Direct mail campaigns can be a great way to reach prospective patients in your area. Here are some ideas on how to help you make the most of this type of marketing campaign.
One of the most successful forms of direct mail campaign is the discount. Send prospective patients mailers with discounts for new patient exams, free cleanings, or other offers that are likely to appeal to your target market.
To keep promotions from hitting your bottom line too heavily, consider offering discounts only with paid services. For example, you could offer free sealant with every new patient exam. If you're a family dentist, consider encouraging the entire brood to book appointments by promoting a BOGO offer where patients can book one exam and get the other half off.
Building a relationship with their dentist is important to patients, and they want to get to know you and your staff. Use your direct mail campaign to send prospective patients a friendly introduction. Include a short paragraph about your dental education and experience, as well as your practice philosophy and any special skills you have. Emphasize what sets you apart from your competition and set the tone for what patients can expect from your office. If you're opening a brand new dental practice, you can also include photographs of your new building, equipment, and exam rooms.
Patient education is key to treatment acceptance, so why not start now? Reach out to new and existing patients with direct mail campaigns that focus on providing valuable educational information about common dental problems. For example, you could discuss common misconceptions about root canals, how oral health impacts overall physical health, and other issues that are most likely to affect your target market. Patients should always feel like they're getting something out of the mailer, even if it's information instead of a discount.
If you have a special event coming up, direct mail campaigns can be a great way to inform your patient base. For example, if you're a new dental practice just getting started in the area, you can send mailers advertising the day and time of your grand opening or ribbon-cutting ceremony. Or, if you're having an open house, send a mailer promoting the event and describing what patients can expect if they attend. Make sure these mailers are easy to read with plenty of contrast between the text and the background– many people hang them on their refrigerator as a reminder, so make them readable with just a glance.
Your UVP, or unique value proposition, is the core of your dental practice. Your UVP is the value you have to offer your patients and how that differs from what your competition can provide. Are you the only pediatric dentist in your area? Send out mailers that let new patients know. It's important that you understand your UVP well and make a conscious effort to weave it through your various dental marketing materials, including your direct mail campaigns.
Even if you don't have an event to promote, your practice isn't new, and you aren't able to offer a discount, you can still utilize direct mail campaigns to try to benefit your dental practice's overall marketing strategy. Use your mailers to send patients a strong call-to-action that appeals to their emotions and drives a goal, such as booking a dental cleaning to prevent irreversible damage or decay.
Focus on your patients' pain points and make them feel understood and cared about. Then, offer smart solutions by encouraging patients to take a specific action such as booking an appointment. People are often more likely to act on content that connects with them emotionally than content that speaks to their logical side. For example, patients may know they are supposed to floss, but may only feel compelled to start a flossing habit when they understand the unsightly damage caused by gingivitis.
Direct mail campaigns are often most effective when they offer value through action. Make sure your mailers prompt clients to make an appointment or stop by your office. Avoid sending mailers that just have your practice information printed on them or that don't call your patients to action. Compared to digital marketing strategies, direct mail is usually a more expensive form of advertising for your dental practice. If you choose to go this route, try to make your mailers count by staying action and goal-oriented.
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