Developing a strong brand for your practice

Developing a strong brand for your practice

The significance of a medical practice’s name, visual and brand identity are often overlooked. Whether you’re thinking of refreshing your practice’s brand, starting a new practice or even rebranding a practice you’ve purchased, the importance of making an easily recognisable and relatable name and visual impression cannot be underestimated – especially in today’s world where businesses have become very brand-savvy on social channels.

How to define your brand

Who is your practice? This is the first and most important question to ask, even before you start.

Your practice is more than the professionals that work there. It’s also the emotions it creates, the community it services, the location, and the services it can provide. A strong brand can communicate all these things to your patients before they even walk in!

Start by coming up with a characterisation of your practice that accounts for all of the above. Once you determine these factors, let that guide the way you make decisions about the practice’s brand. You should also decide what you are not, in order to eliminate certain notions or impressions for your clients and the general public.

Take these two practices below, for example. The resulting brand and design for each be very different so it’s important to provide an accurate representation at first encounter and ongoing.

• Are you a small family practice in a leafy suburb? Consider a bright, natural and approachable logo and colour palette, showcasing fun pictures of your community and staff.

• Are you a luxury surgery offering specialised treatments? Maybe sleek, crisp lines and a monochromatic colour palette is the way to go for you.