marketing matters

Why Email Marketing Works

by Wendy Lowe

Mention email marketing to independent ECPs and you may find that many are still hesitant to move away from tried-and-true methods like snail mail. Others, however, are rapidly discovering that email marketing is one of the most effective means of generating sales.

Want proof? When Shop.org surveyed retailers for their State of Retailing Online report, they found that email was the most-mentioned successful tactic overall. And, research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association demonstrated that email outperforms all other forms of direct marketing.

The bigger question, of course, is why? There are several reasons, and eyecare professionals who embrace these principles will find themselves looking at new prospects as well as repeat business.

1 BROAD REACH. These days, it's tough to find anyone who doesn't have at least one email address, which means you can reach out to your entire patient or prospect base. Just be sure to get their permission first.

2 PROACTIVE. Email marketing goes directly to a place people are already looking—their inbox. And unlike paper-based mail or ads, email gives readers the opportunity to contact you directly by simply clicking a mouse.

3 TARGETED. Most forms of advertising are based on the concept that if you hit thousands of people, a few are likely to respond. Email marketing, though, is based on the idea of sending the right message directly to the right people.

You can build one master list, then segment it by geographic location, marital status, age, gender, income, time of year, etc. It eliminates a lot of the guesswork that can make other forms of marketing less efficient.

4 ACCESSIBLE DATA. If you're using an email marketing application or service designed for small business, you can run reports that show which emails or messages worked, as well as which didn't, so you can improve your next campaign. You can even run split tests, sending one offer or message to half of your list and a different one to the other half.

5 ENGAGING. Your real goal is to build a relationship with a broader base of prospects so they think of you whenever it's time to attend to vision needs. Email marketing allows you to engage them, and keep them engaged, on a regular basis.

6 LOW COST. Email marketing has very little up-front cost, allowing you to market effectively without having to stop your core business work for long periods to get it done.

7 LESS INTRUSIVE. Opening email is the activity your customers and prospects are engaged in when they see your message.

Email marketing is measurable. Done correctly, it allows you to become—and remain—visible to patients and prospects with highly targeted messages, all at a minimal cost to your practice. EB

Wendy Lowe is director of product marketing for Campaigner (www.campaigner.com). She can be reached at wlowe@protus.com.