If you are searching for the answer to “What types of direct mail are best for healthcare providers?”, we want you to actually think of it in terms of “What should you do with your healthcare direct mail to produce the best results for your practice, facility or hospital?”.
In this article, we will explain in greater detail how you can achieve better direct mail marketing ROI in the healthcare space. We will also share examples so you can get a definitive idea on how to perform each step successfully.
The Power of Personalization
It seems obvious to say that personalized content is important for successful patient engagement. However, it never hurts to remind anyone planning a direct mail campaign to add a personal touch to their marketing message. These personalized touches can include patient education information, the sharing of benefits of using their services, and an emphasis on patient savings.
Educational Materials – Informing and Engaging Patients
Information is key to making a successful decision when patients are weighing their options. Healthcare direct mail should never downplay the importance of informative brochures and booklets that make it easy for patients to understand their options when it comes to treatments and the credibility of the medical office.
Targeted Mailing Lists for Precision Marketing
Direct mail marketing will not be successful if the marketing materials are sent to random households hoping to reach an interested party. Instead, a targeted mailing list needs to be created in order to reach the right people in the right location. The use of demographics and patient data are vital in creating targeted mailing lists that include the names and addresses of the type of patients that utilize the advertised healthcare services on a regular basis.
Incorporating Offers and Incentives
Everyone loves an offer that increases their customer experience and that includes incorporating offers in all types of direct mail marketing. These offers can vary per campaign but there are certain examples that do well with the public. They include providing a financial incentive to patients who complete a survey, sales promotions such as free samples and trials, or loyalty programs that provide coupons or free branded promotional items. These incentives make patients feel appreciated and encourage repeat business that increases ROI numbers.
Utilizing Postcards for Cost-Effective Communication
Postcards are an easy way to deliver a concise message that still makes an impact on the public. When it comes to the healthcare sector, postcards can announce the grand opening of a new location, introduce a new physician, or promote educational classes or online webinars.
Newsletters: Building Long-Term Relationships
Newsletters make patients feel like they have an “inside track” to the healthcare office and encourage both patient engagement and patient loyalty. The newsletter can include visual content that makes information less text-heavy and easier to visualize, patient education information that can be related to office information or how to address certain health concerns, or a call-to-action such as scheduling an appointment or signing up for a program at the healthcare office.
Integrating Technology with Direct Mail
Successful direct mail marketing has evolved past the simple use of only a print postcard or newsletter to deliver a message. Physical direct mail combined with a digital component allows healthcare marketers to provide more information. Whether the tech-enhanced content is a QR code that takes patients to a personalized website for more information or augmented reality (AR) devices that provide customer experiences through mobile devices or wearable devices.
Compliance and Ethics in Healthcare Direct Mail
Healthcare direct mail needs to be careful to follow HIPAA regulations when sharing information that is “need to know ” (treatment plans, etc.) without violating HIPAA regulations. Medical offices need to develop policies and procedures that give guidance to the staff in handling patient information of a sensitive nature while still providing enough of an incentive for patients to contact the office to perform the desired action.
Measuring Success – Analytics and Feedback
Once the direct mail campaign is either underway or completed, the healthcare facility needs to analyze the results and measure patient feedback. Some examples of metrics that can be used to determine the success of the campaign include revenue growth, new patient numbers, and how many direct mail recipients performed the desired action. Once the data is studied and analyzed, the healthcare provider can use it to improve their services and elevate their next direct mail campaign.
Ready to increase your ROI with your upcoming healthcare direct mail campaign? Call our expert team today.
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