This article originally appeared in the January/2017 issue of the Academy of General Dentistry’s AGD Impact magazine.
Social media has revolutionized the marketing industry, but as great a tool it is for business, it still has some limitations. Even if you use platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., there’s a chance that your patients may miss one of your posts or only get a certain amount of information. When you want to reach them directly and go more in-depth about something noteworthy at your practice, sending an email just might be the way to go.
Reaching your patients via email is still the best way for your office to send them customized messages that target their specific needs and interests. Consider how different your patients are from one another: You’ve got those who come in twice a year for cleanings and dental exams; you have patients that you may see once a year — if you’re lucky — and you have people with more extensive treatment needs who visit the office every couple of months. Your email campaign can be just as diverse as the people who sit in your chair, and there are several strategies that you can employ to make the most of the messages you send to them.
Get to the Point
Like you, your patients are busy, so make your emails easy to read. A lengthy form letter can appear overwhelming and is likely to be deleted immediately. Instead, use subheadings, numbers and bullet points to break the content up into easily absorbable chunks. Your patients will be more likely to take the time to read something that can be skimmed and then revisited when they have more time.
Have Some Fun
Keep the tone of your email messaging light. An email that is too technical won’t be relatable to people outside of your field. And don’t be afraid to experiment with subject lines and the type of content you feature. Consider including some of the following:
- Pictures of staff functions such as office birthday parties or other celebrations (“Doctor Joseph celebrates five years at her Main Street location!”)
- Dental trivia from movies or television shows (“What was the name of Jerry’s dentist on ‘Seinfeld’?”)
- Oral health and hygiene tips (“10 Acidic Foods to Avoid to Protect Your Enamel”)
- Information about events happening in your community (health fairs, charity events, etc.)
- Staff member biographies (“Meet Dental Hygienist Joe Smith”)
Point Out the Perks
The emails that sell products and services still should be written to be meaningful to your patients. For example:
- Don’t just tell your patients that you purchased a new intraoral scanner for your practice; explain how that equipment will ultimately improve their dental health and make the time they spend in your office more enjoyable.
- Don’t simply send an email about the new associate joining the practice; let your patients know if this dentist offers a special skillset or if she or he will be available during times that you are not. Without those explanations, your patients will have no idea why they should care about your new hire.
Engage Your Patients
Use an email campaign to give your patients multiple ways to stay connected to you. Include hyperlinks to the social networking sites that you use and encourage them to “like” or “follow” your practice on social media and leave favorable reviews. Drive more traffic to your website by including hyperlinks to your blog, and make scheduling an appointment convenient for your patients by using a “request an appointment” option. All of these strategies provide additional opportunities for you to reach out and make connections with your patients.
Be Consistent in Your Email Outreach
The ultimate goal of using an email campaign is to make sure your patients are reminded of your practice beyond their occasional office visits. There is no need to overwhelm them with weekly messages, but your emails should be sent once or twice a month on a consistent schedule. An effective strategy is to draft and schedule emails a month in advance; this will prevent scrambling at the last minute to put together an engaging email. Once patients get used to seeing your name pop up in their inboxes on a regular basis, they’ll begin to expect your messages.
Customize Your Content
Avoid sharing cookie-cutter, templated materials. If you send the same emails as every other dentist on the block, you are not going to stand out. Email campaigns are a great way for your patients to get an idea of what makes your practice unique. Sharing things such as who you are, what you’re about and what you appreciate about your patients will make them feel connected, and connectedness leads to loyalty. Loyal patients likely will not abandon you when a more conveniently located practice opens up, and they are more likely to refer you to their friends and family.
Track the Success of Your Emails
Another benefit of using email campaigns is that you can easily track their efficacy. You’ll know if your subject lines are appealing by tracking how many recipients opened your email. You’ll know your appointment request option is effective when a patient who hasn’t been to your office in over a year clicks the “schedule an appointment” button. You can even find out how many people click the “read more” link after the content tease. If you send an informational email to 20 patients who have inquired about implants vs. dentures and eight of them call to schedule the procedures, you’ll know that it was your email that gave them the extra encouragement they needed to follow through with pursuing treatment.
The most effective way to market your practice is to use a holistic approach. An inviting website and strong social media presence combined with the strategic use of email are the best ways to ensure that you are reaching your patients via multiple platforms.
