1. Brand is what your clients and the marketplace say about you not what you say about yourself.
2. The client needs to be at the centre of your brand story and your practice’s business strategy.
3. All clients (no matter who they are) buy on emotion and justify with reason.
4. A brand is the total emotional experience your client has with every aspect of your practice and business.
5. To build a strong brand you need to focus your attention on influencing as many positive emotions of your client as you can, as often as you can.
6. Consequently, the brand experience should ensure your client feels the following emotions:
- a. Respected
- b. Valued
- c. Listened to
- d. Good about choosing you
- e. Confident about trusting you
- f. Connected to your practice
- g. That you care about others, the environment and the community.
7. Once you achieve this you can work towards your client feeling:
- a. Positive anticipation for the next time they engage with you
- b. Passion about your practice and what it stands for
- c. Infatuation with your practice!
8. Your brand must be designed, as you want it to be.
9. You need to design clear, consistent messages and experiences for your clients and marketplace. If not, you run the risk of being perceived in a way that is adverse to your practice’s business strategy.