What is dental branding?
Dental Branding is the process of setting yourself apart from the competition. And as we saw in a previous post, that’s really not that hard to do if you will simply use what is right under your nose – YOURSELF!
Because there’s one thing no one can ever duplicate, and that is YOU!
We’ve looked at relationship-focused dental branding and the importance of getting your message out, as well as unique and effective ways to do that.
As you continue to develop your dental branding, there are 2 questions to keep in mind.
- Which demographic -age, gender, etc. – would be best to target with my relationship strength?
- How do I best convey my relationship strength through the tone of my advertising?
- How do I best convey my relationship strength through the tone of my advertising?
Both of these questions are important for dental branding.
Let’s look at some examples of well-branded companies. Even though none of these are dental branding examples, the principles are the same.
Branding Done Right
Let’s look at a few examples of branding mastery – all of them from the food industry actually:
- Chick-fil-A – Who doesn’t remember hearing “My pleasure” after thanking a staff member for something at a Chick-fil-A restaurant, and who of us hasn’t seen the Chick-fil-A cows talking about “chikin”? Although we may not recognize an obvious connection between chicken sandwiches and cows, somehow, they work in tandem with trademark courtesy to build an award-winning brand known for excellence in both food and customer service. Chick-fil-A has been recognized for outstanding employee and customer experience many times over, and the long lines at every location testify to a solid branded approach.
2. In-N- Out Burger – I have been deeply impressed with In-N-Out Burger’s food, but that’s not the only thing that caught my eye on a recent visit. I was also deeply impressed upon receiving an anti- human trafficking place mat with my food. I made a resolution then and there that I will patronize them every chance I get.
In-and-Out Burger has recognized and grasped a golden opportunity to both stand out in the marketplace and make a real difference in the world. I, along with every other decent person in the world, applaud them for their work with the Slave 2 Nothing Foundation, and many of us will choose them over their competitors in order to help support that cause.
3. Dutch Bros. Coffee– Although they may not be everyone’s style, who can forget the gregarious youngster who took your last order and wouldn’t stop complimenting you on your outfit, car, or pet riding with you? The chipper questions about your day probably came thick and fast too. Dutch Bros. Coffee has developed a brand utilizing their relationship strength – friendliness and a relentless upbeat cheerfulness – and their long lines testify to their popularity with people tired of generic, soulless service.
4. Hansen’s Dairy, Iowa. Dentists looking for a business with a stand-out mascot to imitate need look no farther than Hansen’s Dairy, based in Hudson, IA. This family dairy, which packages and sells its dairy products in both its own and other Midwestern stores, has built up a thriving brand for itself with the help of its mob of kangaroos that visitors can pet and feed during their tour of a working dairy. Although the kangaroos have no obvious connection to dairy products, this mascot sets Hansen’s Dairy apart and has helped to inspire a loyal following (although their excellent ice cream and shakes undoubtedly play a strong role as well).
Each of these companies understands branding. Out of their core identity – their relationship strength -they have made conscious choices about the way that they will connect with their customers. They have offered their customers far more than a logo; they have given them an EXPERIENCE to be part of, and then have taken every chance to get that message out.
Applications to Dental Branding
Just as dentists must do in their dental branding, these companies have established branded connections with the right demographics. Being restaurants, they perhaps have had an easier time since everyone has to eat, but then again, the competition in the food business is fierce and no restaurant coasts to success.
Dutch Bros. has carved out a large niche by elevating customer interaction, and Hansen’s Dairy – along with their kangaroos – has used their ability to explain the world of farming to appeal strongly to the farm-to-table sector of the population.
These companies have also fine-tuned the TONE of their advertising.
Chick-fil-A’s Southern courtesy, Christian values, and customer service focus are all perfectly captured with the use of “My pleasure” by its employees. Using it to replace a mundane “You’re welcome” also allows Chick-fil-A to form a branded connection out of an otherwise ordinary encounter.
In-N-Out Burger’s use of its packaging and bag inserts both captures value from another, usually wasted connection and sends the message that they are an upstanding company determined to do as much good in the world as they can.
Marketing done in this highly personalized way will NEVER be mistaken for a competitor’s!
And marketing that forms a strong connection with your audience will result in ROI in a completely different league than the generic advertising you have been doing.
Would you like help to create powerful, personal marketing for YOUR practice that begins to build strong branded connections with YOUR community?
Dental offices from coast to coast have experienced the power of our wealth of experience and transformed their marketing!
More From Client Connection Group
3 Steps to Simple, Powerful Dental Branding
Dental Branding – 9 Unique Ways to Connect With Your Patients