Use email retargeting strategies as a marketing method to reengage previous patients or convince prospective patients to make their first appointment
Email marketing is a great way to keep in touch with patients. Many chiropractic practices use this communication method to provide information about (or share changes in) office policies, patient services and to keep their brand front-of-mind. Emails are also often used to remind patients of upcoming appointments and offer special loyalty discounts. Yet, if you’re not using email retargeting as part of your marketing strategy, you are missing out on getting a subsection of your patients back in your waiting room.
How email retargeting benefits your practice
Email retargeting is a marketing method used to reengage previous patients or to compel once-interested prospective patients to make their first appointment. Sometimes referred to as email remarketing, this process can be as simple as creating segmented lists and sending a specially-designed email to that group based on where they are in their marketing journey.
A more complex method of email retargeting involves using cookies — text files that track which websites a person visits — to learn more about a previous or prospective patient’s online habits and behaviors. This provides a better idea of when to send a certain email based on their current interests and online actions.
Email retargeting engagement
One of the top benefits of email retargeting is that it enables you to meet your target audience where they are in the sales funnel. This creates a whole different experience than trying to force them to come to you regardless of whether they are ready or not.
It’s like when you want an ice cream cone, yet don’t feel motivated enough to leave your house and drive somewhere to get it. The desire for a frozen sweet treat is there but it’s not strong enough to lure you into action. Then you get an email with a coupon for a free or discounted treat. Before you know it, you’re in your car on the way to the ice cream shop to squelch your now irresistible urge.
This is what email retargeting can do for your chiropractic practice. It provides the opportunity to engage with your target audience in a way that naturally moves them along the sales process. 99 Firms reports that this strategy can boost conversions by up to 150%, further citing that 46% of search engine marketers consider this approach “the most underused online marketing tactic.”
Creating a strategy
Regardless of whether you plan to use segmented email lists or cookie-based tracking, the first step to creating an effective retargeting strategy is to know your target audience’s email preferences.
This involves learning:
- The length of emails they’ll read versus those that they’ll delete
- The times of day they’re most likely to be checking their email inboxes
- Whether they check their email daily, or less often
- The type of email content that is most appealing, such as special offers or informative health information
This type of data can help you better understand what kind of emails are likely to get the best response. It also tells you when and how often to send your digital communications so they get read and acted upon versus being deleted without so much as a glance.
Business 2 Community adds that personalizing your retargeting emails can help improve engagement, boost return on investment, and even improve your practice’s reputation. An example of personalization is sending an email that begins with “Dear John” or “Dear Mary” versus “Dear Valued Patient.” Let your recipient know that you are speaking directly to them.
Also, when developing your strategy, keep in mind that the goal is to entice the previous or prospective patient to want to come in for an appointment. If you overload their inbox or send emails that lack any real substance, they’re more likely to not want to do business with you. It may even cause them to unsubscribe from future communications.
Instead, aim to be that soft, gentle nudge — that friend who says, “I am here for you when you’re ready but, in the meantime, let me show you how you can recover from your injury more quickly, relieve your back pain more effectively, or otherwise improve your health.”
Monitor your results
As with any other marketing strategy, you won’t know whether what you’re doing is working if you don’t monitor your results. Pay attention to how many retargeted emails are opened, as well as how many recipients click on in-email links. Additionally, when a previous patient returns or a new patient walks in your doors, ask what brought them in. Note how many are seeking services due to your email retargeting campaign.
If you’re not getting the results you want, it may be time to modify your approach. Start back at step one and seek to understand your target audience. Then take this new information and try again. Email retargeting can sometimes be a trial-and-error process. Once you figure out what works, it becomes a consistent win.