Email marketing has been around since the early days of the web, but it remains one of the most powerful channels for promoting your business. Study after study shows that email delivers the biggest bang for your advertising bucks - with one recent report pegging the return on your investment (ROI) at a jaw-dropping 4300%.

Of course, dental practices are not ordinary businesses. Dentists need to promote themselves to new audiences without undermining the unique, personal relationship they have with each patient. They also know that a portion of their patient base is anxious and perhaps hesitant to seek care - and thus may not be thrilled to hear from their dentist. And of course, dentists have to observe stringent regulations around protected health information (PHI) in every patient communication.

Fortunately, it’s still possible to work within these constraints and build an email marketing program that delights patients and creates new business. Whether you rely on patient relationship management software (like NexHealth) to simplify and automate marketing, or whether you prefer a more old-fashioned, manual approach to email, following best practices will help you solidify your brand voice and increase conversions. Here are five of the most important email marketing basics for your practice to observe:

1. Invest in your subject line

A great subject line catches the eye and sparks curiosity about the rest of the email. Boring subject lines have just the opposite effect - the reader’s eyes glaze over and chances plummet that your email will be opened. Glance very quickly at these two examples and see which one better snags your attention:

  • Annual reminder to schedule a dental cleaning after Halloween

  • Halloween special: Strike back against Zombie Teeth!

Why is the second line more effective? There are a few things to notice here. First, the more ‘exciting’ words are frontloaded in the sentence. This is extremely important, because your reader’s attention span is limited. If you don’t grab them from the first word, you might lose them entirely. “Halloween” is more exciting than “annual,” and “special” is more exciting than “reminder.” (It also doesn’t hurt to have the word “zombie” thrown in there!) Frontloading is a basic principle of ad copy, but you’d be surprised how frequently it’s ignored.

Second, the action is more intriguing. “Strike back” is an unusual and vivid phrase to see in your email - as opposed to “schedule,” which is easily overlooked. You can also combine this with the previous tip and frontload your verb for extra oomph.

Finally, it’s shorter. There’s considerable debate about the ideal length for a subject line. Some studies have suggested that longer subject lines are ideal (i.e. around 65 characters), while other research has favored shorter subject lines (i.e. 49 characters or fewer). But given that mobile devices are increasingly becoming the dominant platform for people to read email, we’d recommend ‘short but sweet’ as the safe bet. That brings us to our next point...

2. Write for mobile readers

It’s no secret that mobile web usage has been growing rapidly. In fact, mobile overtook desktop internet for the first time last year - and the trend is continuing. That means you’re risking irrelevance if your email campaigns aren’t mobile-optimized.

So how do you write emails for a mobile audience? It turns out there’s no silver bullet for this transition. Rather, there are a number of small adjustments you should make.

First, keep it pithy. Remember that less copy fits on smaller screens. The more your readers have to scroll, the less likely they are to make it to the end. So don’t overwrite your emails, and put the most important ideas first. (Remember frontloading? It’s important here, too.)

Second, make sure your email translates visually to the smaller screen. Images that look appealing on a large desktop may be cramped or even broken on mobile. Two-column layouts can require zooming and scanning. Buttons may become so tiny they’re difficult to tap. (This is especially crucial for your ‘Call to Action’ button. See the next section for more detail.)

Fortunately, there are mobile-ready email templates available for most email software (e.g. MailChimp). And services that automate your email marketing (like NexHealth) will make mobile optimization seamless. But if you’re unsure, try testing your emails with a tool like Inbox Inspector (which is free) or Litmus (which is more robust, but requires a paid subscription). These services can help you quickly test how your email looks on various mobile clients and devices.

3. Present a Call to Action

Every time you communicate with your patients, you have an opportunity to make a polite request. This ‘Call to Action’ (CTA), as it’s known in marketing lingo, is the beating heart of your promotion effort. For your messaging to be effective, your CTA must be crystal clear. Otherwise, patients won’t understand why you’re emailing them, and might ignore future messages from you.

