The purpose of a newsletter to patients is to show that you care, to communicate specific information, to project a positive image, to enhance the feeling among patients of friendship as well as industry, to encourage referrals, to sell specific services, to act as a constant reminder of the relationship, and to keep contact among friends. This sort of communication is essential for practices to keep the internal source of referrals active. When this source of new patients begins to dwindle, it can be very expensive to restart.
An expensive multi-page newsletter off-set printed will cost as much as several thousand dollars more than is necessary. What is necessary is consistency and continuity. That is more important than some high-cost product that often serves only to glorify the dentist and is too expensive to produce regularly. Consistency and continuity can be accomplished quite effectively with an 8.5x11,two-sided,tri-folded, glossy newsletter in full color. With today's new laser printing technology, newsletters in full-color, on glossy paper, tri-folded can be sent to patient families quarterly for less than annual or bi-annual newsletters normally cost. The quarterly newsletter is vital as 67% (four) of the six+ contacts with patients necessary each year to generate 2% to 3% new patient referrals per month (of active patients).
If newsletters are too difficult to create and send, they are sent too infrequently, but the need to communicate with patients still exists. Consequently, newsletters are sent annually or less often...like, not at all. Our practice management clients who earn 2% to 3% new patient referrals (of their active patients) each month all send quarterly newsletters.
