The dos and don'ts of e-mail marketing

Mar 29, 2009

Editor's note: Richard Geller's column, Marketing Madness, appears regularly on the DrBicuspid.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion.

I have a secret to share with you. It will blow apart the limits on your practice marketing.

It will make you recession-proof.

It will completely turn things around for you, and it is something that is proven again and again.

But the problem is that it is not sexy. It is not all that new. And you will probably do it all wrong if you try it yourself without a bit of education.

I'm talking about a way to build relationships with prospective patients ... via e-mail.

That's right, e-mail.

Dos

Here are what I've learned about using e-mail to get results. And I run several businesses totaling in the seven figures using what I am going to tell you now. And it has been tested for dentists.

Write very frequently to your list. (See my previous articles on this topic.)
Use a voice as you would talk to a trusted friend. Use slang. Be informal. Use short sentences. Lots of white space. Just like you talk to a friend.
Bring up negatives, bring up the nasties. People hate something about the dentist? Bring it up. Then deal with it.
Every e-mail you write, ask them to visit you and give them an offer. Say, "Because I want you to be my trusted friend, call and speak to Missy at 555-1212 and mention she should squeeze you in and get you a sit-down, and a cleaning and x-rays, for only $60." Something like that.

You will be amazed at the results you accomplish if you do e-mail this way.

Don'ts

Now let me tell you how NOT to do e-mail, so you don't bother doing it at all if you are going to mangle it:

E-mail occasionally. That way, people won't remember you and they will hit their "report as spam" button on their MSN, Yahoo, or Gmail account, creating a complaint about you and blocking future e-mails.
Use a stilted voice, say "we" instead of "I," or "our dental practice." Put people at a distance with big words.
Be relentlessly positive. Avoid dealing with people's fears and anxieties.
Don't close them on anything. Just write your name.

Now, there are a lot of other techniques, and I will cover those in future columns. But these will get you miles ahead. In the meantime, please comment on this column, ask questions, and I will answer.

And do make sure you get on my e-mail list at www.Cases4Dentists.com to get my free $60 book (the underground classic on case acceptance) and see how I do e-mail.

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.