Social Marketing - Email Marketing

In the September 20, 2012 blog post we talked about social media taking a stagnant marketing campaign to being one that is more interactive to your target audience with inbound and outbound components. So, today we are going to talk about one form that can be both inbound and outbound, Email Marketing.  RBD works with our clients to establish a target geographic area to attract and retain patients. When you embark on an email marketing campaign, it is best to have a plan in place for a few campaigns before you begin. For instance, what do you want to accomplish over a period of time?  Let the target audience get to know a little about you and your practice.  An offer to entice new patients to come into your practice. Talk about a treatment or procedure unique to your practice. Educate your target audience about their dental health.  Regardless of the primary focus, email marketing is a great way to be interactive. Sending an email marketing campaign is outbound marketing, one way to also make it inbound is to encourage the recipient to “learn more” by directing them to your website. When someone goes to your website they will learn more about the practice, thereby building trust and confidence in you and your practice.

Let’s look at 5 Key Elements of Email Marketing Offer:

1. Look, content and a solid offer are essential. You want your email campaign to be well produced with content that excites and entices. Less is more but less also can force interaction with the recipient.
2. Strong call to action.  What do you want the recipient to do (i.e. call, email, set appointment, etc.)? By when do you want the recipient to take action? – have a deadline, don’t leave an offer open ended.
3. How is your offer adding value? – People want to see the value immediately. Value can be an outcome of services, discount, free service, etc. Make life easier.
4. Follow-up Respond – Remember that email marketing is a component of social marketing.  You want to make sure your message is welcoming the recipient to explore and learn more. If you direct a recipient to contact you make sure you respond promptly. This is a great way to brand your practice as a viable business and that your staff cares enough to react quickly.
5. Show a little bit of you – Maximize the time you will have in front of a recipient. What sets you apart from others in your area? Talk a little about your culture?  Mention staff?

Email marketing is a great, inexpensive way to begin a Social Marketing program that can help you develop a strong overall social media marketing program over time. Remember this blog is interactive, so if you have had some success with email marketing, take a minute and post your success for your peers to see. As always, we welcome your input and value our relationship with you.