We all understand the power of a first impression. It’s impossible to recreate a first impression and challenging to overcome a really bad one. That’s why your name, branding, and online presence are so important to consider as you work to strategically reach abortion-minded women.
Your center name and a cohesive branding strategy that attracts and welcomes women in your community is key to reaching those most in need of your services.
Why Branding Matters
It only takes seven seconds to make a first impression, and 90% of all purchasing decisions are made subconsciously.
Whether a potential client sees your website, social media profiles, or even your logo on a billboard, those first seven seconds are critical. Women will see your center’s logo, name, and color scheme, and make a snap judgment. Therefore, you must ensure your branding evokes positive emotions that will attract abortion-minded women, instead of turning them away.
Understanding Your Target and the Opposition
Times change. Generation Z women are unlike any women you’ve served before in your lifetime. They value independence, information, and being in control of their choices. They are a part of the least religious and least patriotic generation. This means, marketing strategies and names that worked decades ago, may not appeal to this rising demographic.
There’s also the reality that smear campaigns against pregnancy centers are happening as we speak. Pro-abortion advocates commonly accuse pregnancy centers of being deceptive since they do not perform or refer for abortions. They tell women to look out for “crisis pregnancy centers,” “pregnancy options,” and “pregnancy resource centers” when seeking pregnancy services.
This provides an even greater need and urgency for pregnancy centers to rebrand and break the mold to prevent women from seeing branding as a deterrent.
What Works: Branding Best Practices
Now that we’ve discussed the reasoning behind developing excellent branding, we’ll cover best practices for names, logos, and your center’s atmosphere.
Name: The Most Important Element
Your center’s name is the most important and impactful element of your branding. It tells clients the type of organization they will be visiting for an appointment. Are they visiting a crisis pregnancy center, a resource center, or a medical clinic? Each of these names holds a different meaning and feeling at first glance. They’re not the same.
Market research conducted by Charlotte Lozier Institute sheds light on best naming practices for pregnancy centers in their “Turning Hearts Toward Life II” report. Upon evaluating a variety of names, they found these key insights:
- 41% of respondents were most attracted to a professional and/or medically named center serving women.
- Center name preferences varied significantly between pro-life and pro-choice respondents. This indicates that a center’s name can draw specific clientele.
- There was also a strong response to names expressing “love” and “care.”
When choosing a name, there are words to avoid. CLI recommends avoiding “Crisis Pregnancy Center” as it scored the lowest with respondents and had a negative connotation. From what we know about Generation Z and the opposition, pregnancy centers should also avoid pro-life words, religious words, and anything to do with mothers, babies, heartbeats, etc.
Logo: Current, Clean, and Positive
Logos should grab attention, make a strong first impression, and separate you from the competition. 42% of Americans say a logo tells them about a company’s personality. If you’ve had your logo forever and it’s outdated or grainy in its appearance, you may consider designing a new logo.
Here are logo best practices to keep in mind:
- Keep it simple and modern
- Use no more than 1-2 colors
- Choose a timeless font
- Aim for professional, but relatable
- Avoid pro-life imagery
If your logo shows a mother, baby, multiple hearts, or any other pro-life imagery, this could be a red flag to a cautious and hesitant abortion-minded woman.
Here are some examples of logos we’ve rebranded:
Atmosphere: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Atmosphere can sometimes be overlooked as a branding element, but it must be considered. The term brand dissonance refers to when a brand’s marketing promises one kind of experience to clients, but delivers a completely different one.
You do not want clients to feel your center’s branding was inaccurate or misrepresentative. If you have a modern logo and name, ensure your décor matches. If you promise a friendly and professional experience, make sure all staff members and volunteers receive adequate training before they interact with clients. A consistent and authentic brand coupled with a matching experience will lead to positive reviews and word-of-mouth, and inconsistency will lead to the exact opposite.
Ensure your brand is consistent from first impression through the appointment and follow-up. If you need additional insight, we recommend talking with clients and Gen Z staff members. What do they think? Having everything aligned will trigger great first impressions and build trust.
Questions to Ask When Determining if You Need to Rebrand
Unsure if it’s time for a rebrand? Ask yourself these questions.
- Is my logo and branding grainy and old?
- Do we heavily use pro-life words and even crisis pregnancy center?
- Have we been mistaken as a daycare, diaper drive, or other service provider?
- Do clients dislike our name?
- Does my logo have a bump, mother, or baby in it?
- Has my center developed a negative reputation after previous management?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, or you know that it’s time to rebrand, reach out to Choose Life Marketing.
We can help with all of your rebrand needs from crafting a new name and logo, to redesigning your website. We’ll help you attract more abortion-minded women to your center by removing any obstacles caused by old branding.
Contact us or call us at 573-445-9295 to get started.
