What is the first thing that you notice about someone when you meet them? Most people respond with their smile, their eyes; almost always it is related to someones face. By looking at someones face you can often form an opinion about them, be it right or wrong. A quick judgement will assume that they are friendly, not so friendly, happy or sad. So that is the image that they are portraying or more importantly the feeling they are providing to others.
So, the face of your company, what type of feeling is it generating? Your logo or brand; Often the first impression someone has regarding your company. What is it saying about your business? Does it tell the story that you desire or is it some mundane image that means nothing to anyone?
Many times when I am working with dental practices that are looking to grow we recommend that they create a brand for their practice, which will obviously entail a brand image or a face. On occasion that seems like an enormous task for a doctor to take on; Someone who has spent their entire life educating themselves within their craft, but doesn’t always consider themselves creative. So how do you get started in creating the new face of your company? One particular dentist stated that he was going to stop at the first person he came across at Starbucks with an Apple computer. That could possibly work, but lets take a look at more methodical or logical approaches.
In order to keep it simple, I like a logo or a brand design that touches as many of the Who, What, When and Where’s as possible:
- Who you are – Includes your company name
- What you do – It doesn’t have to be a direct statement, but hopefully combined with your business name there is some indication of the type of service that you provide.
- When – This one can be tough, but images can become dated. You will notice that many established corporations update their logo to stay fresh or current.
- Where – Particularly when naming your company it is important to consider the geographic region that you will serve. Often times an area of town will lend itself to being considered up scale, trendy or entirely the opposite. Just consider and capitalize, when possible, if you can tie your name or brand image into an area that you serve.
Clearly those are starting points to consider when thinking through any branding or re-branding efforts. I recommend creating a strategy to develop and launch this to create maximum impact and recognition. There are firms that specialize in branding, corporate image and campaigns of this nature, which I recommend. However, think through some of these thoughts and ideas before engaging them. The direction that you provide will allow them to incorporate you into your corporate image.
Additional Resources
Below are two articles that will provide additional considerations and insight into this subject. These articles are from Fast Company and Entrepreneur Magazine