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Issue #40 - 3.04.08
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8 Secrets to Success with Direct Mail
Direct mail can be the most powerful form of advertising or external marketing used by dental practices when executed properly. Here are eight secrets that I rely on to make sure that my clients get the best return on their investment in direct mail.
Mistake 1: A poor mailing list
Do you know what the most important part of your direct mail campaign is? It’s the mailing list. A great direct mail piece with great writing and beautiful graphic design might pull double the response of a poorly created direct mail piece. However, the best list can improve response many times more than a bad list used with an otherwise great piece of mail.
A mailing list is not just a way of reaching your market. It IS the market. Age, income, home-ownership, children in the home, marital status, distance from your practice and other important demographic data must be considered and analyzed when purchasing or renting a mailing list.
The best list available to you is your list of patients who previously visited your practice or responded to other marketing attempts.
Mistake 2: Not testing
Big consumer companies fanatically test their direct mail. Dentists rarely track response or test different mailing pieces or lists against each other. As a result, they repeat their failures and have no idea what works or doesn’t in direct mail.
A good idea is to look to a professional dental marketing agency that has had the benefit of trial and error on a national level with many types of direct mail.
Mistake 3: Not using a letter
A well-written sales letter can be the most important part of your direct-mail campaign. In a recent marketing article about a company that tested two basic direct mail pieces. Mailer “A” consisted of a sales letter and reply form. Mailer “B” was a large postcard. The result? “A” out pulled “B” by a 3-to-1 ratio. Postcards can be very effective and shouldn’t be overlooked, but letters are often hard to beat.
Consumers are trained to view letters as “real” mail, and postcards as “advertising.” Often a combination of both letters and postcards alternated to a particular list will ensure that the list is hit hard from different angles to achieve the best response rate.
Mistake 4: Not having an offer
An offer is what the consumer “gets” when they respond to your mailing. A direct-mail package should sell the offer, not the practice. For example, if I mail a letter describing free whitening for life, my letter is not going to do the whole job of convincing the reader to become a long-term patient. But the offer is capable of swaying a consumer to at least show interest enough to call the practice.
Have a well-thought-out offer in every mailing. An ad that ran in a local newspaper offered free whitening as the anchor offer. The dentist received dozens of replies. An identical ad was run but it promoted whitening at a discount price of $49 instead of the normal price of $199. Number of responses the second time? Only one.
Mistake 5: Being too subtle
Some dentists like the idea of being soft and smooth without looking too aggressive. This approach is a mistake that may be very expensive.
The typical consumer reads for four seconds before deciding whether to continue reading or stop. Your letter or card must grab attention immediately. So start your letter with a powerful and compelling sales point and never slow down.
Ask a provocative question, going straight to the heart of the reader’s most pressing problem or concern. Lead off with a fascinating fact or incredible statistic. State your offer up-front, especially if it involves a free offer.
Know the “hot spots” of your direct mail piece—the places that get the most readerships. They include: the first paragraphs of the letter, its subheads, its last paragraph and the post-script (80% of readers look at the PS); the post card headline; picture captions; and the subheading near any offer. Put your strongest selling efforts in these spots.
Mistake 6: The magic words
Many dentists operate under the mistaken notion that their objective is to be “different” and “unique” and avoid the magic words of direct mail because they are cliché. Here are four of the magic words you should include in your direct mail campaigns:
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Free. Say free toothbrush, not complimentary toothbrush. Say free consultation, not initial consultation. Say free whitening, not inexpensive whitening.
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No Obligation. Important when you are offering anything free. If patients aren’t obligated to stay on as a long-term patient, say so. Consumers need to be reassured that there are no strings attached.
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Announcing or At Last. Consumers love to think they are getting in on the ground floor of a new thing. Making your mailing an announcement increases its attention-getting powers.
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New. “New” is sheer magic in consumer mailings. But it can be a double-edged sword in dental marketing. On one hand, consumers want something new. On the other hand, they demand dental services with proven performance.
Mistake 7: Starting with your practice in mind—not the consumer The reader opening your sales letter only wants to know, “What’s in it for me? How will I come out ahead by becoming your patient instead of another dentist?”
Focus on the consumer. Ask your typical patient, “What’s the biggest problem you have right now?” Your direct mail piece should address such problems, and then promise a solution. Most dentists focus their message on their unique credentials and degrees, their beautiful office and their wonderful team. Focus on a flexible schedule, payment options, convenient location and the insurance accepted.
Mistake 8: Creating and reviewing direct mail by committeeIs your direct mail piece being reviewed by committees made up of people who have no idea (a) what direct mail is; (b) how it works; or (c) how it should be designed? Your spouse or your dental assistants base their opinions on their own personal prejudices and buying habits that often don’t reflect your entire community. Why pay experts to create mailings based on long years of trial-and-error experience, and then deprive yourself of that knowledge by letting personal opinions get in the way?
Interested in knowing more about how to market your practice? Click Here
To reach Joel Harris Email him at Joel@thedentistsnetwork.net
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