It’s Time for Physicians to Own Their Brand
// By Ross K. Goldberg //
As sure as Disney, Apple, and Coca-Cola have brand identities, so too does every physician in practice today. The difference is that many physicians don’t know it.
Individually or in a group, all physicians have brands. Some have been deliberately developed with an eye on marketplace differentiation, attracting specific patients or partnering with others with a shared set of values and mission. More common, however, especially for the sole practitioner, the brand has simply evolved over time. But the thought of letting someone or something else define who you are and how you are perceived is a dangerous proposition, especially in these times as competition for patients and profitability is more intense than ever. Clearly it is time for physicians to pay attention.
Strong brands approach the market with far more credibility than do their competitors when it comes to name awareness and trust. That is especially important in addressing the baby boomer generation. Members of this population are of growing importance to the health care community because of their numbers and their likely increased dependency on health care services as they live longer than any generation that has come before. Boomers have paid attention to the strongest brands, from Nike to Nintendo, and they want to apply the “trusted brand” model to their health care experience just as they do for most other interactions in their lives.