Don’t Neglect the Power of Print

As our reliance on computers has increased over the last two decades, many people have talked of an eventual paperless society, where people rely exclusively on digital communication. True, a Web site should be an important part of your dental marketing plan, and you may engage your patients with e-mail or social media. But the power of paper lives, too. Print media is easier to read, more visible and more environmentally friendly than you might think.

If you are an endodontist or oral surgeon sending a newsletter to referring dentists, you want a publication that is easy to read and comprehensive. This is especially important if your newsletter contains updates from your dental specialty field. Numerous studies have found that we read materials on paper as much as 30% faster than we read on screen. Studies have also demonstrated that print materials foster greater comprehension and understanding of materials. Finally, reading from paper also strains the eyes less than does reading on a screen.

While e-mails are often read and quickly archived, a paper newsletter has a tendency to stick around longer. Whether it be on the kitchen counter or the office desk, chances are your referring health care providers might set your newsletter aside somewhere and then see the newsletter several times in one day. And if the logo of your periodontics or prosthodontics practice is stamped across the top of the newsletter, your practice name remains in the minds of your referring dentists. Be sure to fill your newsletter with information of value to your referring health care providers. It positions you as an expert, increases the chances that they will read and save the newsletter, and, most important, when they need to make a referral, your name will come to mind first.

Lastly, you are probably conscious of reducing your carbon footprint and running your dental specialty practice in an environmentally responsible manner. Paper is not nearly as unfriendly to the environment as it once was. As of 2007, nearly 80% of America’s paper mills used recovered fiber to make some or all of their products. Chances are that your newsletter will be printed on recycled paper. And thanks to reforestation efforts, the total U.S. forest area has remained stable in the last century.

Since its first appearance in 1440, the printing press has remained one of the greatest inventions ever. Internet marketing is important to draw patients in, but to keep your name in front of referring health care providers, a printed newsletter is a powerful tool. For more information on how we can help you with a newsletter marketing program, visit our Web site or call us at 800-323-4995.