Yesterday I drove past a recently cleared commercial lot and saw a neat row of cement blocks outlining a foundation but could not find a site sign to identify what the building was going to be when completed. An office complex? A homeless shelter? A Starbuck’s? I was left to ponder, but the builder surely knew what kind of structure those blocks were destined to be the foundation for. Before he even began, he had to know exactly what he was building, how it was to be used, how it would fit in with the buildings around it, as well as how much it would cost to construct.
Building a brand for your practice is not unlike constructing a building. You first have to understand exactly what it is that you’re building and for what purpose? How will you market your brand to your existing patients and future prospects? You’ll want to know how your brand will be different from your competitors, and of course, you’ll need to know how much all of this is going to cost.
After ensuring that your practice has a solid foundation by providing the highest quality services available, the next step in creating your brand should be the professional creation of a logo and tagline. This mark will uniquely identify your practice in all of the visual impressions you create with current and prospective patients. It should be used consistently, responsibly and often. Multiple impressions lead to long-term remembrance.
Like a strong building, your logo should be durable. It will be photocopied, faxed, stitched on t-shirts or hats, reduced, enlarged, printed in b&w, color and abused in various ways. It should be designed to last a long time — nothing too trendy. And, finally, like your services, it should be of the highest quality design available. Expect to pay for quality. Remember, everything in your practice reflects on your brand.
Kindly,
Candace Crowe
President, Creative Director
Candace Crowe Design
Educating Patients. Marketing You.
© 2009 Candace Crowe Design
