Polishing Your Brand Experience | Vividus Healthcare Marketing

Polishing Your Practice – The Branding Experience

Your Practice Brand - Vividus Healthcare Marketing

Your healthcare practice’s brand should be more than a logo, a name or a tagline.  It should go beyond business cards and signage.  It should be reflected in everything you do and it should flow consistently throughout a range of marketing collateral to market an identity and personality that is uniquely your own.

To truly build, boost and strengthen your practice’s brand takes standing out from the rest.  You need to sell your practice’s story, giving your patients a complete picture made up of facts, feelings and patient experience.

Here are some ideas to help build your brand’s story:

  • Stickers

Have some fun with your branding.  Humorous stickers are a great way of bringing a positive focus to your practice and are memorable so people will remember your name.  Humour can play a large part in adding personality to your practice, which is something that many healthcare providers lack.  Of course in the healthcare industry you will need to be mindful of the type of humour you choose to use.  You could try “my mouth is numb”, “my doctor is great” or “floss the teeth you want to keep”.

  • Welcome packs

Who doesn’t appreciate a welcome pack?  First impressions are extremely important and welcome packs provide an opportunity for practices to make a good impression on potential patients if they are done right.

The welcome packs should provide useful information such as opening times, location, appointment procedures and payment options, along with an assortment of novelty items.  You could include dental floss, toothbrushes, lip-balms and stress balls for follow up visits.

A good welcome pack needs to contain useful information without being too dull so the patient leaves with a positive impression of your practice.

  • Thank You notes

Thank you notes are a great way to impress your patients.  Sometimes all it takes to engage with your patients is a short, hand-written “Thank You” that just can’t be captured by typing a note.  Many small businesses swear by the power of a handwritten message.

It is important to point out that “Thank You” notes should not include a sales pitch.  This diminishes the worth of your note suggesting that gratefulness is not the real purpose of your message.  So keep it short, sweet and genuine.

  • Selling your story

Storytelling is one of the best ways to boost brand awareness, generate leads and patients.  According to Roper Public Affairs 74% of consumers say they prefer to get information about a company in a series of articles rather than ads.

Practice’s can use storytelling to share valuable, relevant information that helps patients relate and engage through narrative.  Utilise blogging, newsletters and social media to tell the unique story of your practice.

The brand experience is created by a series of brand touch-points.  To polish the brand experience, practices should identify priority patient touch-points and seek to improve those that do not speak to the brand promise.

Below is a list of brand touch points that you should consider using:

Pre-visit

  • Promotions
  • Displays
  • PR
  • Word of Mouth
  • Email
  • Direct mail
  • Social media
  • Advertisements

Visit

  • Welcome packs
  • Events
  • Trade shows
  • Website
  • Invoice
  • Marketing collateral

Post Visit

  • Thank you notes
  • Surveys
  • Forums
  • Brand promise
  • Social media
  • Newsletters
  • Surveys
  • Customer service

Successful healthcare marketing requires the development of appropriate branding that people will notice and remember.  Vividus specialises in brand-building for the healthcare industry.  Call 07 3283 2233 or visit www.vividus.com.au and discover how you can transform your brand from business cards and signage to a complete multi-channel experience.