Have you been thinking about sending newsletters to your patients?
A newsletter is a tool to connect with your current and future patients. Think of it as an investment for your medical practice.
What is a newsletter?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a newsletter as “a small publication (such as a leaflet or newspaper) containing news of interest chiefly to a special group”.
Based on its definition, a newsletter should be small. I would say short and concise.
It must contain news of interest, which means it should be informative and entertaining.
It must appeal to a special group: your patients. They will feel acknowledged if they receive information catered to them by their doctor.
What characteristics must a newsletter have?
A newsletter should be brief, relevant, accurate, and up to date. The author must tailor its content to the interests or needs of the readers.
In particular, a medical practice publication should abide by the best medical practices and reflect the services you provide.
A newsletter should be visually appealing and easy to digest. In the internet social media era, readers want to skim and scan1 the content. Your readers will be patients with different backgrounds, ages, and educational levels. Make it understandable.
The design should allow for quick and easy reading. Besides pictures, a newsletter may include sidebars, captions, quotes, or lists.1
A regular schedule for the mailings is a defining characteristic of a newsletter. But one must be strategic about its timing. Sending the publications too often may be considered spam. Sending them too sparingly will defeat the purpose of the newsletter-the connection to your patients. A good frequency for publications would be every other week, every month, or every 3 to 4 months.
What are the functions of a newsletter?
The functions of a newsletter are to build credibility, spotlight the company (in this case, your practice), educate, and market.2
What are the benefits?
A newsletter is an effective marketing tool for your medical practice. It may help increase traffic to your website, making it more visible in web browsers. Once anyone finds and enters your webpage during a browse search, they could subscribe to your mailing list- a way to reach potential patients.
Including links to your blog and social media will help promote the engagement of patients and the community with your practice.
A regular newsletter will make your patients feel acknowledged. Building trust and rapport with your patients is an invaluable practice asset.
Your patients will gain more insight into their health, one of the many benefits of patient education.
Providing expert content establishes you as an authority in your field.
Your publications may keep your patients informed about anything new that goes on in your practice- like new treatments or changes in the office hours.
The investment of a newsletter for your medical practice is minimal, and you will notice considerable rewards.
Contact me for newsletter and blogging services for medical practices.
References
- Stephens P. Writing Health Care Newsletters for Today’s “Google and Go” Generation. AMWA Journal 2009; 24 (3).
- Dorsey, Monica. “Functions of a Newsletter” bizfluent.com https://bizfluent.com/list-6700088-functions-newsletter.html
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