By Kendra Rasmusson, Senior Consumer Marketing Specialist
What is branding? It’s more than just your logo. It’s more than just marketing. It delivers a promise and creates value. It encompasses the entire customer experience.
If you want to get serious about marketing your practice and services to consumers, you need to understand who your target audience is, what they’re looking for in terms of consumer benefits and what value you have to offer. In short, you need to create your brand.
Identify your ideal customer
- Who are you talking to?
- What types of customers would benefit from your services?
- Who are your current customers?
- Who are your competitors’ customers?
Determine customer benefits
- What do you want to promote to customers?
- What are you trying to sell?
- What type of product or service do you provide?
- How will your product or service allow the customer to live a better life?
Establish your unique value
- Why should a customer choose your practice?
- What problems can you help solve?
- What makes you different from your main competitors?
- What is the primary unique value that you can provide to a customer over anyone else? Go beyond convenience, quality, low-price, expertise.
Create engagement
- How do you engage customers?
- Why would customers want to buy your products or services?
- What emotions would draw customers into your practice?
Tip – Some extrinsic ways to engage customers are rebates, discounts and promotions. Some intrinsic ways to engage are through social responsibility and participation in your local community.
Tell your story
You are the most valuable part of your business. Make who you are and what you stand for central to your practice’s brand. Think about the role you play in your customers’ lives and the types of feedback you receive. Being personable and creating a picture of who you are can really help customers identify and connect with you.