Email newsletters are rising in popularity and carry a heavy load for your practice with marketing, branding, and general touchpoints with patients…
COVID-19 has caused a lot of businesses to lose touch with some of their patients who may not be able to come in for a regular visit. But savvy chiropractors utilizing email newsletters know that staying on their minds will make sure that they come back and resume their regular treatments as soon as they are able.
Don’t discount email newsletters because they’re not the newest digital tool. When implemented correctly, they still pack a punch.
“Emailing newsletters is one of the best ways to keep in touch with your clients by staying top-of-mind,” says Ruthann Bowen, chief marketing officer of EastCamp Creative, a digital web design and development agency. “With more people staying home, it may be the only touchpoint you have to community with some clients. It’s a great opportunity to stay connected with them and let them know you care about them. Because at the end of the day, that’s what they want to know.”
Email newsletters: a renewed popularity
Email marketers are experiencing a renaissance according to new data from LiveIntent. Email newsletters in the health and fitness and categories have seen a large increase in engagement and click-through rate.
Health and fitness newsletters this year have seen a 34% increase in engagement and a 46% increase in ad click-through rates according to LiveIntent.
“With COVID-19 news taking precedence all over the globe, we would’ve expected people to run out of energy after reading hard news, but we’re seeing that’s not the case, surprisingly,” LiveIntent Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Kerel Cooper says. “People are equally indulging in reading other types of news.”
Health-related email newsletters and content have spiked as people and patients continue to chase a renewed interest in health and immunity.
Newsletters 101
“Email newsletters are traditionally a monthly or bimonthly round-up of various pieces of news you want your list to know about,” explains Channing Muller, principal, DCM Communications. Muller says that they should focus primarily on educating your clients. “People sign up for email newsletters to be educated in a single digest about what they, the patients, may have missed in the period of time since the last newsletter regarding ways to make their life and health better.”
While email newsletters can be used for a number of reasons such as product marketing and increased branding, Bowen says that the most important is to build relationships with your clients.
“Providing valuable content for them established their trust in you as their go-to doctor when they need chiropractic care,” she says. “It ticks off all of the boxes when it comes to marketing, providing information, and connecting with patients.”
Bowen suggests that chiropractors plan out their email newsletters and schedule them on the calendar. This ensures that you will remember to have content for each one. But it does something else.
“This helps you to capitalize on holidays and special events throughout the year—and don’t forget to include a call-to-action in each one. A call-to-action can include driving people back to your website to read a blog post, call your office to schedule an appointment, take an online survey, or any other type of action you’d like for them to take,” says Bowen.
If you’re not sure what kind of content to include, Bowen suggests chiropractic tips, keeping people aware of your COVID-19 protocols, highlighting a product, specials you are running, point them to a blog post on your website, etc.
“Only email them when you have something of value to say,” stresses Muller. She advises that you could include an article you’re written, a video tutorial of exercises to try, or tips on how nutrition factors into healing from an injury. “By focusing on the client’s needs, you create brand ambassadors who will refer your practice to their friends and family over another chiropractor.”
Subject lines and headlines are key
If you want to get more people reading your email newsletters, you have to make them interesting.
“Make sure your email campaigns don’t have weak subject lines. This is the kiss of death when it comes to email marketing,” says Bowen. “No one’s going to rush to open ‘June Newsletter.’ Make it enticing and let people know a little bit about what they’re getting on the inside. ‘Our Hours Have Changed’ is specific and draw people in to find out when you are open.”
Don’t make them too promotional. Bowen suggested a 90% educational and informative format and 10% promotion. If your newsletter is too self-promotional, you will lose readers.
Speaking of unsubscribing — while you don’t want it, you need to allow readers to do it.
“You must have an option to unsubscribe in the bottom of your newsletter, and that request must be honored,” says Muller. “If someone unsubscribes, you cannot email them again without expressed consent to be added back to your list. Doing so could get you blacklisted by email marketing platforms and specific companies — and potentially get you in a heap of trouble.”
Keep your enews short and to the point. Bowen says that this is not the place to write your novel.
“It’s a communication tool to build trust. Offer insights that cause curiosity and click-through. Share tips and ideas to spur interest. Don’t focus on the negative, but offer positive solutions,” she says.
