No one ever said marketing is easy. Getting the most out of your marketing spend has always been one of the most important aspects of a successful campaign. This is what makes direct mail marketing an integral part of a dental practice’s new patient acquisition as it is one of the most cost effective solutions. There’s a lot that will go into the planning and execution of your direct mail piece, in this blog we will cover 3 great tips to make sure you have the best foundation possible when it comes time to plan and execute your mailers.
1. Understand Your Audience
Does your practice attract a lot of families? Older patients? Make sure you have a clear understanding of the type of patient that commonly visits your practice. While you may want to branch out and try new things, in order to get the most out of your marketing spend you will want to design your offers and mailers to best target the types of individuals that live in your area. Focus on demographics such as age, family size and income when designing your pieces to make sure your offers and design speak directly to your target audience. You wouldn’t want to send a special promotion on dentures to an area full of college students.
2. Be the Customer
Once you have identified the type of patient you are trying to attract, put yourself in their shoes to see if your offers (gotta have those!) would motivate you to schedule an appointment. This will help you ask yourself “is this offer strong enough?” It’s also great to get some outside feedback to help get a better understanding of how people will view your mailing piece. Ask them to take a look at it and see what they noticed first and then the last thing they remember from it once you take it back. You’ll want to make sure what stands out to them was exactly what your mailer was trying to achieve, if not you can make some tweaks.
3. Stand Out!
Have some direct mail pieces that were sent to your house on hand? Bring them all together and see if you notice any trends or similar colors used in these pieces. You’ll want to make sure your mailers don’t just blend in with the competition or if they are for dental offices, have the same or better offers then yours. The design and imagery is the best way to get the attention of potential patients and your mailer should be laid out so that it easily directs their eyes to your offers and services to motivate scheduled appointments.
Following these tips will help set up your direct mail campaign for success! SmartPractice partners with dental offices each year to help them achieve the new patient growth their practice needs. If you have any questions about direct mail marketing or would like to get a free evaluation of your own local area, give us a call at 800.522.0800 ext 7568. We’ll be happy to help!
I have done paper marketing with Smart Practice for a long time. I have a website which is being redesigned at the moment and will be renewed soon. I have been approached by many companies promising, promising, promising the moon and stars without any guarantee. I know it is hard to guarantee results, and I really do not expect that. What I cannot tolerate is high priced marketing without a guarantee. I would rather have multiple marketing sources, identify the best ROI investments, and then go with it on a gradually increasing budget which is paid by the cash flow as it occurs (if it occurs!).
Since I have a longterm relationship (not easily formed) with Smart Practice I would like to know if you wish to assist me in this effort?
I know what relationship marketing is, and I don’t think Smart Practice is only about that. My definition of “relationship marketing” is the appearance of concern, friendship and caring about another person or company for money. I am not wanting that. I want results, not only nice words which do not help. For example the telephone company (AT&T) has been giving me things that do not work for years, and now I don’t want them because they make promises (and contracts) which sound great and do not work. I spend more with them than I get back. Any business owner or for that matter any one at all knows that cannot last long.
Therefore, since you contacted me, let me know what you can do for me given the ideas I have just listed.
PS: I am very good at a discipline in dentistry (surgical implantology–1 extra year of university training) which most dentists are much less skilled at regarding success with long term positive results. This certainly counts for market differentiation.
I have even invented a procedure to do bone grafting faster, simpler, better and less expensively, which I will try to patent.
I will look forward to your response.
Dr Stuart Smith
Thanks for the reply Stuart. Marketing is definitely something that needs testing and evaluation to make sure you’re getting the best ROI possible. We work with lots of dental practices each year to make sure our marketing solutions fit the needs and strengths of the practice.
Let me know if you have any questions and we will reach out to you by email shortly!