In a world dominated by email and e-commerce, direct mail marketing may seem like an outdated way to reach customers. However, consider that the average consumer receives 16 emails for every one direct mail piece, according to Big Commerce. A well-designed and targeted direct mail campaign can be a very effective way to bring in new customers, retain current customers and re-enlist lapsed customers.

Based on my recent experience, I will talk here about the dental industry which has seen success with employing the following direct mail strategies through dental newsletters and postcards.

The first step is to strategically target your direct mail campaign. There are many different ways to target. It can be done using a combination of geographic and demographic factors.

Targeting by location is also an effective tactic for dental marketing because many people choose a dentist based on proximity and convenience. Target more than 5,000 households in the area around an office, then move out to surrounding zip codes if the first mailing is successful and the demographics match your target new patient. Demographic targeting is a solid strategy. Healthcare industry research shows women make the majority of healthcare choices for a household, so targeting content to the female head of household may be valuable. If a practice’s services are high-end, it may want to target higher-income areas and neighborhoods.

In defining the target audience, consider some of the following points:

• Prospect’s trust must be earned, so regular and consistent communication is critical
• Experienced marketers know that in relation to performance there are three keys that will impact a successful direct mail campaign; in order:  the quality of your mailing list, your offer and your creative.
• Discount offers and deadlines create urgency to respond and can also support and highlight your unique competitive advantages

And finally your creative content must grab attention and focuses on an individual practice’s strengths. Appealing visuals can go a long way towards standing out in a stack of mail. Choose stock images that feature individuals with excellent teeth and attractive smiles, or for a more personalized – and effective feel – use images of the actual dental staff. Best practices say not to use images of people actually in the dentist chair.

The messaging will be different for each audience and mailing list. The message for senior denture care would be very different from the messaging about invisible braces for teenagers. The messaging should also highlight the practice strengths that set it apart from the competition. If an office has convenient appointment times, specializes in gentle procedures or has excellent pediatric dentistry, that message that should be front and center on the dental marketing piece. Customer testimonials also can help tell the story of a specialized dental practice.

A critical but often overlooked part of ensuring the success of a direct mail piece is checking all the contact information is correct.  It is important to confirm (and phone) the phone number, ensure the office address and any other contact information is accurate before approving. A small map of the office location are proven to be more far more effective, than an image of the practice, for example; to a dental postcard.

In the end, putting striking visuals and a clear message in the right mailbox can help boost client numbers and revenue for any dental practice.

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