One of the best ways to attract new patients to your dental practice is to develop your brand image. And one of the most important aspects of a successful brand image is the font.
That’s right. The typeface in your logo has a surprisingly large effect on the way your patients view your practice.
In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the psychology of fonts. So read on and learn how to use different types of fonts to attract new patients.
Different Types of Fonts
Below we’ll introduce the four main types of fonts and the feelings they evoke.
Serif Fonts
Serif fonts are simple, stylish, and readable. Newspaper headlines, for example, usually use serif fonts. The word serif refers to the small details that these fonts have at the end of their strokes.
Picture a capital T that curls down at either end of the top horizontal line. That’s serif.
Companies that use serif fonts in their logos include Sony, Volvo, and Honda.
Serif fonts are usually not very exciting or interesting. In fact, you might not even be able to picture the fonts used in the logos we mentioned above. But that doesn’t mean they’re not effectively communicating brand identity.
Serif fonts are neutral and inoffensive. They communicate reliability, tradition, and respect. A logo with a serif font is safe and professional.
As a doctor, safety and professionalism may be exactly what you want to communicate to your patients. Patients don’t want a reckless, gun-slinging doctor. They want a reliable doctor who isn’t going to take chances on them.
Serif fonts are a warm way to welcome potential new patients.
Sans Serif Fonts
If you’re familiar with French, you may remember that sans means without. And so, sans-serif fonts are fonts without serif: without the details at the end of strokes.
Sans-serif fonts are even simpler and more readable than serif fonts. These are the fonts you’d see in the text of a newspaper article.
Sans-serif fonts often appear modern, or even cold. This makes them a great choice for technology companies.
In fact, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google all use sans-serif fonts in their logos.
In addition to simplicity and modernity, sans-serif fonts communicate cleanliness, efficiency, and progress.
If you run a high-tech medical lab, then a sans serif font may be a good choice. It will tell your patients that your practice is efficient and precise.
A sans serif font may not communicate as much warmth as a serif font, but that’s not always what patients are looking for. If you value science and technology more than customer service, consider sans serif.
Script Fonts
Script fonts are fonts that look like cursive handwriting. They’re highly stylized and often difficult to read. Think of the font you might see in an expensive dinner menu.
The most famous example of a logo with script font is Coca-Cola. But you can also find script font in the logos for Cadillac, Ford, and Johnson & Johnson.
Script fonts represent creativity, elegance, and, sometimes, femininity.
The truth is, a script font isn’t a great choice for a medical practice. Elegance and class aren’t usually a part of the healthcare experience. So unless you want your patients to know that you’re an elegant doctor, choose something else.
Display Fonts
Display fonts are loud, interesting, and creative. They stand out from the norm. Think of the Disney logo, for example.
It’s hard to make a display font look professional, but that’s not what they’re for. They’re for communicating creativity, fun, and uniqueness.
Though a well-made display font can provide a lot of brand recognition, we don’t recommend you use one for your medical practice. They’re just not very professional.
Even if you’re a pediatrician, and you want a kid-friendly logo, you should still choose professionalism first.
Choosing the Right Font for Your Brand
When making a DIY Logo, don’t rush your font choice. A well-chosen font can do a lot for your brand image. And it’s worth spending time on it.
Start by choosing from one of the basic categories we described above. Use this choice to communicate the overall feel of your medical practice. We recommend you choose serif or sans-serif to let your patients know that you’re a reliable professional.
Within each category, there are thousands of available fonts. When choosing a specific font, there are a few more things you need to consider.
Spacing
Letters that are jammed close together can communicate tightness and punctuality, traits you probably want your patients to associate with your practice.
On the other hand, well-spaced letters are more relaxed and inviting. If that’s something you value more than punctuality, more spacing is the way to go.
Target Audience
Are you trying to attract teenagers or professionals? Women or men? Choose a font that matches your target audience.
Don’t choose an overly severe font if you’re running a pediatric office and don’t choose a fun font if you’re running a colonoscopy clinic.
Ask for Feedback
Once you’ve narrowed your choices down, print out your favorites. Show them to friends, family, and co-workers who you trust.
Have them tell you how the font makes them feel, and choose the font that best matches your goal.
Start Branding
Now that you know the ways that different types of fonts can affect your patients’ psychology, it’s time to use that information to design your brand. You might think your medical practice speaks for itself, but in our increasingly online world, attractive branding is more important than ever.
If you found this article helpful, head to our business blog to find more information about how to take your dental practice to the next level.