Building Connection: A Newsletter Guide for Portland Health Practices
Physicians and patients engage in meaningful interactions in offices and facilities daily, all over Portland. But for clients who don’t regularly see doctors or seek physical aid, how can physicians maintain and build positive associations outside of their PDX office? An old school tactic worth investigating is crafting a newsletter. In today’s world, your newsletter can easily be digital or produced as a hard-copy letter that’s printed locally by a print shop.
For any industry that values wellness and holistic health, maintaining successful and open communication is key. Newsletters, despite seeming rudimentary, convey time and effort; written word lets busy Portland practitioners connect with clients. As a Portland-based physician, to help keep your customers and clients more engaged, read about these strategies to learn how a newsletter can help you achieve the best results for your doctor-patient relationships.
Create Added Value for Your PDX Clients
Whether you’re a dentist or a dermatologist, your Portland patients will have one thing in common: curiosity. Patients may wonder: how well versed is my healthcare practitioner in current industry trends? What are the most credible digital sources for follow up information after a visit?
A newsletter is an effective tool to not only satiate a patient’s curiosity, but also to establish a reason for the content to be worth reading. In order for a newsletter to be an effective marketing campaign, the newsletter must contain information that people actually want to read, or even better, info that they will enjoy reading. So be sure to include sources of aid, but also touch on subjects that are equally as entertaining as they are relevant.
Offer an Incentive Through the Patient Newsletter
Eager to continue building relationships with existing clients, or to reach out and build a larger client base in the greater Portland area? A newsletter may be old school, but it’s a familiar medium, and it’s a great way to connect with new and familiar clients alike.
Our suggestion for how to solicit clients as subscribers? Take a lesson from clothing and retailer brands: incentivize your product. If you are trying out a new product or method in your PDX office, then include a special offer in the newsletter. Whether it is an offer for a first-time subscriber or a rewards-based system, offering potential clients a prorated or added service can help drive business.
Craft a Positive Tone in Your Patient Newsletter
People may hold preconceptions of healthcare facilities as being sterile, which is an idea you can tactfully address in a newsletter by presenting your information in a positive tone.
A newsletter is more than a form or a transmittal of information, it is an opportunity to connect with people in Portland and beyond. So be sure to embrace the human element! Keep your writing conversational, embrace brevity, and practice empathy. By demonstrating you view clients as people whom you are eager to help and connect with, you are likely to not only develop meaningful doctor-patient relationships, but also to build a positive reputation for you and your Portland health practice.
The Best Patient Newsletters Retain Brevity
Medical information can be difficult to distill; we get that. But the most effective newsletters are characterized by brevity. By keeping your messaging short and sweet, patients can digest information in a way that’s informative, not intimidating.
Another benefit to keeping your message concise? Less text allows for more white space, which improves readability for subscribers. Make sure that your information doesn’t overwhelm the reader graphically by exercising restraint, and editing down to the essentials. Save longer conversations for in-person interactions.
Get Started on Your First Patient Newsletter Today!
If you’re unsure of whether or not to go print or digital, or which graphic format best suits the needs for communicating information about your practice, just reach out. And if you’re a Portland-based company that’s ready to revamp or initiate a newsletter, East Side Printing Co. can definitely help!
We’ve been instrumental in messaging, design, and production for newsletters of all kinds of health practitioners, from hearing aid clinics to acupuncturists. Drop us a line today and let’s get to work: we can’t wait to help you reach out and connect with your Portland patients!