24 Oct Personal Branding Essentials For Health Professionals

The allied health sector is exceptionally competitive and noisy. Everyone is trying to stand out with often the same offers, clichés and marketing.  But the true jewel in the marketing crown is your personal brand.

A strong and valued personal brand is essential to identify and package before you start investing and diving into all other website, digital, PR, social media and marketing activities.  Not doing so can compromise success and   ROI in the short and long term.

Everyone with a heartbeat has a personal brand to leverage and is fundamental to reputation and growth.   And in today’s digital world it holds even greater relevance as it’s often the only way to differentiate an allied health practice or consultancy.  So many are doing similar things but always hold your nerve and remember that :

No one does exactly what you do in the same way you do it!

The impact of your personal brand will have a negative or positive effect on the clients, suppliers and staff you want to attract.   But if done with style and authenticity it will amplify and strengthen all growth and marketing objectives.

We are all saturated with content, digital overwhelm and social media fatigue. This has further driven the need to focus on individual personal brands to cut through the clutter.  And they must be relatable, credible and likeable.   Clients and health consumers have so much choice. And with that choice comes confusion in a sea of blandness and cliché promises and marketing platitudes.

Most allied health practices are grappling and vying for a chunk of their market pie. And a chunk that is profitable and sustainable.  People buy from those them Know-Like-Trust. So accepting the Know-Like-Trust model and that invariably at least several touch points are required before a prospect engages and makes an appointment it makes total sense to undertake personal branding and positioning before all other marketing and digital activities.

Your personal brand on your website, social media and off line communications must be inspiring, engaging and a base of trust and value.   You need to step up and out and be the best version of the real you.    You need to stand for something and show who you really are. Hold your purpose around a centrepiece of pride and the value you offer.

The whole purpose of digital (and offline) marketing is to take prospects to either your website, landing page offers or social media pages. And as humans looking for a stronger sense of connection and trust, your brand needs to demonstrate who you are with transparency and value. It will be key to combating competition and taking ownership of a chunk of your market pie.

Your personal brand has to be authentic.  But truly it is the jewel in the crown that will differentiate you and your business.  Everyone scrambles to ‘be ‘the best’ in their sector.  But being ‘different’ is actually more powerful and can be woven intuitively into communications cleverly.  It’s a balancing act but one that is really a core part of growth strategy.

In identifying and building your personal brand you need to consider five key elements:

Your Motivations, Values, Personality, Equity and Visuals are displayed and woven into all written, media and verbal communications.  And ultimately you must check what other people say about you.  Doing this may uncover a few ‘ouch’ moments if there is a disconnect between rhetoric and reality.  Courage and honesty is the tool to get to clarity.

And if you are about to launch or re-brand your allied health practice do get crystal clear on your personal Who, What, Where & Why to get off to the best start.

Get your personal branding right in your practice and communicate well and all other marketing and sales activities will benefit.

About the Author

Sue Parker is the founder of DARE Group Australia.  A well published media contributor throughout Australia Sue is a Personal Branding, and Marketing communications specialist. She works with service, professional and health clients as they launch, rebrand or expand their business.

Web:     www.daregroupaustralia.com.au
E:          sparker@daregroupaustralia.com.au
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