Internet marketing experts would have you believe that direct mail is passé, and the only way to generate leads and sales for your business is to have a website, engage in email and social media marketing. I’m not denying that those methods work. I teach all my clients how to use those tools. But direct mail marketing isn’t passé. Direct mail works. Just ask my chiropractor!
A couple of weeks ago, I got a postcard in the mail from my chiropractor. That in and of it self wasn’t unusual. What was unusual about the postcard is the fact that it wasn’t a promotion for his services. (At least not directly.) The postcard promoted his blog!
As you can see from the images below, the front side of the postcard featured the blog’s URL in a bold font, above the recipient’s address, with some copy on the left that details common symptoms of chiropractic patients. The back side of the postcard listed article titles from the blog on a variety of subjects that again relate to the symptoms and/or questions chiropractic patients typically have.
I don’t know how common this strategy is among direct mail marketers. But I have to tell you, it was a first for me. I’ve never received any “snail mail” like this before. But I immediately thought it was a fantastic idea.
Last week, I had a twinge in my back. (I occasionally suffer from lower back pain, so that’s why I go to the chiropractor a few times a year for an adjustment.) I made an appointment and paid my doctor a visit. During my exam, I asked him about the postcard and what kind of results it generated for him.
He didn’t tell me how much traffic his blog got from the postcard. (I imagine he got a decent bump.) What he did tell me was that the postcard generated more office visits. The postcard went out to his current roster of clients (like me!) and it reminded his patients that they should schedule an appointment.
Pretty cool, huh?
If you’re a chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, or even a dentist, you might consider trying this strategy. At the very least, it will probably encourage your patients to visit your website. At best, it will prompt them to schedule a new appointment, and that is money in the bank!
Have you tried direct mail lately to promote your services? If so, please share your experiences in the comments below.
And if you thought this article was useful, please share it with your friends and followers by clicking one or more of the social networking buttons on the side. Thank you!!
