I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits.
A practice name can be a huge factor in the ultimate success or failure of your physiatry practice. Unfortunately, many people fail to give a lot of thought to it before moving forward. Picking a practice name, however, is a lot like getting married. You’re going to have to stick with it until the bitter end.
It is estimated a patient will need to see your advertisement and practice name at least 22 times before potentially joining your practice. Once they associate your practice with a particular name, making a change will be disastrous. Once you pick something, stick with it!
There are many factors to consider, including:
- the availability of the domain name
- choosing something memorable
- a name related to your area of specialty
Is the practice name available?
If you’re going to be married to your practice name, you need to make sure your newlywed-to-be isn’t already married to another suitor. There are four significant issues to consider:
1. First, determine whether the name is already being used in your state. The Secretary of State controls the names of all corporations, LLCs, and partnerships. Most also have a website where you can conduct name searches.
2. Even if you are a sole proprietor, you should check the name against those already registered in the state database. If the name is being used, you will need to consider an alternative. Otherwise, you run the risk of being served with an inconvenient cease and desist (or potentially even a lawsuit).
3. Assuming a name pass must start with the Secretary of State, you should check it against existing trademarks filed with the Patent and Trademark Office. The PTO maintains an online database. As with the Secretary of State, you can conduct an online search to ensure no other practice is using it.
4. In this day and age, many practices incorporate a website as part of their practice model. If you are in this boat, check to see if the practice name is available as a domain. If it is, register it immediately. If not, you can either change your practice name again or focus on a domain name incorporating your service or product instead of your practice name.
Make sure it’s memorable and relevant.
When naming your physiatry practice, try to avoid names that are difficult to pronounce and/or spell. You also want to make sure it’s distinctive enough to make a good impression and is easy to remember. Brevity is also helpful. Short, concise names are sometimes tough to create, but it’s easier for patients to remember, and that’s what matters most. Let’s say they saw your ad earlier in the day but didn’t write it down. You want them to be able to recall your business name still and find you. This also works well for word-of-mouth recommendations.
It should also be relevant to your specialty. Dr. Hassan Rehab deals with rehabilitation. That’s clear. Consider the interests and needs of your patients. What word(s) will make your practice the obvious choice?
Avoiding problems
Your practice could be devastated if you do not take these precautionary steps. Imagine a negative impact on your practice if the name has to be changed three years down the line. Take a breath before you select a practice name. Like choosing a spouse, it can either be a good or bad choice. It’s best to take your time in the beginning than to regret your impulsiveness down the road.
Here are four key questions to determine whether your physiatry practice will survive and thrive.
—
Attention, Physiatrists! Stop leaving money on the table. Sign up for the free video series: How To Build A Profitable Practice in 90 Days or Less: http://www.sixtytosuccess.com
—
I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits. Follow me on social media @DrHassanRehab.
