Among today’s modern marketing tools, email is still a strong contender for the most effective. Not only is this digital option targetable and measurable, it can also be very affordable. But above all of those factors, the most attractive quality of email marketing may be how strategically it can be used to grow your dental practice with precision.
Explore some ways in which strategic email can help your practice to grow, today.
You might not want just anyone walking through the doors of your practice. Your ideal patients, or patient personas, may need to meet a certain income level, family size, age, insurance type and needed services. By reaching these prospective patients specifically, you may be able to mold and shape your practice with intention.
Email marketing can be an easy way to hyper-customize your message for segmented patient groups. It is now possible to organize and contact subscribers by thousands of different factors, from annual income or zip code, down to their number of children or the type of vehicle they own. Send offers and information to select groups of current or prospective patients, as specific or as general as you need.
Professional marketers can help you to target ideal patient types, or personas, for the direction you’d like your business to grow. For example, your message and emailing list for new cosmetic dentistry equipment may differ drastically from an email list for a discounted first appointment for pediatric dentistry patients. Email makes it possible to reach those targeted audiences with very specific messages to fuel your growth.
If you’re writing a blog to promote your practice by sharing valuable information with prospective patients, email can be an easy way of promoting it. Unlike social media, a weekly email containing links to all of your newest blogs can allow you to reach patients that might not be active on social media or connected to your practice there. Regular blog emails can also serve as an electronic business card, reminding patients of your services, along with a tangible message they can forward to anyone looking for a referral.
Communication can be a cornerstone of building consumer trust. Email provides an opportunity to showcase your services, express your concern for the oral health of your patients and humanizes your business. The personalized touch that contextual details add to an email can also build trust.
For example, an email that recommends a new service based on the patient’s previous services could show patients you’re considering their personal preferences and needs before presenting them with an offer. A friendly, approachable tone of voice can also help to build trust and foster a positive brand image.
Email, by nature, is an opportunity for a two-sided conversation. Take advantage of that by soliciting feedback from your mailing list and patients. Even one line asking for feedback at the bottom of your messages can give readers the push they need to provide you with helpful information. Not only could you collect data that fuels patient-centric change and growth in your practice, just asking for their opinions can make readers feel valued.
Entertaining, valuable or fun marketing emails, like newsletters or informative videos, can help to grow brand loyalty and motivate patients to promote your practice. Think about the effect a funny viral video can have on a brand. Strategic email marketing may be able to achieve a similar effect on a much smaller scale.
It can take less work than you might think to get people talking about their dentist, likely because it’s not that common to be entertained by your oral health care provider. Even just a corny joke for kids or a link to a funny tooth-related video (like the famous David After Dentist video) in your monthly newsletter can get your audience mentioning their dentist to friends and family.
Like any marketing you employ to grow your patient database or promote products and services, your email marketing campaigns should be measurable and used to achieve specific goals. Email comes with specific legal and consumer protection concerns. Work with a reputable marketing firm, or be sure to thoroughly understand the practice of email marketing, to ensure you won’t be flagged for spam or illegal email practices.
Start small or with the help of professional marketers to get growing with email. Set a goal to ensure you’re achieving a reasonable ROI. By developing and using patient personas to create a targeted message and audience, you may be able to grow your practice fast and in exactly the direction you want to go.
About Treloar & Heisel
Treloar & Heisel is a premier financial services provider to dental and medical professionals across the country. We assist thousands of clients from residency to practice and through retirement with a comprehensive suite of financial services, custom-tailored advice, and a strong national network focused on delivering the highest level of service.
Treloar & Heisel and Treloar & Heisel Risk Management are divisions of Treloar & Heisel, LLC. Insurance products offered through Treloar & Heisel and Treloar & Heisel Risk Management.
Treloar & Heisel, LLC. and its divisions do not offer legal, business consulting, or marketing advice. Please consult a professional in these areas for any issues concerning these topics.