As a healthcare provider, you need to find new ways to connect with your patients. Email marketing is a great way to do just that, since it gives you a direct line of communication with your potential and existing patients. However, your emails can’t be one-size-fits-all. This is where many newbie email marketers get it wrong.
When your potential patients visit your website, they’re likely at different points in their relationship with your practice. You need a way to meet these people where they are in their lifecycle. This is known as lifecycle email marketing, and it focuses on knowing where your customers are in their individual journey.
No two journeys are alike, so use these strategies and examples below to create an effective lifecycle email marketing campaign that converts in 2021. We’ll examine the many points you might include in your lifecycle emails, as well as effective strategies for making an impact.
Contents
1. Welcome Email
Your first email should always be your welcome email. This is your first direct point of contact with your new lead, and it’s also when the lead is at its warmest (aka most likely to convert). With over 246 billion emails being sent every day, how will yours stand out? Now’s your chance.
Most first-time visitors to your website aren’t ready to book an appointment right away. They need to warm up to you. At this initial stage is where you establish your value and tell your story. You’re brand is building a relationship with your visitor so you can turn them into a customer that’s willing to visit your practice regularly.
How do you get users to sign up for your welcome email? A blog is a great way to do just that. By sharing informative, useful content online, you can entice users to sign up for your practice’s emails. You can include a discount code, a downloadable guide, or anything else you might think will encourage patients to sign up. From there, you’ll move along to the next lifecycle points.
You should also consider a bulk email list verification tool – a tool that makes your life easier when you plan on sending mass emails.
2. Warm Lead
Now that your potential patient knows who you are, you’re past the introductory stage. Now’s the time to establish trust and tell your story. This is when you’ll share who you are, your doctor’s information, and why patients choose you over the competition.
In addition, this is a great opportunity to share any past patient stores such as success stories, emotional testimonials, or anything else your potential patients might relate to. Social proof is a powerful way to build your brand, so don’t be afraid to showcase your brightest stories whether it’s through text, video, or images.
The New York Presbyterian Hospital used their own patient stories to connect to their audience. By linking to these videos in warm lead emails, they can easily establish trust while building an emotional foundation.
3. Looking for Information
Many potential patients sign up for these email lists because they’re in search of information. Some might not yet be ready to speak to a healthcare provider, or they might not know what kind of healthcare they need. It’s your job to ease this transition and answer these questions as best as you can.
While being informative on your website is a great way to create SEO strategy in 2021, you can carry this over to your email marketing as well. How can you provide information in your emails? Here are a few easy ideas:
- Healthy recipes
- Health tips
- Local health concerns
- Signs of common medical problems
- Tips for surviving allergy season
The possibilities are endless! Many of these emails can be automated for less work on your end, and they show potential patients that you’re not just trying to sell them something but actually add value to their lives. For this process, you can use different type of email marketing software tools, like GetResponse or ConvertKit.
4. Ready to Make an Appointment
Finally, you’ll reach the stage in your customer journey where patients are ready to sign up for an appointment. You might offer a free consultation, a discount, or a special extra with their visit to sweeten the deal.
Now’s the time to include a link to your appointment setting form as well as contact information. You want to make it as easy as possible for patients to contact you in just a few clicks or seconds. From there, they transition into an actual patient.
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to convert more online users into patients? If so, you need to master some basics of email marketing. Don’t let email marketing intimidate you. It’s easier than it sounds, and it’s an effective way to build relationships with your customers before they even walk through the door.
Remember the different lifecycle stages when building your emails. It pays to know how your patients are feeling every step of the way.
