It’s hardly surprising that email marketing is one of the best ways for healthcare businesses to reach new customers and communicate with existing ones. After all, approximately 60 percent of people already use the internet to research health-related topics and concerns. Emailing your current and potential healthcare patients or clients helps ensure they receive accurate and beneficial information. It also builds rapport while allowing you to promote products and services in a way that’s cost effective. The end result is that patients are more likely to contact you when they need medical help down the line.
While email marketing is undoubtedly an essential tactic for healthcare professionals, business owners do need to be aware of a few key rules and requirements. As is true with other forms of marketing, health businesses need to take steps to ensure all communication is HIPAA compliant. Additionally, marketers should aim to adhere to the 80/20 rule. In other words, 80 percent of messaging should be information based while just 20 percent should feature sales content. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of email marketing for healthcare and discover helpful tips for connecting with your customer base now and in the future.
Benefits of Email Marketing for Healthcare
Email is one of the most effective marketing channels for a wide range of healthcare businesses. One of the many benefits of this form of communication is that marketers have complete control of their messages, as well as the people receiving them. Companies can segment their audiences and tailor content to the people they want to hear it. For example, a family medical practice might opt to send an article about summer pool safety to the parents on their subscriber list. On the other hand, a practice focused on older patients could send messages touting the importance of flu shots. The goal is to ensure individuals are only receiving content that’s highly relevant to them and their needs.
Additionally, email marketing tends to be more affordable than other options. With traditional print campaigns, marketers need to pay out for paper, ink, toner, stamps, fuel reimbursement, and more. Email marketing allows you to get your message to your desired customer base faster and with less upfront cost. Moreover, research shows Americans are more likely to dispose of physical advertisements than emails or virtual newsletters.
Top Email Ideas for Engaging Healthcare Clients
The good news is that healthcare marketing is proven to be exceptionally effective. In fact, the average open rate for medical and dental email marketing is nearly 22 percent. With the right content, you can build trust, engage patients, and increase the odds of growing your business in the coming months. Here are some of the most effective email types to send to your healthcare clients.
Welcome New Patients
After you’ve added a patient to your subscriber list, the first communication is typically a welcome email. Along with thanking the patient for joining your practice, an email welcome letter should let them know what to expect from your business and any further communications. For example, a dental office could email new patients with details about their first visit to the practice. Doing this may help alleviate anxiety while answering commonly asked questions. Additionally, your welcome email should include access to any EMR systems used by your practice as well as links to paperwork. Doing this saves time on the day of the appointment – something your patients will surely appreciate.
Promote Webinars
One of the best ways to build trust with subscribers is to offer them valuable information rather than sales pitches and advertisements. To that end, webinar invitation emails are a great option for healthcare organizations looking to connect with current and potential customers. You can host webinars on a wide array of topics from preventing heart disease to managing weight. Webinars are particularly valuable during the age of COVID, when patients may not want to leave their homes to attend an in-person health seminar.
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Offer Useful Information
It’s no secret that the internet is full of unreliable tips and tricks for maintaining health. As a healthcare marketer, you can set your business apart from the pack by providing subscribers with access to reliable information relevant to their needs and concerns. Potential newsletter content and blog topics include nutrition tips, common myths, and interviews with new staff. By sharing blogs and whitepapers through email, you allow patients to access information on their own schedule.
Along with answering their unspoken questions and concerns, this type of messaging builds rapport by showing patients you care about their health. If they view you as an expert, subscribers will be more likely to seek out your help down the line should a medical issue arise.
Promote Products and Services
If all your emails contain sales pitches, you might have trouble maintaining a robust subscriber list. However, there’s nothing wrong with sending the occasional promotional message that’s relevant to your customers’ interests. When it comes to sales messaging, the goal is to segment emails based on previous purchases. For example, a dental practice could send a tooth whitening coupon to patients who received this treatment in the past. For best results, make sure your promotional emails are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to read. A simple yet attractive graphic is ideal for capturing your audience’s interest.
Share Testimonials (With Permission)
You probably wouldn’t try a new restaurant without scoping out the reviews on Yelp or hearing a recommendation from a friend. Similarly, when it comes to health concerns, many people seek out information from those who’ve dealt with the same problem in the past. As a marketer, you can use real patient stories and testimonials to connect with current and potential customers, provided you get permission before sharing details about treatments and experiences. In particular, testimonials can be helpful for those dealing with sensitive issues such as IVF or weight loss. By providing information on another individual or couple’s journey, you help patients realize they aren’t alone even as you prepare them for the steps to come.
Email marketing is a useful tool for healthcare professionals looking to attract new customers or keep existing ones coming back. Do your research to ensure every email you send is highly relevant to your subscribers and reap the rewards when it comes to building a loyal community of patients.