E-Mail Marketing - Your Practice s Golden Opportunity

The electronic (e) age is here and with it comes one of the most cost effective marketing tools to promote your practice and communicate with your patients...e-mail.

Keeping your name in front of your patients on a regular basis strengthens your existing relationships and establishes credibility and trust, two of the main ingredients needed to attract and retain quality patients.

Use e-mail marketing to announce office events, important dental health information and tips, special offers, awards, welcome letters, and even appointment confirmations.

Build and strengthen patient relationships. Include your patients in your "dental family" by announcing team members marriages, births, graduations, office trips, and participation with school or charitable events.

Gathering patient e-mail address can be done by adding an e-mail address field on your paper New Patient information form and your online patient forms.

For patients of record ask for e-mail addresses as you update/confirm their current information or simply create a form for patients to write their e-mail addresses.

Make sure you include a "check here to receive more information" box for permission to send e-mails. Note: ALWAYS provide an unsubscribe link in your e-mails to avoid potential issues with unwanted e-mails.

The length and tone of your e-mail messages is entirely your choice. It can be a few lines of text or a detailed newsletter or both.

Your newsletter may be semi-monthly, monthly, or even quarterly. Again it's your choice. If you choose once a month, then send once a month....every month.

Choosing the 2nd Tuesday of the month is a good example. Then every 2nd Tuesday of the month...send your information. The main thing to remember is once you have made your choice... be consistent!

Remember to always include your web site link and e-mail address in your information along with a notice to feel free to forward the information to a friend.

Your content can be written in-house by you or a team member (if time permits), or by outsourcing content to a freelance writer.

Whoever you choose to write the content needs to understand the purpose and audience of your newsletter. They are representing you and your practice.

Another great e-mail marketing tool is your e-mail signature. It's your (virtual) online business card. You are (or should be) sending out responses to e-mails every day. Don't just send your e-mail and type your name.

Advertise your practice and web site every time an e-mail is sent from your office. Your e-mail signature should include your name, office title, practice name, telephone number, e-mail address and most importantly, your web site address.

Remember: Keeping your name in front of your patients is paramount in establishing credibility and trust. With e-mail marketing...It's your practice's golden opportunity!

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