With so many dental practices reaching out to the same pool of clients, attracting and retaining loyal patients can be challenging. However, there is a simple, cost-effective solution: email marketing. Email marketing for dentistry can help your clinic stand out and boost your business — you just need to follow a few practical tips.
Benefits of an Effective Email Marketing Strategy
A well-thought-out email marketing strategy comes with many benefits. Some are intangible, while others have concrete numbers and data to back them up. You can boil down the numerous benefits to two general categories:
- Increased engagement
- Decreased cancelations
Email marketing campaigns enable you to engage with your clients like never before. You can maintain the conversation with current patients, keeping them in the loop and looking forward to their next appointment. You can also effectively reach out to prospective patients, providing information about your dental clinic and prompting them to book an appointment.
The other primary benefit of email marketing for dentistry is decreased cancelations. No one likes crossing names off the appointment list. With effective emailing, you can minimize no-shows and maximize revenue.
Five Tips for Your Practice's Email Marketing Campaign
If you are new to the world of dental marketing, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. Learning about A/B testing, bounce rates, conversions, CTRs, and other technical terms might leave you confused and stressed out. Below, we lay out some straightforward tips to help you create a killer email marketing strategy.
1. Choose a Top-notch Email Marketing Platform
Developing an effective email marketing campaign starts with choosing the right platform. An unprofessional, poorly designed email will turn potential patients away in a heartbeat. On the flip side, software for world-class marketers might be more than what you need.
As you find the best email marketing platforms for your needs, consider asking the following questions:
- Does the platform offer a wide selection of beautiful templates or a start-from-scratch option?
- Does the platform offer automated email campaigns?
- Does the platform have mobile-friendly email designs?
- Does the platform allow you to import contacts easily?
2. Set Clear Goals for Email Campaigns
Clear goals are a must for any business-related endeavor, and that includes email marketing. You should identify specific goals before launching any campaign. Some of the most common marketing objectives for dentists include the following:
- Attracting more patients
- Increasing revenue
- Building relationships with current patients
- Preventing appointment cancelations
Keep in mind that different types of emails have different purposes. For example, welcome emails introduce the recipient to your clinic and start the conversation. Promotional emails, on the other hand, showcase a product or service. Determine your campaign goal, then choose the appropriate type of email.
3. Focus on Important Dates
When it comes to email marketing for dentistry, you must consider important dates at your clinic. For example, this could be the best time of year to get veneers or teeth cleaning. Important dates could also be timeframes when your clinic offers discounts.
You can start planning your email marketing campaigns around these points in the year. It will help keep your message relevant, increase open rates, and encourage engagement.
4. Expand Your Mailing List
Emailing is still one of the top communication methods, despite the latest technological advancements and countless social media platforms. In lieu of this, collecting email addresses should be a high priority. You want to do everything you can to expand your mailing list.
An easy way to add patients to your mailing list is with pop-up forms on your clinic's website. You can also have a physical sign-up sheet in the waiting room. Many practices include a link on their Twitter or Instagram bios, sending users to a landing page.
5. Keep Track of Analytics
Creating successful email marketing campaigns is an ongoing process. Pressing "send" deserves a celebration, but that is only the beginning. The analytics and insights you gain from previous campaigns will help you develop more effective strategies down the road.
Analytics are critical in knowing what works and what doesn't with regard to marketing. By keeping track of the numbers, you can:
- Know the ideal time to send emails based on when recipients typically check their inbox
- Determine what to include in the emails based on what people click on the most
Email Marketing Solutions for Your Dental Clinic
Email marketing for dentistry does not have to be complicated. At Dental Intelligence, we know the most effective digital marketing strategies for dentists to help you grow your practice. Schedule a demo today to get started!
.jpeg)
