Can You Brand Your Dental Practice?

I've heard (and participated in) many debates with dentists about whether we can or should brand our dental practices. Some say it's beneath the profession. Some say it cheapens your practice. Some say that it's impossible to brand a small "cottage" business like a dental practice. They argue only big companies with big budgets (like Nike) can create a recognizable brand.

That's simply bullshit. I believe a dental practice CAN be branded. No... I KNOW it can!

Ten years ago, I decided to build a website. The first step was to pick a domain. After a lot of brainstorming and finding many domains already taken (even in 1999), I came up with www.PalmBeachSmiles.com. The easy one would have been www.MichaelBarrDDS.com. But, I didn't think my name would be as memorable. While I was thinking only about picking a domain, once I had it, it dawned on me that I had stumbled across a great BRAND... A great name for my practice.

There are a lot reasons to brand your dental practice rather than using your proper name. First, as I said... Palm Beach Smiles is far more memorable than "Michael Barr." And, if your name is something like Joe Schmuckatelli, then you should REALLY think about branding your practice. Remember the "radio test" mentioned in my previous blog entry.

Some have managed to brand their proper name. Donald Trump is one such example. And, in the dental world, Larry Rosenthal has managed to do it. But, most of us will be hard-pressed to brand our proper name.

Another reason is if you bring on associates or partners. Instead of using all your names and sounding like a legal firm, you can put everyone under the umbrella of a single brand.

Also, I believe a branded practice will command a higher value when the day comes to retire and sell your practice. Add a website that ranks highly in the search engines, and you really have added value to a practice being considered by a buyer. And, this brings me back to branding your proper name. If you ARE successful at doing that, it will not have ANY value to the next dentist who buys your practice in the future.

If I successfully branded "Michael Barr, DDS," do you think that would have ANY value to a buyer of my practice in the distant future? Or what if my website, www.MichaelBarrDDS.com, was highly ranked on Google? Do you think the buyer would attach ANY value to that? Of course not.

So... How do I KNOW a dental practice can be branded? I know, because I just realized I have done it. Here's my story from just yesterday:

A local orthodontist asked me to meet him for lunch at the new Red Lobster. Not a place I'd normally go, but the meal was actually surprisingly good. He asked me to meet him at the bar, because the service would be faster. It seems he is already a regular there and knows the daytime bartender. He introduced me to the bartender and mentioned that I was "a very good dentist." She asked me for my card, which of course I enthusiastically presented. The only time I don't have a business card on me is when I'm buck-naked, and that's only because there's really not a place to keep them. Well, maybe I could tuck just one away! ;-)

She looks at my card and says, "Oh... Palm Beach Smiles - I've heard of you." She did NOT say, "Oh... Michael Barr, DDS... I've heard of you." She recognized Palm Beach Smiles. And, my proper name, Michael Barr, DDS, is the next line after Palm Beach Smiles on my business card.

Branding takes time and repetition. You CAN do it locally. Pick a good name. Back it up with excellent service.  Then "put it out there" any way you can. And, I do mean ANY way you can. More on that in future blogs!