When you embark on an Every Door Direct Mail campaign, it is important to consider the potential issues that may hinder your response rates. The design of the message or postcard will go a long way in determining the effectiveness. Think in a linear fashion about the specific message you want to communicate, and the results you wish to obtain. You can inform prospective patients about your chiropractic services and motivate them with a call to action — but what do you want that action to be? A phone call? A visit to your website? Attend a grand opening event? If you want to improve your practice and attract more patients, the following tips will help you to design the best postcards.
1. Select a theme
You need to come up with a singular theme or promotion point for your campaign. Whether you are trying to attract more patients via a free consultation, or you are offering a new service (ie: massage, decompression, etc), make sure your mailer is focused, clear, and full of benefits. A good EDDM design needs to set the purpose for the campaign drive an immediate action. It is about offering information and educating the readers while persuading them to call, click, or visit. When selecting a theme, you have to consider what patients want, what options they have, and how to best position your practice with all things considered.
2. Focus on content
Once you have a clear theme for the campaign, you can focus on the content. From the theme, you can decide the tone you want to take, what you want to say, the images you want to use, and even the layout of the postcard. You have to come up with an attention-grabbing headline that will compel the recipients to read the message. Making an offer is the best way to get the attention of new patients. For example, "End Back Pain Without Surgery -- Call Now!" Be sure to support your headline, claim, or offer with proof in the form of testimonials, photos, and additional content. Reinforce your message while constantly driving the recipient towards taking your desired course of action.
3. Using effective images
Images can be very effective when sending a message. You should include images on the postcard that will help to drive your message home. When choosing images, think of positive pictures that indicate good health and a great lifestyle. Your readers should come away thinking that they can look great and feel happy after seeking your services. Remember that people do not want to see images that are too graphic or disturbing. The goal of the marketing is to make a point -- that you can help people to get over their pain and enjoy their life. The colors you select will go a long way in enhancing the postcard. Find out about colors and the message or mood they evoke in the readers.
To create an effective postcard, you need to show the value of the service. Many people are still not sure how a chiropractor can help them (and believe it or not, many think chiropractic services are a gimmick). You need to educate the readers so that they know how they can benefit from your service. They have to know that they will be getting value for their money.
It doesn't take much...
Remember, even if only a small fraction of recipients convert into new patients, your campaign has the potential to drive substantial revenue. Chiropractic direct mail postcard campaigns are about "scalability" or in other words, the ability to find a revenue source and grow it across multiple locations, areas, and prospective patient profiles.
Good luck and happy marketing!