The Five Core Elements of a Successful Brand

How can you be sure that you are branding your dental laboratory effectively? Ask yourself two key questions when cultivating your brand:

1. What type of customer are you looking to attract? Whether it be DSOs, general practitioners, orthodontists, etc, your target clinician should dictate every aspect of your brand identity. For a brand to be successful, it must resonate with your dentists.

2. What type of laboratory are you? One brand does not fit all. A boutique dental laboratory should not market itself the same way as a production laboratory. The types of products and services you offer will also help determine your target customer.

Once you solidify the answers to those two questions, you can move on to brand cultivation. There are five core elements that every successful brand must have. If a component is missing, your brand may appear unprofessional or represent your laboratory inaccurately.

Positioning lets clinicians know what to expect from your laboratory. A well-positioned brand will entice the right dentist to reach out and dissuade anyone who is a poor fit. To determine your brand's position, answer the following questions: What are your unique values? What differentiates your laboratory from competitors? What will a clinician gain by using your product or service? These answers will inform your brand position and ultimately result in a powerful mission statement you can share with the world.

Consistency is one of the most important characteristics a dental laboratory can have. Your brand promise is what your laboratory strives to deliver to clinicians, technicians, staff, and partners in every interaction. Every business move you make should be weighed against this promise to ensure it upholds your commitment.

Incorporating a personality into your brand will help maintain the human aspect of your laboratory. What do you want your brand to signify to your employees and clinicians? How do people talk about your laboratory when you're not around? Brainstorm four to seven personality traits that represent your brand position and promise. Some examples may be dedicated, trustworthy, or friendly.

Your brand story starts with you—or, if the laboratory is multi-generational, then with your family. People love a good story, and many marketing efforts boil down to storytelling. When you're building a brand story, you should include the year your laboratory was founded and any compelling pieces that led to the creation of your business. You can also have key players in your laboratory's founding and growth, such as founders and mentors. Round it all out by going back to basics with a summary of your services and products.

What is the first color that comes to mind when you think of UPS, Target, or your favorite football team? That brown, red, or color combination is one aspect of brand association. These physical branding artifacts help your laboratory stand apart from competitors and make any marketing pieces instantly recognizable.

Additional brand association items include logo, name, fonts, image tagline, etc. When building that part of your brand, you should keep your brand promise and personality in mind.

You have gone through all the steps, and now it's time to implement your brand. It's essential to have a branding toolbox or brand guide on hand that contains everything you or a marketing partner may need in the future. Having these items in a spot your team can easily access will ensure that everyone presents your brand correctly, with no confusion. The following are items to keep in your toolbox: brand story, brand positioning, tagline, mission statement, key values, target audience definition, high-level copy for marketing assets, details on how to speak with customers, and specifics on your brand association items.

Making a great first impression is vital for growing your laboratory and gaining new clients. Unfortunately, a prospective clinician in the digital world is more likely to be greeted first by a marketing piece than by you directly. By carefully cultivating a dynamite brand, you can ensure that every first impression will be up to your standards and represent your dental laboratory accurately.

Terry Fine is President of AMG Creative in Fort Collins, Colorado.