Eight Benefits of Sending an Electronic Newsletter

Print will never be dead, but marketers are increasingly using the Internet to market their practices. This includes not only Web sites, YouTube and social media but also electronic newsletters. The following are eight reasons you should consider sending an electronic dental newsletter:

1. Keep in touch. Sometimes weeks or months go by between visits or phone calls to some of your referring dentists. If an endodontist or periodontist on the other side of town ramps up marketing efforts, your dental specialty practice might become “out of sight, out of mind.” Don’t let this happen. Sent to e-mail inboxes on a regular basis, an electronic dental newsletter keeps your name in front of referring dentists and physicians.
2. Position yourself as an expert. With the right content, your electronic dental newsletter establishes your name as the premier prosthodontist, orthodontist, oral surgeon or other specialist in your field. An informative newsletter establishes trust in your work and should lead to increased referrals.
3. Boost traffic to your dental practice’s Web site. Be sure that the top or bottom of your newsletter includes a link within the article to your Web site. Also, any time your dental newsletter relates to information on your Web site, include a link to your site. These steps will encourage readers to visit your site and see what is new.
4. Generate new leads. The home page of your Web site, as well as every issue of your newsletter, should include a form to fill out for those interested in receiving your newsletter. Engaging new readers can lead to additional referral sources or patients for your orthodontic, pediatric dentistry or other dental specialty practice.
5. Save time. Unlike a printed newsletter, which often requires a significant design element, most electronic newsletters are based on templates. Insert your content each month, and your newsletter is ready to go.
6. Save money. Printing costs can add up. Whether you are e-mailing to 50 people or 250, your costs generally remain the same. Even if you use an e-mail delivery service such as Constant Contact, your costs will likely be much smaller compared with a printed newsletter. Caveat: Just because you are not investing in print does not mean you should skimp on the content. Be sure your electronic newsletter contains valuable, well-written information—or it will be sent to the trash.
7. Track your results. Regardless of your medium, you should always measure the success of your marketing efforts. Most marketing software measures click-through rates, the number of readers who open your newsletter, etc. This information can be valuable as you continue to develop your marketing plan.
8. Increase your exposure. Media and bloggers may come across your Web site or electronic newsletter and come to rely on you as a source for information. This positions you as the expert in your community. If writers in your field contact you for information, be sure to add them to your mailing list.  

At WPI Communications, Inc., we offer not only a host of printed newsletters for dental specialists but also content that you can include in your own newsletter, as well as PDF newsletters customized with your dental specialty practice’s information. For more information, e-mail us or call us at 800-323-4995.