Provide follows Associated Press (AP) style for most things, with some exceptions. The following writer style guide details how we treat common situations and our exceptions to AP style.

Headlines

• Length: 5-7 words
• Do not include punctuation unless asking a question.
• Sentence case

Subheads

• Length: 10-14 words
• Include punctuation except in instances of incomplete sentences.
• Sentence case

Acronyms

• Spell out acronyms that my not be common knowledge for the target audience on first reference, followed by the acronym in parentheses. Use only the acronym in subsequent references.
  Example: “Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)” on first reference, “FDIC” acceptable in all subsequent uses.

Contact information

• Format URLs and email addresses in all lowercase.
  Example: getprovide.com | first.last@getprovide.com
• Only use hyphens when formatting phone numbers.
  Example: XXX-XXX-XXXX. 
  

Dates and times

• Use hyphens instead of words like “to,” “through,” and “and” when formatting dates and times.
  Example: Provide will be closed Friday-Monday for the upcoming holiday. Call us between 8-11 a.m. ET.
• Include spaces around hyphens in dates that include more information than the day of the week, such as the month or year, and also when times span a.m. and p.m.
  Example: Provide will be closed Friday, Sept. 10 - Monday, Sept. 13; call us between 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. ET; we will be unavailable between 9-10 a.m. ET.

Company and department name titles

• Capitalize names of formal departments.
  Example: Provide's Marketing team
• Capitalize titles when they precede a name. Do not capitalize titles that follow a name.
  Example: Provide Head of Marketing & Culture Jess Fogal; Jess Fogal, Provide head of marketing & culture
• C-suite titles
  • Abbreviate CEO, COO, CFO, and CTO on first reference.
  • Spell out all other C-suite titles on first reference and abbreviate in all subsequent references.
• If formal title contains “and,” format as “&.”
  Example: Head of Marketing & Culture
• For positions outside of Provide, use: Title at Company.
  Example: Dr. Chriska Mustafa, DDS, co-owner at Root Modern Dentistry
• For healthcare provider customers, use Dr. Name, designation on first reference.
  Example: Dr. Amrita Patel, DDS

Healthcare versus health care

• Always use “healthcare,” one word.

Lists

• Include the oxford comma in a series.
  Example: Practice financing, bank accounts, insurance, and more.
  

Our technology

• When discussing our pre-qualification process, do not describe it as “online” or “digital,” as that is implied in today’s fintech world.
• It is ok to use “online” and “digital” to describe our overall financing experience. 

Resources

• Podcasts
  • Refer to podcast names as they appear in Apple Podcasts.
  • Do not place Provide's podcast name, The Path to Owning It, in quotation marks.
  • If a third-party podcast name does not include “podcast,” follow the name with “podcast” to make it clear that it is a podcast.
    Example: The "Stuff You Should Know" podcast
• Articles/blog posts
  • Use “article(s)” when referring to Provide blog posts externally. 
    

Realtor

• "Real estate agent" and "commercial real estate agent" are acceptable.

Broker

• Use "practice broker" when referring to the individual representing buyer/seller in the sale of a practice.
• When referring to a buyer’s agent, “buyer representative” is also acceptable.

Workspace

• Dental: Use "operatories."
• Veterinary: Use "surgical suites" and "exam rooms."
• In headers, use “healthcare practice” when referring to hospitals, dental practices, and medical practices together.
• In body copy, use “practice” or “healthcare practice” when referring to hospitals, dental practices, and medical practices together.

Veterinary

• Use “veterinarian” when talking about the provider.
• In headers, use “animal hospital” in reference to the practice.
• In headers, use “animal care” in reference to the service.
• In body copy, use “hospital” in reference to the practice.
• In body copy, use “care” in reference to the service.

Dental

• Use “dentist” when talking about the provider.
• In headers, use “dental practice” in reference to the practice.
• In headers, use “patient care” in reference to the service.
• In body copy, use “practice” in reference to the practice.
• In body copy, use “care” in reference to the service.

Medical

• Use “doctor” when talking about the provider.
• In headers, use “medical practice” in reference to the practice.
• In headers, use “patient care” in reference to the service.
• In body copy, use “practice” in reference to the practice.
• In body copy, use “healthcare” in reference to the service.

Customers/borrowers

• In headers, use “providers” when referring to veterinarians, dentists, and medical doctors together.
• In body copy, use “providers,” “healthcare providers,” or “doctors” when referring to veterinarians, dentists, and medical doctors together.
• When referring to veterinarians, dentists, and medical doctors individually, see rules in the “Veterinary,” “Dental,” and “Medical” sections.
• Use “established” before “practice/hospital owners” to describe existing/current practice owners.
• Use "aspiring" before "practice/hospital owners" to describe doctors who do not yet own a practice/hospital.

