Know-How Exchange : Branding

quick question ... are you marketing to "physicians and surgeons" or are you marketing to the "office managers" of physicians and surgeons?

Steve

You're starting in the wrong place. The color scheme is a detail that needs to follow your overall business and marketing strategy. In fact, it's best left up to the graphic designer who will create your marketing materials based on the thorough Creative Brief you give him/her.

As for the marketing strategy, it depends on how important this project is for you. If it's very important, you probably want to hire an expert on Positioning and Marketing Strategy. It's almost impossible to get it right the first time if you haven't done something like this before. Your investment in outside professional help will payoff immediately. (Think about the ultimate cost of getting it wrong.)

You also want to consider the way your target audience will make decisions about your product/category. Physicians and surgeons make decisions for expensive capital equipment differently from the way they make decisions on paper clips, disposable medical supplies or bookkeeping services.

I think color is as important as words. They connote emotion, and finding the color to communicate that emotion is among the top three marketing strategies that should be considered.

If you're marketing to physicians and surgeons, you may want something that is "strong" yet caring, such as a burgandy/maroon and white; reflex or darker blue (not navy) and white. White connotes cleanliness and that's important to these professionals. The others are strong and confident without being overbearing.