Building an authentic brand

Building an authentic brand

26th April 2023

[The Probe April 2023]

“If you’re not branding yourself, you can be sure others will do it for you.” Unknown

Do dentists need a brand? When I first started out as a dentist I didn’t give too much thought (if any) to having a brand. I know some dentists do. I was, and am, consumed with learning, mastering and improving my skills. Out of that ambition a personal brand has emerged almost by accident, a ‘catch-all’, summarising who I am and what I do. My training company’s tagline ‘Evolve, elevate, enhance’ goes some way to tell the story.

Authenticity: There’s an authenticity that comes with a brand that has evolved naturally through your actions and a brand grounded in reality carries weight and credibility. It’s a representation of what you stand for (in corporate terms, like a mission statement) and reflects the way you work, communicate and present yourself. It’s reputation and more.

Examine who you are: There are various personal brand theories but I like to consider the following: purpose, values, authenticity and strengths – which can be summarised in a few questions…

• What do you stand for?
• What is your driving force?
• Is your brand a genuine part of every day?
• What makes up the core of your brand? 
• What are you good at, what can you offer?
• Does your brand need work?

The accidental brand: You may not be aware of how you project yourself. Why not ask a few people to sum up your professional self in 3 words? It can be a real eye-opener. 

Who needs to know about your brand? You can keep your brand close and refer to it privately. Check in occasionally and make sure you are being true to your own standards and ethics. This works well if you journal. Your brand can be as quiet or as loud as you like! Your choice in this probably reflects the type of person you are. However, remember that you’re projecting a version of yourself all the time, even if it’s unconsciously.

If you’re considering building a community, setting up or growing your business, or networking it’s essential to communicate, share your brand and engage with your audience.

What do you need to promote your brand? I’ve undertaken branding in my practices in the usual sense – logo, name, tagline, social media and a website but your personal brand is much bigger than that. It’s inherent and communicated in everything you do. You might be a legendary dentist but if you are a poor communicator, perpetually late and scruffy, your brand won’t be quite as strong as you think. 

Alongside my established dental practices I started a training business just over a year ago, evo endo. I won’t lie – starting up takes a while. And that’s not in physically setting up – but in the time it takes for people to associate your personal brand with the business brand. My own reputation, values, attributes and presentation style are part of my brand, which in turn strengthens my business brand. Especially as I am the trainer. It’s just turning a corner now and bookings are more easily won.

Take a life audit and see what messages you are giving out – intended or not. 

• Assess your online profiles – what do you see?
• What types of praise do you receive?
• If you speak at conferences or panels, what reactions do you get?
• If you get invited to speak publicly, what is the subject matter?
• Ask your colleagues. Anonymity helps with honesty here

Look at the answers you have collated and see if your brand needs work to bridge a gap between how you are perceived and how you’d like to be known.

This kind of exercise could be considered self-indulgent but I think it’s part of our growth and development as dentists. It can help ignite stagnant ambition and help us focus on our career path, looking ahead to where we’d like to be.