Equipment

• Use “equipment vendor” and “vendor partner" for equipment sourcing.

Acquisitions

• Do not use language like “opening a practice” or “starting a practice,” as that implies a startup.
• Use “buy,” “acquire,” “purchase,” and “take over.”  

Our history

• When referencing the true origin of Provide, use 2013.
  Example: Provide was founded in 2013.
• When referencing our entry into the healthcare industry, use 2016.
  Example: Since 2016, Provide has been in the business of helping healthcare providers achieve their dreams of practice ownership.

Company name

• Use “Provide” in all references.

Third-party content credentials - photo or video content

• On social: [IG, TikTok, and/or Facebook @].
  Example: "@getprovide" on the bottom of the image

• In print: "[Photo/Video] provided by [Business/Individual Name]."
  Example: Photo provided by Provide.

• On digital: "[Photo/Video] provided by [Business URL]."
  Example: Video provided by getprovide.com.

Third-party content credentials - all other content types

• On social: "[X] provided by [IG, TikTok, or Facebook @]."
  Example: Statistic provided by @getprovide.

• In print: "[X] provided by [Business/Individual Name]."
  Example: Statistic provided by Provide.

• On digital: "[X] provided by [Business URL]."
  Example: Statistic provided by getprovide.com.

Partnership

• Use “strategic” before “partnerships” when referring to associations and/or projects with third parties.
  Example: The strategic partnership between HR for Health and Provide
• Refer to the works of these partnerships as “engagements” rather than “collaborations.”

5/3 x Provide

• In disclaimers
  • A division of Fifth Third Bank
• In marketing language
  • Powered by Fifth Third
• Explaining the relationship to borrowers
  • Provide is powered by Fifth Third Bank, one of the largest and most established banks in the U.S.
• Provide’s history with Fifth Third
  • After becoming an early investor in Provide in 2018 and Provide’s largest bank partner, Fifth Third acquired the digital finance company in August 2021 in an effort to build its digital innovation and expertise in the healthcare industry.

Provide is reliable – but don’t expect us to be the same as we were yesterday. We’re trailblazers, determined to constantly raise – and set – the industry standard for customer experience. We are thoughtful in our approach and instill confidence in our customers throughout their journeys. We value human connection and are defining what it means to be an all-in-one resource for healthcare practice owners with our cleverness, compassion, and advocacy. 

Brand essence
Championing success

Brand promise
Inspire, revitalize, and elevate.

Provide is ...

• Reliable
• Modern
• Strong
• Intentional
• Inspired
• Elevated

But not ...

• Unchanging
• Pretentious
• Cold
• Playing safe
• Naive
• Righteous
  
  

Our tone is direct and mindful. We’re confident: We meet our audiences where they are and speak with assurance. We champion and inspire their dreams with bold and succinct language.

1. Direct: Be straightforward and concise.
   ✅ Say what you mean in as few words as possible.
   
   ❌ Waste our customers’ time by using fluffy, superfluous, repetitive, redundant phrases.
   
   
2. Considerate: Be the same way we build our technology – customer first.
   ✅ Use widely known jargon/acronyms.
   
   ❌ Talk above-head or use jargon/acronyms that may not be common knowledge.
   
   
3. Casual: Be approachable and in first person often.
   ✅ Talk directly to our customers, and use popular and commonly understood slang terms.
   
   ❌ Talk about our audiences, and make our leadership feel unreachable.
   
   
4. Bold: Communicate confidence in our mission, vision, and values.
   ✅ Use powerful words and humor.
   
   ❌ Rely on exclamation points or all caps to communicate importance or excitement!
   
   
5. Positive: Elicit happiness.
   ✅ Use words associated with positive feelings.
   
   ❌ Use words associated with negative feelings
   
   

Words/phrases we like ...

• Opportunity
• Leaders
• Team, team members, people
• Remember
• Enhance, improve, elevate
• Experience and skills
• Digital, mobile, online
• Dream, ambition, aspiration, goal
• Achieve, reach, accomplish
• You, your(s), our(s), we In as little as, nearly, approximately

Words/phrases we don’t like ...

• Risk, threat
• Executives
• Employees, workers, associates
• Don’t forget
• Edit, update
• Human capital
• On the internet, on your computer
• Target, objective, intent
• Execute, settle, affect
• They, them, their
• Always, never, exactly