Great Marketing Quotes!

The above marketing quote images are not Hubspot.net

New Patients Inc - January 23, 2014 Newsletter

USPS announces increase in rates - won't let anyone know what they are.

  

It likely won't add up to be noticeable, we would expect about $80 to $100 for a normal size mail drop, but the USPS announced bulk rate increases. As usual, they won't really let anyone know what the new rates will be, only that they are going up.

Good news: The lowest rates will be received from those who deliver bulk mail to the bulk mail facilities that have prepared themselves properly by investing in three things.

1.     Have a track record of nearly zero imperfections in their previous dealings with the bulk mail facility 

2.     Use new software to properly certify and sort addresses according to their new receiving technology 

3.     Are ready to deliver through their new automated bulk mail delivery scanners

NPI and its vendors qualify for all 3 of these new "hoops" and have been prepared for this change as the USPS has changed their technologies and their rules. There should be no interruption in service whatsoever. You will receive the lowest possible postage cost for your postcards, tri-folds, and magazines.

  

 New analytics added to monthly Website/SEO/Social media reports

  

If NPI is handling your internet strategy, you already know about the reports you get every month showing the ranking position of your website, by search phrase, and various social media outlets during a google search. We recently added additional performance metrics to the report. Some of those include # of unique visitors, # of PC visitors, # of tablet users, # of mobile visitors, etc. We are also adding a new Google feature to assist in identifying/notifying you of all of the reviews posted about your business. It seems Google's consolidation of reviews is ongoing and they see end user value in listing all reviews for a particular business. Stay tuned to this one. There are people out there selling reputation management services. This new Google feature should all but eliminate the need for you to spend that money.

 Some insight into reputation marketing

Notice we didn't say reputation management? That was on purpose. We know of no true value in delegating "reputation management" to someone else. If we did see value, NPI would be doing it for you.

With online reviews, you have no control over what someone says about you - so, in our eyes anyway, online reputation is not manageable. However, if done properly, your reputation is marketable! And, by properly marketing your reputation, you better manage your reputation!

Reputation marketing (as opposed to reputation management) is about being proactive and taking control of the volume and quality of the online reviews of your dental practice. NPI is working on a combination online and offline system that is easily implemented (key phrase alert) in the dental practice to help systemize reputation marketing with your team and your patients. This should be available 2nd quarter in 2014, so, stay tuned.

 Pedo, selective consumers, & holiday seasons

  

Kind of an odd paragraph title isn't it? You would think the three items had nothing to do with each other. Back in September's newsletter, we announced three distinctly different levels of mail for three distinctly different market segments. Many of you are planning your promotion right now, so we bring postcards, tri-folds, and magazines back to the forefront.

Pedo: July and August in most markets. Targeting is presence of children and households with income thresholds (usually top 60% of the market). Promote pedo ANY TIME the kiddies are home from school. In most markets, July and August are obvious. Another consideration is spring break time. Any time the kids are home from school, you eliminate one step for mom. She knows this and values this. She will respond in greater numbers during these time frames.

Selective consumers: Selective consumers are those in the top half of your market, that you are reaching with your message, but they simply haven't responded yet. They will, you just haven't coaxed them over the fence yet. Selective consumers typically have either one specific need or a list of specific dental needs, and they have had these needs/wants for a long time. For some reason, they haven't pulled the trigger. NPI's 8 page magazines are specifically for the most selective consumers in your marketplace. The magazines tend to generate a low call volume, but a ridiculously (read: off the charts) high average revenue per patient. These patients are the most scared, the most embarrassed, the most disenchanted, or the best dental procrastinators in your market area. No matter what category they come from, when they respond, it is usually a very large case.

Holiday seasons: How many of you had a slow November and December? Fix it. Next November and December, send use it or lose it postcards to the masses (not just your own patients). Use it or Lose it postcards simply convey the same information as the popular internal promotions (your benefits are going away soon), but instead, you are letting the whole public know! You will be leveraging the public's affection for procrastination.

If you are mailing other pieces (tri-folds and/or magazines) throughout the year and stop mailing between Nov 15 through Jan 1, no need to get a new mailing list. Just send the postcards to your existing mailing list. Holiday season campaigns typically involve 3 drops to your mail list. Typical timing would be to deliver the first drop around Nov 15, 2nd drop around Dec 1, and the third drop around Dec 15.

No matter who does your practice promotion, consider these three ways to help turn the down months, into much better months for your practice.

Do you have a topic you would like covered in an upcoming newsletter? Ask here. 

Just email either Howie Horrocks (whh@newpatientsinc.com ) or Mark Dilatush (markd@newpatientsinc.com) with your topic. We will get them into the newsletter.

   

If any of you need us, just call 866.336.8237. We will be here for you.

  

Got questions? Want to learn more?   

You can reach Mark & Howie at:

Howie: whh@newpatientsinc.com

Mark: markd@newpatientsinc.com

Check out our latest dental marketing book