Disclaimer: This blog article was written by an AdvancedMD partner. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AdvancedMD.
Many practices that are not in the ecommerce industry still question if email marketing is worth their time. The answer is a resounding yes. Email marketing is not only a tool to encourage customers to buy online, but also a powerful retention and acquisition tool in the health/medical space.
With the holidays, your patients need several nudges to stay on their treatment plan, keep up with appointments, and overall stay engaged and loyal to your practice. Here are four emails your practice should send during the holiday season.
Email 1: Flu Season Tips
December is a peak month for holiday parties, as well as flu season. Send an email to patients who haven’t visited this year with tips on how to avoid the flu. Targeting lost patients with an educational winback email could help fill appointments, or simply keep your practice top-of-mind for when they are ready to visit.
Strategic tip: End the email asking if they want to schedule their next check up, and link the ‘Request an Appointment’ call-to-action button to your website for Online Booking.
Email 2: Recall Reminders
The most productive email is one that is automated, and triggered at the right time during a patient’s journey. Using a robust marketing/communications tool, you can set up a Recall Email Reminder that sends before and after the day a patient is due. Everyone needs more than one reminder – especially during the holidays!
Strategic tip: Personalize your Recall messages by the service your patient is due for so the timing is right.
Email 3: Holiday Practice Hours
Between all of the holidays this season, your practice won’t be open for your standard business hours. Letting your patients know ahead of time what days and hours you will be open will help them plan their visit, and avoid accidental no-shows. This type of email should be sent to all of your patients – both active and lost.
Strategic tip: Increase your email opens by adding urgency to your subject line. For example, ‘Important Update’.
Email 4: Happy Holidays
No matter how long a patient has been visiting your practice, building trust is an ongoing necessity. When you show your patients they are a part of your family, and not just an integral part of your revenue goals, they will be more inclined to stay loyal to you. Sending a Happy Holidays email targeting any patients who have visited in the last 2 years will remind them why they chose your practice in the first place.
Strategic tip: Include an image in the email of your team wearing holiday-themed outfits or accessories, or in front of holiday decorations.
Email marketing is a beneficial marketing channel for all industries. What’s essential is sending intentional messages to specific audience segments versus sending an email every week just to make sure your practice is in the inbox. Be sure to have a combination of one-off emails and automated emails in your email strategy for marketing success.
