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E-mail
Power Tools for Health Marketers
by
Kevin P. Richardson, President, MedRocket, Inc.
About the Author - Kevin Richardson is a healthcare marketing consultant, executive coach, and writer who provides fresh perspectives and expertise about online healthcare marketing. Sign up for his FREE "MedRocket Ezine" newsletter and discover how to profitably attract and serve healthcare consumers online. Subscribe at http://www.medrocket.com.
At
its heart, opt-in e-mail allows health marketers to forge a stronger
bond between the organization and the healthcare consumer than is
possible using traditional media.
The basic concept is simple. The consumer gives his or her permission to initiate a dialogue with the health organization. The consumer has total control and choice over what information they request and respond to. Since they initiated the conversation about a topic that is important to the them, the information consumers receive potentially has a higher perceived value and level of interest.
Initiating the Process
Through a number of different e-mail-powered mechanisms, health consumers can receive information or access services upon demand. The technique allows health marketers to deliver messages that are customized to a health consumer's individual needs at the right time. For the consumer, this type of arrangement represents convenience, time savings, and the ability to receive information that is highly relevant to their interests.
A number of different techniques are available to deliver targeted health information and begin the on-line permission-marketing dialogue. These include:
- Autoresponders
A special e-mail address or alias can be set up to return a predetermined document to the sender. For example, sending an e-mail to heartinfo@yourhospital.org could automatically reply with a complete description of your hospital's special cardiac programs. An entire library of health information could be made available by e-mail autoresponder.
Web-based
forms
|
Consumers can request any number of different types of information via Web forms, such as newsletters, documents, and special services. A Web response form on your Web site is an excellent way to capture information on a healthcare consumer because the system can check the answers for the correct type and let the user know if they have made a mistake. The contact information can be saved to a database for later analysis and use.
Opt-in
e-mail
The user can send an e-mail to a specific address to subscribe
to a health newsletter of interest. Internet mailing list programs
such as Majordomo and Listserv are full-featured list managers that
can be configured as a two-way mailing list or as an announcement list
(outbound only). Custom solutions are also an option.
Database-Enabled
Content
Certain interactive health content, such as that developed by MedRocket, features
a built-in mechanism for requesting information via e-mail and storing the
information in a database. The e-mail can be customized to invite the consumer
to subscribe to a newsletter, or receive additional information via e-mail.
This is powerful because the consumer is requesting information during the
course of using content on your Web site.
The Response Side of the Equation
Keep in mind that the response to e-mail campaigns can be fast, even immediate, so you have to be prepared to handle the response and fulfillment piece of the equation. That's why using one or more of the automated reply and distribution methods can place the system on virtual autopilot, enabling consumers to subscribe, unsubscribe, and access information at will. Some of the popular response methods in use include:
Instant Fulfillment -- Automatic or manual reply to the request entirely by e-mail with the information in the body of the e-mail or as an attachment.
Download Directions -- The e-mail sent in response to the user's request contains details about how to download information as an text document or Adobe PDF file to their local computer. The reply email may refer them to a special page or simply give them a link to click on for the download.
Private Access Area -- The individual receives details about how to access a private area of your Web site with exclusive information, either through a special URL or a password.
Traditional Fulfillment -- The user submits a Web-based form or sends an e-mail and requests a response via traditional mail.
Web Fax -- The system automatically generates and sends a fax as the result of the request.
Subscription -- The user subscribes to a monthly or quarterly e-mail newsletter on a health topic of interest.
Automated Reminder Services -- The consumer can sign up to receive e-mail reminders for mammography screenings or other important health-related events.
Teaming with Traditional Media
A combination of initiation techniques and response mechanisms can be put into practice by your health organization. You can also increase the effectiveness and efficiency of traditional media by incorporating some of these tactics.
For example, if you're running a print ad to raise awareness of a special health education seminar, the ad would direct readers to a special registration Web page that could automatically enter information in a participant database and send a registration confirmation in a matter of seconds.
Integrating some of these e-mail power tools into your marketing program can boost the effectiveness of traditional media, drive visitors to your main Web site or micro-site, build your e-mail marketing database, and enhance your ability to quickly handle consumer requests for information.
