The name of your business is arguable the most important component of your branding. Your practice's name will be the first thing that patients see. It must be captivating, descriptive, and memorable.
Most Important Piece of Your Branding
In this post we'll be weighing the pros and cons of choosing a unique business name for your new chiropractic practice. Your name will appear on every piece of your marketing from the time you launch your practice and [if you can avoid failure in the first five years] for many years to comes.
Pros of a Unique Name for Your Chiropractic Business
Posted on Small Business Trends, "3 Solid Reasons You Need a Unique Business Name" points out three benefits of a unique business name.
It's the First Thing Patients See
First impressions matter. Your patients will interact with your practice name before anything else. You want to make sure that your name makes an impact and accurately represents your business.
Think of a business like Zillow, the online real estate database... [the name] is memorable, a variation of the word "zillion" and feels comfortable because it rhymes with pillow...
It Sums Up What Your Business Is About
Consider the emotional appeal that your business can provide to your ideal client. You can benefit by describing your business one level deeper than just summarizing the service that you provide.
Let's say that your ideal patient is seeking treatment after an automobile injury. You may want to elicit a positive outcome and a sense of security after their traumatic event. A name like Road to Recovery Chiropractic is memorable, descriptive, and makes patients feel like they are going the right direction.
It's a Unique Take on the Chiropractic Industry
Face it, you are not the first or only chiropractor. In fact, you may be considering starting your practice in an area that is already saturated with other chiropractic offices. You need to determine what will make patients choose your practice over your competition.
Choosing a business name that communicates high quality, high value, and trustworthiness can go a long way to attracting more patients.
An example of company name outside of the chiropractic industry is Uber:
Think about the business Uber... the name "Uber" refers to the common word uber, which means "super" or "topmost." When customers think of Uber, they think of a business that is above the others, providing reliable, superior service.
Cons of a Unique Chiropractic Practice Name
Although there are benefits to having a totally original and unique name, there may be some downsides. You may be surprised by the reasons that a straightforward and boring name might win more patients.
An Uncommon Name Can Confuse New Patients
You think that you've come up with a perfect name. You think it's clever. You think it's descriptive. You think it conveys value and trustworthiness. Guess what: It's not about what you think, it is about what your ideal patients think.
Here are a few ways that your name may confuse new patients:
Patients don't know how to pronounce your name
If your a sole practitioner and your first and/or last names are difficult for people to pronounce, you may want to opt for a simple business name to make it easier on patients.
Patients may be more likely to recommend you to their friends when they're comfortable saying your name out loud. Imagine the conversation, "... you should see doctor 'T' at Main Street Chiropractic!"
That's right we're talking to you Dr. Stanislav Tsyplakov!
Patients don't know how to spell your name
Misspelling your business name can end up spelling disaster. Let's say that your business name is included within your chiropractic website's domain name. If nobody can spell the name of your practice correctly, then you can bet that fewer patients will visit your website.
Beyond decreased website traffic, you run the risk of missing countless email messages addressed to an erroneous address.
Patients don't understand your anatomical reference
We love good puns and musculoskeletal references, but don't go overboard. Your business name is for your patients more than it is for you.
If you were considering, Atlas to Coccyx Chiropractic Care, you might want to keep brainstorming.
Most Pragmatic Business Name May Be Best for Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Ranking well in search results should not be your only consideration when naming your practice. Yet, in this age of search, you must consider how well your practice will appear in search results when a potential patient is looking for a new chiropractor in your local market.
Keywords + Location = A Good Business Name?
In regards to local SEO, it's common to find a top ranking business with a name that contains keywords related to the business' services and the name of the city in which they serve. In fact, some local business owners create spam in Google Maps by stuffing locations and keywords into their Google My Business business name rather than their actual business name. Don't do this.
Real World Win: Location + Keyword
Here's a real world example: if you search "chiropractor" while in Noblesville, IN, the top local search result is Noblesville Family Chiropractic.
Keep in mind, when it comes to ranking well in Google's local results, it's essential to have an optimized Google My Business Location. Within your Google My Business Location information, you select your business type. This is where you will select that you are a "Chiropractor."
The next example shows that you don't need to include "chiropractic" or "chiropractor" in your business name to rank well. But, you will notice that they still include their city in the business name. When searching for "chiropractor" in St. Louis, MO, the top local search result is Accident & Pain Relief of St. Louis.
There Is More to Ranking Well Than Your Name
Please note that there are many factors that go into Google's ranking system. Naming your practice to include keywords and your location probably won't hurt. Just don't rely on the naming convention as your only source of attracting new patients.
Get Feedback on Your Practice Name
You will have to decide if you want to be creative with a unique business name or opt for a pragmatic approach of combining keywords. Regardless, before you file your paperwork to make your new name official, be sure to test out the name.
Ask as many people as possible for their opinion of your potential business name. You may not be fortunate enough to survey your ideal patients, but do your best. Certainly, go beyond your friends and family (they want to support you, but you can't risk them supporting a bad name).
Get Your Name In Front of More Patients
Everyday, we help chiropractors improve their websites and online marketing. The goal is to get your name in front of your ideal patients. If you have questions about how you can improve your marketing, contact us!
Schedule a free 1-on-1 to speak with one of our chiropractic marketing experts. Or, if you just have a quick question, use our contact form. We look forward to helping you help more patients!
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