Once you begin marketing your practice, you should start building your email list. It's definitely ok to start with a smaller list, but you must make the effort to grow your list.
If you're not collecting email addresses from potential patients, you are missing out on valuable opportunities. The bigger your list, the more your email campaigns will impact the growth of your practice.
With so many places and ways to acquire email addresses, there is really no reason why you can't build your list quickly.
Here are seven easy ways to capture emails and grow your email list and one pitfall to avoid!
1. Your Website
Your website is often the first place prospective patients go when they want to find out more about your practice. This is the most convenient and affordable way to capture their email addresses. Below are just a few ways to get people to sign up for your email list on your site.
Place an obvious sign-up form on your home page.
Make this form prominent, so there is no way to miss it. They are there to find out more about your practice, don't miss this chance to establish a connection with them.
Create a sign-up opportunity by offering a newsletter, dental advice articles, a blog or other interesting content on your site.
At the end of your articles, place a call to action. For example, "Enjoy this article? Enjoy a new one every month! Sign up for our monthly article updates!" Another way to build your list fast is by giving readers an option that says, "Click here to subscribe to our newsletter."
Offer an incentive.
An exclusive online offer, like free teeth whitening, is a great way to entice potential patients to sign up using their email address.
2. Printed Materials — Promote Online Sign-Ups
Whether you're sending a reminder card or a general ad, direct recipients to your website to sign up for your free newsletter. Most people will visit your website anyway and by giving them a place to start, you can capture their email — plus they will learn more about your practice. This is proven to generate a lot of response.
Place a call to action on all printed materials including:
Direct Mail Postcards
Letters/Stationery
Brochures
Fliers
3. Emails
You probably send personal emails every day! Add a line to your email signature and everyone you email will see that you have an e-newsletter. It could say something like, "Get new dental hygiene tips every month! Click here to subscribe to our monthly newsletter." This is easy and it's free.
4. In-Person Meet and Greet
When you meet potential patients face-to-face at a networking event or social situation, time may be limited to pitch your practice. Even if you exchange business cards, a great way to educate them on what you can offer is to direct them to your website to sign up for more info where they can find dental articles on what you offer.
This is also a great tool your employees can easily implement the phone as well.
PITFALL: Do not assume, just because someone gave you a business card that they want to receive unsolicited email from you. If you collect business cards at meet and greets ask, "Thanks for your card! Can I add you to my email list? I send out a monthly 'healthy teeth' newsletter." By doing this you raise rapport instead of surprising the person with additional spam. Most people will smile and say "of course!" and they become potential patients instead of people who wish they never met you.
5. Patients arriving for treatment
Have a column on your sign-in log for email address. Make sure the person handling the front desk asks each arriving patient to please provide their email address. Being that referrals are such a great way to get new patients it's so important to email your current patients reminding them to refer.
6. Presentations and Seminars
Do you ever give presentations or seminars? If so, we highly recommend dedicating your final presentation slide to your newsletter. Instead of listing only your name and practice information, be sure to include your newsletter sign-up web address. Let them know they can find out more about you by signing up for your free newsletter!
7. Work Together with Other Practices and Organizations
Find a few credible practices in your field, that aren't competitors, and partner to promote each other's services in your email campaigns. Mention them in your newsletter with a link to their sign-up page and ask them to do the same in return.
To quickly increase your email contacts (and potential patients), implement as many of the above suggestions as you can. Continue to look for additional ways to build your list — there's always room to grow!
No matter what size practice you have, there are always opportunities to find qualified contacts and turn them into happy patients.
Author Resource:
Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2005 the company did over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made Inc. Magazine's prestigious Inc 500 List as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the nation. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. As an Expert Author, she is always willing to share her marketing advice through articles, interviews and speaking engagements. PostcardMania is a full service postcard direct mail marketing company which includes graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services with free marketing advice. They help small businesses all over the country to expand through the use of direct mail marketing techniques. For a free dental industry report visit www.PostcardMania.com/DentalPostcards
You can download the first three chapters of Joy's book "The Ultimate Postcard Marketing Success Manual" here: www.PostcardMarketingSuccessManual.com
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