Unlock The Mystery of Effective Practice Marketing - You have opened the doors to your practice. You have the perfect location with a nicely designed office space. Your technology is up to date, and you have hired a knowledgeable and friendly staff. You have a small core of reliable patients but start to notice that you are not experiencing steady growth, or not at the level you desire. You know that it is time for some marketing and advertising. Maybe you are contemplating featuring a service on Groupon or another couponing site, having your staff post on social media every week, buying some Google AdWords to help SEO presence, or even sending your staff to hand out brochures at local health fairs.

During any given month, your practice may be solicited at least a dozen times by various print, TV, couponing sites, online ads, and other advertising opportunities from sales vendors in the community. You can't possibly do all of the advertising options presented to you. Which ones will get you the best return and which ones will be a waste of your hard-earned money? You may decide to take a chance on a few advertising possibilities while crossing your fingers and hoping that one will work.

I call this approach "blindfold marketing"- randomly selecting a variety of media with a variety of messages, hoping that one will hit something valuable. The problem with blindfold marketing is that it is generally not cost effective, it confuses your audience, and it does not always build measurable trust, value, or recognition to your brand or campaign. While there is some calculated risk in advertising-the blindfold approach is dangerous long term, since a significant portion of your growth is reliant on these marketing and advertising efforts.

In assessments with numerous practices across the country, I have found four major problem areas that commonly hinder effective practice marketing: lack of identity, absence of brand message strategy, lack of or improper marketing tools, and no organized plan/campaign. Addressing these four areas for your practice marketing can save years of frustration, money, and guesswork.

Identity

Who Are You? Know who you are so that you can tell others and so that they will recognize your unique "signature" (your brand). Most simply, your "brand" is what people know and think about your practice. If they don't know who you are or that you exist-you don't really have a brand identity.

A corporate identity builds trust and recognition. This is the visual part of your brand that should reflect your company in an honest way and should relate to your industry, your name, and defining characteristics about your practice or the competitive advantage that you offer. Be unique and present yourself clearly and dynamically. It is very important that your identity is consistent, with marketing materials that have a similar look and feel. These branded materials will also give your marketing efforts more "bang for your buck" and make your practice more recognizable.

One way of achieving this consistency is by using brand standards. Brand standard are design rules focusing on your logo, graphics, colors, fonts, and illustrative style. These rules work by creating awareness about your brand and differentiating your practice from your competition. When you've identified rules for the above areas, document them as a "standards guide" for use by employees, vendors, and graphic designers.

Message

Consumers are exposed to thousands of brand messages each day (subtle and blatant), giving your practice only a few seconds to share your values, define what makes you different, and explain why the target patient should schedule their first appointment with you. A message strategy empowers you to intentionally tailor your communication with your target patients so that they quickly identify with the values and unique positioning of your practice and readily understand how engaging with your brand will enrich both their lives and their loved ones' lives.

Communication can only occur when you successfully break through the clutter with a relevant message that resonates with your target and motivates them to respond. In order to create a message that will resonate with them, you must first identify and understand your target. Narrow your target into specific segments to further identify what motivates them. Consider what their core needs are and how your service addresses those core needs. Next, you should research the profiles, patterns, preferences, and environment of your target. Like most practices, you will discover that you have a few targets on which you are focusing. These may be entirely different targets and each need a tailored message that is consistent and relevant to give it "sticking" power.

Having a message strategy also empowers your staff to properly represent your brand and empowers patients to refer you to others. Patients will appreciate your service but may be unsure why they should share you with others. An effective message strategy frames up what makes you unique and reinforces the value of your service so patients and staff can readily share the unique values of your practice with others.

Ask yourself, for what do you want to be known? Who are your ideal target patients? How do you want to be perceived by your target patients and community? And why will your target patients choose you over your competitor? Frame up your answers into a few well-crafted paragraphs. Practice sharing your newly crafted message with staff, patients, and your community and make adjustments until you can share comfortably.

Practice Image Builders are expertise in dental marketing, practice marketing, and medical marketing Arkansas. Our team is ready to begin your practice brand development today.