It’s never a good feeling when you see that someone unsubscribed from your list. When it happens, it’s enough to make you go down the rabbit-hole of self-doubt and introspection.
I get it. It’s hard to not take it personally.
But don’t start beating yourself up about how terrible you are as a practitioner or a novice email-writer. The problem may not have anything to do with you. It could be that your patients have come down with a simple case of email fatigue.
What Is Email Marketing Fatigue?
Think back to the last time you opened your inbox. How many newsletters, today-only offers or marketing promotions would you say you get in a single day? Do you ever just scroll past them without even a glance? And when you’re finally sick and tired of them, do you get tired of having to delete every single one?
This is called email fatigue.
It’s a fancy way of saying that someone’s too tired, too frustrated, or too overwhelmed to open one…more…email. It’s when they receive 320,482,309 emails a day, and they’ve reached their limit of toleration. They’ve maxed out. They’d rather delete, unsubscribe, or send emails to spam than sit there and sift through a growing pile of unopened emails. You get the picture.
It’s a problem your patients are likely facing, and it’s only getting worse. More and more emails get churned out every year and there’s no sign this will change anytime soon.
So, how do you make your emails stand out so your patients will actually read them? Great question! Here are 5 simple tips to get you going:
1. Start With Your Own Inbox
Pay attention to what makes you open and read an email. Is it…
- A catchy subject line?
- The use of humor?
- Helpful tips?
- Beautiful imagery?
Now, shift gears and think about what makes you delete an email. Does it feel spammy or salesy? Did you even subscribe to the list to begin with?
Jot down a few answers on what you like and what you don’t. How you answer these questions can provide incredible insights about preventing email fatigue for your patients as well.
One huge factor in making sure your emails get read is this: effective emails focus on serving your reader and providing value. You just noted what works and what doesn’t work for you. Now slip into your patients’ shoes. What do you think might work for them?
Pro tip: You can always ask! Create a little survey or ask a few of your favorite patients if they’ll join you for a quick 10-minute chat so you’ll know what they’re really interested in and how to serve them best.
2. Reach Your List by Being Real
The #1 rule for any type of marketing for your practice is to be yourself. If you’re going to actually reach your email list, don’t be afraid to show your heart. Share things like:
- how much you care about their well-being
- why you’re so incredibly passionate about helping them
- how your practice can support their health goals
Being authentic and real helps them see the true you. It helps them relate to you. And when they see you and relate to you, they’ll remember you.
After a year of distancing and isolation, we crave human connection now more than ever. By sharing the real and true you, you’ll attract patients looking for that experience. When people feel like they’ve genuinely connected with you, they turn into patients who love coming in – and can’t wait to share what you do with others!
3. Send a Welcome Email to New Patients
Welcome emails are highly effective — more so than any other type of email. There are a couple of different types of welcome emails you can send out:
- Welcome them to your list. This is for potentially new patients who sign up for your email list through your website.
- Welcome them to your practice. This is for new patients who come and see you.
Let’s focus on this last one. When a new patient comes to see you, it’s absolutely vital to reinforce and build that connection even after they leave by sending them a few follow-up emails. Here are a few thought-starters on what to include:
- Thank them for trusting YOU with their health challenges or goals.
- Tell them how you appreciate them choosing your practice.
- Lay out expectations, answer common questions, or share helpful insights for their health journey.
The point here is to write something meaningful and supportive. To get you started, answer this question: “When I saw a new practitioner myself, what did I want to know when I first went in? What questions did I have after leaving?” Cut out anything that isn’t that.
4. Know When it’s Too Much or Too Little
Highly effective email marketing is a craft, not an exact science. Somewhere between “too much” and “too little” is the happy medium. The key is to not overwhelm your patients with daily emails or disappear for months. Consistency is king.
Here’s what we recommend:
- Start out with a 3-part welcome email series.
- Send follow-up emails after appointments and on special occasions (like birthdays).
- Sprinkle in a few value-based emails throughout the month with fun, light-hearted health tips. Starting with two is just fine. I’d cap it at no more than once a week though – for their sake and yours!
Remember – if your content is valuable to them, they will read, save and even share your emails. It may take some time to find your groove so be patient with yourself. There’s no harm in getting started. Keep playing with it until you find what works best for your patients AND is something you can stay consistent with.
5. Make Use of Videos in Your Emails
Today, more businesses use videos to connect and share information than ever before. Video helps us process information more quickly and with greater retention rates. In fact, 95% of videos are remembered versus only 10% for text. People looooove videos, so it’s time to give them what they want.
Imagine your patients opening your email and having a smile spread across their face because they get to see YOUR face rather than a wall of text. Videos are a powerful way to express your personality, share your staff’s vibe, offer how-to tips, or show how to do a simple stretch.
So, get creative and hit record.
Increase Your Effective Email Marketing and Watch Your Patient Connections Grow
Sometimes, no matter what you try or how captivating your emails are, people will still unsubscribe. That’s totally okay! You want your email list to be overflowing with people who LOVE your message, your vibe and what you stand for.
Effective email marketing is something that takes practice and consistency. If you’re running short on time or have zero desire to write your own emails, let us help. We take the email marketing pressure off the shoulders of hundreds of practitioners each month.
To see if we’d be a great fit, get started by signing up for a free marketing evaluation. We’d love to chat!
