Coffee Talk – Why Is Branding Important?
Our Creative Director, Charlie Wells, is one busy designer! I finally got her out of the office to meet me for a quick coffee and we had a great time chatting about branding and logos.
As a dental practice, have you ever wondered how important your logo and branding is to your business? Well, take a look at our conversation and hear our expert answer this question and more.
My favorite thing about this blog is the cool pop art graphics that Charlie created. Check them out below!
Ok, so first and foremost… what exactly is branding?
Whether they’re aware or not, EVERY company has a brand.
I think this is nicely explained by Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos: “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Just like your personal appearance gives clues to who you are a person, your practice’s look and feel give patients a view into what you stand for.
“Are you fun, or more sophisticated?”
“Are you budget-friendly, or more high-end?”
Your brand expresses your personality! Typography, color, and graphics all come together to present your unique “vibe.”
What impact can good branding and logo have on a dental practice?
It’s huge.
A unified brand across all platforms shows the world of potential clients that you pay attention to detail and take your work seriously.
As Howard Schultz (Starbuck’s CEO) has said, “if people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.”
So where should a dental practice include branding?
EVERYWHERE!
The foundation of your brand is your logo. Your website, communication materials, and promotional items should always integrate your logo, and work together to communicate your established brand.
What are your top tips for using a logo and branding?
Make sure your logo is clear at small sizes, and that it translates well into black and white printing. Of course, you want your logo to look gorgeous in a large, full-color sign on your building – but what if you sponsor a local event, and all you get is a tiny logo placed in a newspaper ad? You want your logo to create an impact across all usages – including in small, black, and white spaces.
Make sure your logo adapts to various orientations. You will likely need a few logo variations – a horizontal, a vertical, maybe even a square or logo mark that can stand on its own. Just because that horizontal logo looks amazing on your business card, doesn’t necessarily mean it will nicely translate onto your new website.
Consistency. Now, what if the first place a patient finds you ISN’T via your business card or website? What if they come across your Google profile, or your Healthgrades page, or your Twitter page? Ask yourself: “Is this listing professional, attractive, and accurate enough that patients will want to take it one step further to click through to my website?” If not, you need to find a solution.
Ensure that ALL your listings are accurate. Again, consistency is key, so take the time to optimize your social and local sites and present a professional, managed presence. This also goes for the look. Most social platforms allow for a custom cover and profile picture – take advantage of this opportunity to make your brand known.
Thank you, Charlie, for taking the time to speak with me!
If you have any further questions you would like to ask Roadside Creative Director, Charlie Wells, please leave a comment below.