So what makes a CTA compelling? Word choice, layout, and visual design should all work together to promote it. A great CTA will be large, clear, bright, and visible - ideally, with some empty space around it to guide the eye. Check out some examples here.

You should also pay special attention to word choice. A powerful CTA usually begins with a verb. Buy now. Try it for free. See your results. These are common phrases in advertising language because they lead with a simple, blunt verb that the reader grasps instantly.

For your dental practice, the right call to action might be ‘Book an appointment’ or ‘Call us today.’ If patients can book online with your practice, even better: make your CTA a large, clear button that they can tap on the spot.

There is an exception to the CTA rule. If you send patients a non-transactional email - for instance, to wish them a happy birthday, or a happy new year - you don’t need a call to action. These emails are more about communicating warmth and friendliness, and reminding patients that your practice is there for them. Some email marketers would call this ‘awareness marketing’ (as opposed to ‘response marketing’), and it’s a great, low-cost way to strengthen your patient relationships. But if you’re looking for an ROI on your email campaign, make sure these emails are the exception, rather than the rule.

4. Think seasonally

When patients open an email from your practice, they’re looking for the why. Why did you send them a message? What’s the point?

This is an issue many practices struggle with. From a healthcare provider’s perspective, the point of communicating is obvious: bring the patient in for routine care. But from the patient’s perspective, that’s not enough. They know your practice exists, and they’ll [eventually!] get around to booking a cleaning.

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: the calendar. As the seasons change and new holidays approach, there’s always a reason to shoot your patients a quick email. You might send a fun, candy-themed campaign for Valentine’s day, a more heartfelt message for the winter holidays, and a back-to-school themed campaign in the fall.

Feeling a bit more adventurous? How about an email for World UFO Day (July 2), Pickle Day (November 14), or Ugly Sweater Day (December 19)? Considering all the crazy, whimsical holidays at your disposal, the possibilities are limitless.

Whatever reason you give for emailing your patients, make sure the content can stand on its own. Bear in mind that your patients are busy - and perhaps a bit cynical - and ask yourself: Does the email give them a reason to smile? Will they remember it later on? Will it stand out from a dozen other marketing emails they might receive? If you’re not sure, get a second opinion from friends, family, or office staff. Your marketing emails represent you, so you should only send them if you’re proud of them. And that brings us to our final point…

5. Find your voice

Building a consistent brand is an art, rather than a science. That makes this the trickiest of our five tips - but also the most rewarding.

Visually, your email marketing should mirror your website, business cards, letterhead, and any other brand assets that patients see. These design subtleties, even if patients don’t pay much attention to them consciously, are essential to building familiarity and trust.

Communicating in language that’s uniquely yours is just as important. All too often, dentists and other healthcare providers get trapped in rigid, stilted language. But an overly-formal email can be just as alienating as an overly-informal one. For most providers, the goal will be to strike a balance. Show that you take your patients’ healthcare seriously without taking yourself quite so seriously.

As long as you’re thoughtful about your approach, this can mean writing emails that are playful and lighthearted. After all, you probably use humor to put patients at ease in person. If that side of your personality comes through in writing, your patients will appreciate it.

Of course, writing is a skill that takes time and effort to hone. If you’re not confident in your own writing abilities, consider getting help from a freelance writer on Upwork or Fiverr. Try to find a writer with experience in email marketing and healthcare writing. The one-time cost will be worth your peace of mind, and may create a better-performing end product.

The Bottom Line

Email can be an extremely effective and productive marketing channel for your dental practice. It’s not just a powerful tool for attracting new patients - it’s a way of strengthening your relationships with current patients and building your brand. Make sure you create strong subject lines, offer a clear call to action, tie your campaigns to the season, prioritize your mobile audience, and build a unique voice. There are many further details to master in the world of email, but following these five best practices will create a strong marketing foundation for your practice.

About NexHealth

NexHealth is a patient relationship management suite for healthcare providers. With seamless, digital technology, NexHealth helps providers - from large medical groups to independent practitioners - improve patient retention, simplify officework, and enhance their brand. To learn more, visit NexHealth.com.