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The Importance of Branding Your Medical Practice

Your Brand Should Do More than Mark Livestock

· Medical Marketing

Do you remember the last brand you saw? Was it the Nike symbol on your shoes or a “We Buy Ugly Houses” billboard? In our cluttered era, the average American is exposed to up to 5,000 advertisements a day. If an individual drives past your medical office building or picks up a magazine, it is important that your brand stands out against the backdrop of the other 4,999 business names they saw earlier that day. But how do you stand out against 5,000 daily competitors and get people to remember you later? Further, does it really apply to the business of medicine?

Branding is important to every entity because it is, in essence, the face of your company. I could list off several companies: Facebook, Target, Google, Wal-Mart, Visa, etc. and I’m sure an evoked image appears in your head. With the proper balance of creativity, intellect, and relevancy, you ultimately dictate the level at which your company will be remembered.  Moreover, with strategic, consistent, and focused exposure of your brand, you can narrow the playing field of competitors, even if you use your name as your brand, as many physicians do.

When designing a brand, there are several things to take into consideration including the placement, images, colors, wording, font, message, and design. CynEx helps individuals and practices with the creation of logos which we then order and ship right to your office on sleek, glossy business cards. With our custom branding, we work to encompass the ideals of the your practice into one representation.

Branding not only represents a company, but also provides a sense of value. For example, a $100 bill has no meaning until we brand it—then everyone suddenly wants it. Pop culture brands sometime seem easier to create since you can get more funky with it, like StrawberryFrog, a New York advertising agency founded by Scott Goodson. When it comes to the medical side of branding, however, all is not lost.  Goodson notes, “The pharmaceutical industry has patented everything under the sun for new medications. This makes existing brands, with their strong, well-known names and credibility more valuable. It also means creating a new vibrant brand is a challenge which requires a sophisticated strategy. It is not just about a product and a name, it’s about a lot more.”

Medical practices can apply the same philosophy.  Your practice can either look at it like a challenge or an opportunity, but here at CynEx, we shoot for opportunity and astute physician practices are beginning to catch on.  If you want to be known as the most fastidious surgery group, your marketing materials best be fastidiously designed - consider something detailed and sleek and make sure there are no typos!  A pathology group might stand out from the crowd by utilizing pictures of beautiful magnified stains on the back of their business cards and notecards. With this small strategy, a sub-specialty that doesn't often get notoriety can stand out in a crowd.  In addition, small touches such as Spot UV and embossed business cards on quality paper with a sharp logo can take your brand from boring to BANG in a heartbeat.

While products or performances have a lifespan, a brand is forever. Therefore, upon creation, it is important to maintain a theme of timelessness… oh and don’t forget to make it appealing to the eye!  Differentiate, design, and be determined!