Dental Branding vs. Marketing: What's the Difference?

Have you ever thought about the contrast between dental branding and marketing? If this is the case, you are not alone. While the two are closely intertwined, there are subtle distinctions between them.

As a dental practitioner, you must understand branding and marketing in depth to effectively combine the two. Here's a closer look at the distinctions between marketing and branding.

What Is Branding?

In a nutshell, branding is who you are, and marketing is how you raise awareness of who you are. Marketing covers your tactical aims, whereas branding is your strategy. It would be best if you asked yourself several questions to determine who your brand is. 

Inquiries go beyond industry stereotypes in dentistry and services or goods offered, as well as questions about who you are as a dental practitioner and, more crucially, who you are as a brand. The following questions are a great place to start:

• What are your fundamental principles and values?
• What is the mission statement for your practice?
• What motivated you to create your clinic?
• Why do you want to sell your services to your target market?
• What makes your practice different?
• What is the culture of your company?
• What are your communication strengths?
• What do you want people to think of when they hear your company's name?
• What emotions do you want people to have when they think about your company?

Answering the above questions will help you grasp the distinction between branding and marketing. Spend time crafting detailed responses and running them by your colleagues and professional mentors.

What you'll notice is that all of the questions are about your internal operations and culture. As a result, what you create on the inside will be reflected on the outside.

Your branding will shape what your customers expect from you and how they will feel when using your services. By clearly identifying who you are, your branding can then be used to precede and support your marketing efforts—both now and in the future.

What Is Marketing?

When discussing marketing vs. branding, marketing refers to the methods you use to deliver your brand's message. Marketing will change and evolve in the same way that the services you offer in your dental practice will change and evolve.

Marketing will be directed directly and specifically at segments of your target demographic, all while supporting your brand's underlying values.

Marketing encompasses a wide range of activities. It might be touching, funny, or serious. It can consist of text, keywords, images, charts, graphs, and videos. Marketing will be done through a range of online and offline means, the most popular of which are:

• Dental SEO ‍
• Content marketing
• Social Media for Dentists
• Dental Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising trends
• Marketing using mobile devices
• Television, radio, and print advertisements

However, there are numerous more ways of both online and offline marketing that you should consider using in conjunction with your marketing strategy.

While marketing strategies come and go, and the methods you use may alter dramatically from year to year or season to season—your brand will never change.

Which One Should I Prioritize?

Because branding is at the heart of your marketing plan, it must come first. Even if you are a start-up, it is critical to identify who you are as a dental brand before developing specific marketing methods, tools, strategies, and tactics.

Your brand will keep your customers returning for more; it is the basis for creating consumer loyalty. Consider restaurants and businesses in your neighborhood (whether independently owned or large enterprises); it is the brand that keeps customers returning generation after generation.

Consider where you go to order and pick up prescriptions for yourself and your family. Whether the pharmacy or drugstore you frequent is independently owned or part of a larger chain, they have earned your confidence and loyalty. While you may get identical medicines at any other drugstore in town, their branding keeps you coming back time after again.

While marketing strategies change to reflect current industry and cultural trends, branding remains constant. Even if you change your dental practice brand, it will almost always respond to your growth or additional services offered. It will rarely be an overhaul of your essential principles, mission, or values.

Your branding may contain characteristics such as a solid commitment to quality, community, convenience, and communication. Or an ongoing devotion to a specific need that your target audience needs to be met.

Also, remember that branding is something you and your staff must regularly accomplish with every transaction, phone conversation, and email response.

Your marketing, on the other hand, is frequently outsourced in part or entirely to marketing professionals. Regarding branding vs. marketing, branding is about who you are, while marketing is about how you capture consumer attention.

Consider branding to be how you keep current clients and marketing to be how you acquire new clients.

When Does Branding and Marketing Overlap?

While branding and marketing are distinct, there is one area where they intersect. When it comes to picking graphics to be used regularly, branding and marketing merge.

"A picture is worth a thousand words," as the adage goes. Keeping this in mind, while selecting your company's colors, graphics, and logo, keep in mind that they must first represent your brand. Still, they will also play a significant role in your continuing marketing effort.

The Significance of Understanding Branding vs. Marketing

If the distinction between marketing and branding is now evident, but you are still unsure of the significance of distinguishing the two—it all boils down to conversions.

While you might develop your marketing strategy only based on keyword trends and the most effective marketing approaches in your industry, your conversions will be lower if your consumers do not feel connected to you as a brand.

At Digital Resource, we believe that your branding is what creates a lasting relationship. Even though your present marketing activities are intended to engage, continuing branding keeps customers coming back.

Competition is tough, and the fact is that there are businesses that offer comparable products and services—or even the same products and services that you do. It is your branding that will keep your customers coming back for more. It is your branding that fosters loyalty and trust. It is your branding that distinguishes you.

Want to know the best marketing and branding strategies for your dental practice?

Contact us today for a free consultation!