In the USA, there’s something called the ‘doctor car myth’ which states that a doctor must drive an expensive car in order to legitimise themselves. Prospective patients who see the car will assume that the driver must be highly skilled in their field. The reality is that even on USA salaries, doctors tend to stick to sensible Toyotas and Hondas.
Is there something to be said for materialistic displays of success in attracting our patients? With Instagram being one of the main marketing tools at our disposal and the need to continuously feed the algorithm with regular posts, most practitioners, encouraged by many marketeers, post about their private and social lives. Do our prospective clients want to see us eating in Michelin star restaurants, holidaying on yachts or quaffing Dom P? Surely if we are able to enjoy the finer things in life, then we must be great at what we do (even if there’s a bit of artistic licence involved) or do we risk repelling prospective clients by what may be perceived as a vulgar display during a cost of living crisis?
Maybe it depends on the demographic we’re targeting but should we portray ourselves as aspirational, professional, or more relatable?
Do you think we should be Bentley or more Yaris?
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