By Dr. Greg Grillo
In the healthcare industry, trust forms the foundation for our patient relationships. We often focus on drawing new patients to us, but we’re dependent on long-term relationships, too. Marketing works to acquire patients, but it also helps retain them for a long-term relationship. Acquisition marketing depends on a multi-platform approach that builds the value of our brand. Most consumers need SEVEN INTERACTIONS with a brand before they make a buying decision. Each touchpoint builds familiarity and adds another layer of trust. Google and Facebook reviews, paid ads, and social media videos help drive new patients in our direction. Retention marketing involves everything we do once a patient has made their first appointment. A great experience solidifies the patient’s expectations, but we need to keep in touch with them to build expanded confidence. Consumers may encounter up to 10,000 ADS IN A DAY , and other messages can overtake their awareness of our brand. We need effective techniques to cut through the traffic and stay connected. Creative email campaign ideas deserve a look; they engage patients at every stage of their journey.
Does Email Marketing Work For Healthcare?
Email campaigns help you stay in touch, deepen relationships with your patients, establish authority, and remain top-of-mind in a noisy world. Email provides a unique marketing channel that puts you in touch with a target audience that knows your name. Healthcare email marketing boasts solid results; 17.68% GET OPENED with a 6.28% click-through rate. The answer is clearly positive when asking, “Does email marketing work for healthcare?” A little creativity helps boost open rates of your email marketing campaigns, especially when patients know you send interesting, informative content. An email from a local healthcare brand like yours can carry more weight than one from a clothing retailer, for example. Here are seven ideas to consider for your next campaign:
- Generate an overdue patient list and send a reactivation email that includes an incentive. For example, offer entry into a drawing for a gift basket if they schedule before a specific date.
- Send emails to your patients and thank them for referring friends and family. Then offer a gift card for every referral they send your way. People are people, and we all love a little reward. Genuine acknowledgment means a lot, too.
- If your practice accepts insurance, send an email blast in the fall that encourages patients to “use it or lose it.” Patients often forget they’ve met their deductibles or have unused benefits. A well-crafted email will remind them that tapping in on their benefits is a good idea and emphasizing the urgency of time moves people to action.
- Send an email that introduces virtual visits and shares some insight into their benefits. Include an offer for a free consultation via a SECURE TELEHEALTH PLATFORM to introduce them to this popular option. Many patients have experienced telehealth with primary medicine, and 80% OF THEM EXPRESS SATISFACTION with it.
- Send an email with a video that highlights a new service or change in the office. Video boosts engagement, and you can create a simple smartphone recording that does the trick. Email click rates INCREASE BY 300% if you include video.
- Provide a case study with photos for a popular service. For example, a dentist may show teeth whitening, or an optometrist might showcase a new vision product. Boost interest by adding a giveaway drawing that patients can enter for an associated product or service.
- Send an email introducing a new or existing staff member and tell a little of their story. Patients love knowing the human side, and that strengthens relationships and our brand. Consider adding a short video or some friendly photos.
Healthcare Email Marketing Strengthens The Bond
Our patients want to hear from us. About 60% OF PATIENTS RESEARCH PROVIDERS ONLINE before engaging with them, so there’s a significant investment in time and trust before they arrive. We want to do everything possible to keep them in our offices, and email campaigns provide holding power. Gathering email addresses is like collecting gold nuggets. Each one opens a new communication channel with someone who willingly provides their information, and the value adds up. Your practice can automate collecting this data into your system by:
- Requesting personal email addresses on intake forms by adding an input field. LEGWORK PAPERLESS FORMS makes it simple to customize forms that patients can fill out ahead of time. You’ll have their contact information before they even walk into the office.
- Embedding forms into your mobile-responsive website. Quizzes and assessments engage prospective patients and offer valuable information in exchange for contact information, including email addresses.
- Using social media to generate more email contacts through various tactics. For example, embed an email sign-up form on your Facebook business page or include links to your blog posts containing sign-up forms. LEGWORK FUNNELS is one tool that provides integrated tools for effortless list-building.
Healthcare Email Marketing Strategy That Delivers
Communication takes many forms, and email isn’t going away. Even though teens spend hours on social media, 78% OF THEM USE EMAIL . Every demographic relies on email, and the inbox offers a fantastic way to stay engaged with patients before and after their visits. A healthy email list supports many other functions in our practices. For example, LEGWORK TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES helps dentists educate and motivate patients with diagnosed treatment sitting in their charts. If we conduct audits of unfinished care, we can send follow-up emails to patients nudging them to the next step. Keep email campaigns in your strategic digital marketing plan to nurture relationships beyond treatment visits. We’ll keep our practices and our patients healthy, and that’s a win-win scenario for everyone. Discover how Legwork can help your practice automate and leverage email marketing campaigns. Schedule some time to speak with an expert!