DYK? Men like direct mail!

Women do too…

Can you believe the summer season is already upon us?! We know many of you are planning fun family time, attending study clubs and CE, and enjoying travel. But remember, patients are also considering these types of activities. That’s why we often see sluggish patient activity in July and September and higher cancel rates in July, August, and September.

Having marketing programs locked down to consistently stay visible and available in your community will strengthen and secure your production levels through these months and into the fall season.

When we talk about visibility in your community, the number one way to reach your target patients is through direct mail. It’s how you can get more eyes on your marketing, and it’s the only channel that allows your practice to reach 100% of the households you want to attract.

It’s also proactive marketing.

When consumers receive quality content and brand messaging consistently, month after month, awareness of YOUR practice rises above competing dental offices, strengthening your reputation as the practice people should turn to when they have a dental need.

Direct mail really is a timeless tactic. But every format of direct mail doesn’t have the same impact. For dentists, our neighborhood newsletter program is no slouch. Using advanced technologies, buyer personas, and geo-plotting of existing patients, we can identify your practice's ideal patients and tailor marketing campaigns to hit specific pain points that will resonate with that audience, resulting in improved lead generation and higher overall new patient flow.  

On average, our program generates at least a 6:1 ROI within the first year. Longtime clients like Dr. Travis Campbell, Dr. Hazel Glasper, Dr. Emerson Godbolt, and Dr. Dilip Dudhat all have incredible ROIs well over 10:1 that are consistently achieved year-over-year and calculated with first-year new patient revenue only … so the practice production gains continue to build over time.

Don’t wait to take advantage of the benefits of newsletter marketing to gain more new patients! And get EXCLUSIVE USE of our program in your territory. Find out more!

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In this five-minute article, we’ve included current consumer data you want to know when laying out your marketing plan. 

Direct mail continues to generate higher response rates than any other channel, and it’s a proven workhorse when it comes to reaching 100% of households in a practice target area, generating higher-value new patients, and increasing activity to all marketing channels.

It’s a fact that the physical format forges a stronger emotional bond than other marketing mediums. It holds the attention of prospective patients much longer and has an average shelf life of 17 days. What better way to become the dental practice in your community than by having your information front and center in kitchens in targeted area homes? There isn’t one. (Well, there is, but we’ll dig into that later.)

According to a 2023 study, over 80% of consumers engaged with at least one in five pieces of direct mail, and over 60% made a purchase after receiving direct mail. This is true for all adult age groups from 18 and up, with 25- to 39-year-olds having a slightly higher propensity to purchase.

A 2023 survey of 1,300 consumers split with 54% men and 46% women reported that men outperformed women when it came to purchasing after receiving direct mail (88% vs. 80%). Now, it’s a small survey, and we don’t know what type of direct mail men responded to. Was it selecting dental services for their families? Maybe not. And the variance between the genders got closer for things like “feeling good about marketing mail,” with an 85% vs. 82% rating. Both genders wanted the same thing from their marketing mail – personally relevant information and a good deal for the product/service.

But wait. Don’t rule out the reality that dental offices are mostly marketing to women. According to Forbes, women control 85% of all consumer buying decisions (Gender Gap Report 2023). Nielsen estimates that women are projected to own 75% of discretionary spending by 2028. Bankrate reports that women make 91% of new home purchases and that only half of the products marketed to men are typically purchased by men! Be cautious with any assumptions that more men than women decide which dental office to choose for the household when crafting messages!

Here are five key direct mail insights dentists should consider:

• All age groups and genders have positive feelings about direct mail
• It’s the number one way to build awareness in a targeted neighborhood area
• It’s the only way to reach 100% of households
• Direct mail is more likely to trigger action
• There are specific types of direct mail that work best.

That last insight is critical. Postcards can’t share your expertise. In fact, newsletters are proven to drive a 70% higher response for dental practices, and they have a 17-day shelf life vs. 72 hours for a postcard. They also have a high pass-along readership, add value with educational content, and when a monthly recipe is included, a newsletter provides even more value to the recipient. They’re also more noticeable in the mailbox and have a high appeal with the female head-of-house. And these insights only apply to postcards! Newsletters are 2X more engaging and motivational than digital according to a large neuromarketing study.