10 Steps to Successfully Brand Your Sleep Practice

What do dentistry and treating sleep apnea have in common? In your mind, a lot. In patient’s minds, nothing.

When I talk with dental industry outsiders about what I do, I mention that I help dentists market for sleep apnea treatment. The response is always the same: “How does a dentist treat sleep apnea?”

This understandable disconnect with potential patients requires your sleep practice to develop a brand identity that is separate from your general dental practice.

YOUR SLEEP PRACTICE BRANDING CHECKLIST

  1. Select a name for your sleep practice. The practice name should not contain the word “dental.” When a patient sees “dental sleep” they’re most likely thinking sedation.
  2. Purchase a website domain name. Ensure the domain is easy to spell and remember. The shorter the better. Ideally, choose the .com version of your new practice name.
  3. Design a new logo. The logo should be simple, distinctive, and visually pleasing. The graphics must clearly communicate your sleep message.
  4. Purchase a separate phone number. Preferably a number with HIPAA compliant call recording for staff training purposes. Have your staff answer incoming calls using the name of your sleep practice.
  5. Build a website. Stick to a clean, modern look and be sure it is properly optimized for Google search. Click here to learn why you need a dedicated website for your sleep practice.
  6. Create and optimize a Google My Business Listing for the new entity. This will include your logo, address and tracking number. Be sure and upload some photos of you, your team and the office.
  7. List your practice on the leading online directories. If you aren’t sure which ones to focus on first, do a few Google searches using your city name in the search and see which directories show up consistently. These will differ by city and keyword search terms.
  8. Start a Facebook page for the new practice. Utilize your new logo and colors for brand consistency. Have someone in your office post to it weekly. Be sure to include the following in the About section: a link to your new sleep website, your office address, your phone number, and an overview of your practice.
  9. Collect patient reviews for your sleep practice. Google, Yelp and Facebook reviews are most important. If you use a patient reminder system that sends out automated requests for reviews, change the default message to request reviews on these sites. Reviews on public websites are more valuable than those on the reminder system’s proprietary platform.
  10. Print sleep apnea brochures to place throughout your practice. Include your new logo, phone number, and website address on the brochure. A well-executed brochure will act as a conversation starter, educate patients, and make it easy for them to refer others to you.

Implementing these recommendations will increase your visibility, build your brand as a sleep provider, and help to position you as the go-to sleep expert in your market.

To discuss creating a separate brand identity to help your sleep practice thrive, call 214-491-6166 or visit BullseyeDental.com/Call to schedule a time to talk.