E-newsletter best practices to drive patient loyalty, engagement and appointments

Taking these e-newsletter best practices approaches increases the likelihood that recipients will want to continue to receive your emails

Four billion people access their email daily according to data provided by HubSpot, with smartphone users preferring this method of communication from the brands they do business with. If you’re thinking about starting an e-newsletter, you may be wondering about the benefits. Here’s what an e-newsletter bolstered by e-newsletter best practices can do for your clinic.

Strengthens brand awareness

A strong brand is one in which people instantly recognize your practice the moment they see your name, logo, or tagline. When brand awareness is high, people also know what your business does, its mission and vision, and the topics that it considers important.

An e-newsletter can strengthen all of these through continued exposure to your brand through e-newsletter best practices, along with providing a communication method that enables you to share the “why” behind your practice and what you stand for.

E-newsletter best practices: add to your authority

Long-term patients may automatically trust the advice you provide. But those who are less familiar with your practice may question your credibility, wondering if you’re the real deal.

Sending an email newsletter that includes research-based information is a good way to establish or add to your authority as a healthcare provider. It tells the recipients that your advice is backed by science, making it easier for them to follow your suggestions.

Increases engagement and inspires greater loyalty

Having an e-newsletter also increases your interaction with current and prospective patients. This increased engagement means that when your email recipient has an issue that you may be able to resolve, you will be the practitioner at the forefront of their minds. Google also reports that one in three professional marketers feel that engaging the right audience is critical to achieving future marketing goals.

Another benefit of increased engagement via regular email correspondence is that it inspires patient loyalty. When the recipient sees that you care enough about their health and wellness to provide important information between their chiropractic visits, they’re more likely to want to do business with you versus finding another practitioner. And when the information you offer makes them feel better physically or mentally, this can increase loyalty even more.

E-newsletter best practices: boosts profits and generates more leads

If you sell products in your practice, HubSpot adds that greater loyalty can increase product sales. Specifically, the willingness to try a new product increases by 50% for people who are loyal to your business and the amount they spend rises as well, by 31%. Even just creating more awareness of the products and services you offer can boost your profits. It also provides an avenue to share some of your newer offerings, increasing their demand.

Some think of e-newsletters as a way to communicate with current patients only. But if you have a sign-up form on your website, it can also help generate more leads. It does this by enabling people who come to your site to learn more about you and your practice while also beginning to establish a relationship. When they see that you have the knowledge and ability to help them improve their health, you become a more appealing health care provider. This makes them more likely to schedule their first appointment.

A cost-effective way to improve the patient-provider relationship

If you segment your e-newsletters to specific demographics, you’re able to provide current and prospective patients with information of greatest interest to them. You might send one email to your sports chiropractic patients, for example, and another to your senior patients. Taking this e-newsletter best practices approach increases the likelihood that recipients will want to continue to receive your emails. It also shows that you care enough to know what is important to them, further strengthening the patient-provider relationship.

There aren’t many marketing campaigns that can be implemented at little or no cost. Direct mail can be expensive if you want to target a large geographical area, as can social media ads designed to expand your reach. If you are willing to manage your own campaigns, your practice can send e-newsletters at no additional cost. You can also utilize an email marketing platform or hire a marketing firm to supply this service. Choose one that fits your budget for a more cost-effective marketing option.