Would you like a simple way to attract more patients to your dental practice? Of course, you do! Here’s a seemingly crazy idea that just might work—mail out a postcard that offers special deals on certain services. According to business studies conducted by MailShark, 41 percent of consumers are very likely and another 41 percent are somewhat likely to act on a special offer they receive in the mail. That’s a lot of potentially interested customers!
Clearly, special offers are worth further consideration. Get the answers to your questions about making this bold move in the content below.
How Do Special Offers Bring In More Patients?
Some research indicates that one of the main reasons that people don’t visit the dentist is the cost. Special offers are an opportunity to show prospective patients that you are reasonable and flexible when it comes to financial options. Although you may sacrifice a small amount of money to provide these discounts, in the long run, you are gaining trust and interest in your practice, which is ultimately priceless!
In addition, you can determine whether your postcard was successful in garnering more patients by including a specific tracking number. That way you can document how many callers used that specific postcard.
How Many Special Offers Should You Have?
No one is suggesting that you discount all your services. For one thing, there’s not enough room on the postcard for that! Most of the time, having two to three special deals is sufficient to catch your audience’s attention and pique their interest. Just be sure they are deals that you are willing to honor when patient call and come in.
What Special Offers Should You Use?
Out of the many services you offer, it can be a difficult choice to pick just a few for your postcard. You could offer a free dental cleaning and exam, a free consultation for dental implants or Invisalign, a discounted rate for monthly payments for braces, or a free teeth whitening treatment, depending on what services you provide.
Keep in mind that the special offers don’t necessarily have to involve services you wish to do more often. For example, you may want more implant cases, but you don’t have to present an implant-related discount. Most people switch to a new dentist for a cleaning and checkup or for teeth whitening and not because of a special procedure.
Often, the catalyst for a change is discounts or deals on these simple services, which gets customers through the door. At that point, it’s up to your team to demonstrate excellent customer service, clinical prowess, and friendly chairside manner to keep patients coming back for more advanced and lucrative procedures.
In the end, your audience gets bombarded with so much marketing every day that you need to try something a little bolder to stand out. The next time you get a postcard ready, think about offering a special deal and see what kind of response you get!
About Strategic Marketing Solutions
Unlike other marketing companies, Strategic Marketing Solutions still strongly believes in the power of a well-designed, well-planned postcard. However, we also provide online marketing tools, such as pay-per-click and SEO campaigns and website design. If you would like to talk about your direct mail marketing for your small business or dental practice, reach out to our team online here.