In the simplest of terms, email marketing is marketing directly to a large group of people via email. As such, email marketing in healthcare is an efficient way for you to communicate with your patients. Newsletters, for example, are best to share new information, exciting changes in your practice or industry news. For instance, if you recently added a new physician to your practice, you can make that announcement. If that physician offers a new service that your practice may not have offered in the past, you can capitalize on the new service with an active e-campaign to potentially bring in new patients.
Here are the top reasons for email marketing:
- Email marketing is inexpensive. It is an easy and effective way to reach your target audience. Even if your emails get a one percent open rate, you are reaching customers that are reminded of your practice. Getting that exposure is what will keep your practice relevant and at the forefront of your patient’s mind when it’s time to schedule his/her next appointment. I highly suggest doing one newsletter a month or one newsletter a quarter to raise awareness and to build your brand.
- It is easy to customize your customer database. Say you have an event that captured emails. You can pull that event’s database and send a thank you to everyone who attended. This courteous follow up makes you memorable and favorable to potential new patients. Be sure to link to your website to book an appointment (if you have this ability), so they can automatically book.
- Emails are measurable! You can measure how many emails were opened and how many clicks were made within your newsletter. Having this ability will help you to know if your marketing is helpful or if there are ways you can improve your newsletter.
- Email marketing drives traffic to your website. Some practices can offer discounts on supplies that a patient would purchase. If you are able to do this, it’s a great way to drive people to your website to make purchases and, subsequently, to book an appointment with your office.
Now that you understand the value of email marketing, here’s how to incorporate the best practices:
- Make sure you are following HIPAA laws. It’s imperative to follow HIPAA laws and ensure that your practice is not in violation. You must take all security measures when emailing your patients. That means that you must use a HIPAA-compliant email system. Ask us about our email marketing plans!
- Don’t make it impossible to unsubscribe. You need to allow anyone the ability to unsubscribe or you will be in violation of CAN-SPAM email compliance.
- Make your emails mobile responsive. Most people are on their mobile devices when they read their emails. If your email is not responsive, then they will not be able to view it easily on their mobile devices.
- Don’t overwhelm your email with too many messages. Make emails clear so they are easy to read. Always direct the messaging in your email to your website. (You will notice a spike in traffic in your analytics!) This allows the user to find more information on your website.
Have more questions? We are here to help! At Points Group, we offer effective email marketing solutions for medical practices. Contact us today!
