a consistent one, demonstrating your unique qualities as well as professional excellence. Payment plans that are practice branded strengthen identity and, therefore, encourage patient loyalty, often spanning generations. They also secure extra income with a new revenue stream for you as well as offer peace of mind for patients. All consumers feel safe with a recognisable brand, whatever the service or product. However, in order to preserve your business’s brand, it is important to share its values and unique qualities.
Anyone or any service involved with your practice needs to reflect brand identity – ensuring loyalty from existing patients as well attracting potential new ones.
One wrong comment can destroy a brand’s reputation overnight…
Gerald Ratner’s infamous 1991 speech about his own jewellery business, that included the remark that the store’s earrings were ‘cheaper than an M&S shrimp sandwich but probably wouldn’t last as long’ instantly wiped £500 million from his company’s value.
Latterly, the vagaries of fame took their toll on ‘Brand Beckham’ when David reportedly rubbished the honours’ system for failing to give him a knighthood for his charity efforts.
Even that stalwart of brands – the BBC – came under fire and lost a little credibility with the publication of its shockingly unfair pay scales. Although, just before these were published, the Beeb remained a popular choice with Brits’ perception of quality, value, impression, satisfaction, reputation and recommendation – topping a YouGov BrandIndex list alongside other brand giants, including John Lewis, Sony, Amazon and M&S.
Therefore, to avoid scoring an own goal or creating a major switch off, you will need to manage your practice team who will need training in ‘brand compliance’. Indeed, taking time to talk through your brand and branded patient plans with new recruits is as important as explaining infection control protocols, holiday allowance, medical emergency drills, pay scales and so on.
At DPAS, we help you to tailor your patient payment plan to blend with – and enhance – your own brand, maintaining your USP while helping to market it to customers new and old. Our dedicated practice consultants offer team-training opportunities, can help you to develop your marketing and will attend open days to develop customer recognition and ensure that all-essential patient loyalty.
