{"id":8442,"date":"2019-07-19T07:00:53","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T11:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.whitecoatmedicalmarketing.com\/?p=8442"},"modified":"2019-07-19T07:00:53","modified_gmt":"2019-07-19T11:00:53","slug":"medical-marketing-branding-advertising-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/targetmarket.com\/medical-marketing-branding-advertising-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Medical Marketing, Branding and Advertising Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
This summer, we\u2019ve spent a lot of time nurturing relationships with our existing clients as well as getting to know some new ones. One topic that continues to come up in one way or another is the differences between branding, marketing and advertising. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you factor in that each of these exists in the digital space and offline, it can easily become confusing. We\u2019re often asked questions like \u201caren\u2019t marketing and advertising the same thing?\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m a doctor…does branding really matter?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n So, let\u2019s break it down. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of medical marketing, branding and advertising as a three-legged stool. Each leg is essential, but they work together to serve a larger purpose. In their simplest form: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n We know what you\u2019re thinking. You\u2019re not a retail business, so does branding really matter? Absolutely! Your brand identity is how your audience perceives you. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n For physicians, branding is two-fold. First, there\u2019s the brand of your practice as a whole. Then, your personal brand as a doctor. For a single physician private practice, the two may be synonymous. But for a multi-physician group practice or larger healthcare organization like a hospital or primary care network, these two brands should be unique yet complementary and cohesive with one another. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond defining the basics like your mission, vision, value proposition and the services that you offer, the best way to hone in on your brand identity is to think of it as personality. Ask yourself, \u201cIf my brand was a person\u2026\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you create an inventory of your brand\u2019s attributes and traits, you can develop a voice and tone based on these traits that will serve as the foundation for your entire medical marketing strategy. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Building a strong medical marketing strategy is key to running a successful practice. It is essential to retaining current patients, attracting new patients and building a network of referring physicians. <\/span> With the ever-evolving digital landscape, simply having a website is not enough. Advertising, or paid marketing, is essential in order to stand out in today\u2019s competitive healthcare market. The beauty of advertising online is that the results are generally easier to measure than traditional means of advertising like billboards, print ads, or television\/radio ads. <\/span>Your brand is the personality of your practice.<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Marketing is how you communicate your brand.<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Advertising is paid marketing.<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Branding<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Medical Marketing<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A well-planned digital healthcare marketing strategy should include: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nAdvertising<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are a number of ways that you can do this: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n