If you think “junk mail” doesn’t produce more patients… you’re absolutely right! However, using highly targeted direct mail will almost always work. maybe you’ve heard that 1% or 2%, is the industry standard – well i’ll show you how you can multiply that figure many times over.

A common story I hear from my clients is how they mail out thousands of glossy, beautiful brochures with pretty pictures, flowery text and everything looking absolutely gorgeous, but they get ZERO response. So they mistakenly believe direct mail does not work. What could be the problem?

You see direct mail, when done wrong, is almost always a huge waste of money. But when it’s done right, you can expect tremendous results and profits. That’s why doing it right only means one thing in my book – getting results! Direct mail can become the most predictable and consistent way to generate more patients, yet most doctors are guilty of doing it wrong simply because they’ve never been taught these jealously-guarded secrets.

Well, as silly as this sounds, many doctors will make this same mistake. You cannot just pick a random resident list of nearby zip codes to your office. What you need to do is consider who your ideal patient would be and then find a way to target your message directly to them.

With direct mail, you’re given the opportunity to use laser beam, pinpoint accuracy to specifically target your message. And thanks to the growing correct marketing industry, privacy is dead in America.

So if you told me or ideal new patient is a woman aged 45 to 55, who drives a late model luxury car, who reads Architectural Digest, who has two kids, and just bought a new house – I can get that list. In my not be as big of a list, but it is available. Now, you probably don’t need to be as specific as this, but you can.

There are two major types of list available. The first kind of list is simply compiled information, taken from directories, phone books, motor vehicle records, etc. It is called a compiled list.

The second type – and much more valuable – is called a direct response list. These are lists of people who have responded to direct marketing. This is a more valuable list because you can specify which criteria you want. You can get a list of all the people in your area who bought anti-aging products, weight loss, gym equipment or memberships, arthritis products, etc. from infomercials, direct mail or print ads. With this information, you know that these people have a need for your services, and they’re concerned with their health. This list will usually be more responsive than others, except for your own house list.

And that’s really the third type of list, which most doctors overlook. If you have not put all your patients’ names and addresses into a database, you’re overlooking an incredible source of added business. This list will be the hottest, most powerful list and responsive list you can use for any offers because these people are ready trust you and have faith in your abilities.

The first thing you need to do is get your letter delivered. I know this sounds silly, but is more difficult than you think. Many consultants will tell you to save money by using ‘bulk-mail’ postage or is it is now called Standard Rate. Bulk rate is the dumpster rate. After taking the proper steps to get the best lists, don’t blow it by being cheap on the postage.

In fact, the post office freely admits that 20 to 30% of all bulk mail gets thrown out for various reasons. The reason is simple: when your mailman’s sack gets heavy, which letters would he dare not deliver? That’s right – bulk mail. So something looks like it’s junk mail is more likely to get tossed.

So in order to get your mailings respected – by the post office and your recipient – all your mailing should go out first class and use a real live stamp. That also means don’t use mailing labels or even worse than that, a postage “indicia”. All these smack of “junk mail”. The closer you can make your envelope look like personal correspondence the better, since people sort their mail over the trash can. That means you have only a split second for them to decide if they open your letter or not.

Brochures and self-mailers do not work. what do you do when you get a brochure in the mail? most people either toss it out or file it away. Hardly anyone gives it more than just a casual glance on the way to the circular file.

What you need is an action device, and that’s what a letter will give you. You need to take advantage of the greatest benefit direct mail has for you – personalized, intimate conversations. A letter allows you to “talk” one-on-one to your prospective patient. That means you should use “I” and “me” and “you” freely in your letter instead of the corporate sounding “we”.

Remember just one person is reading your letter at once. So don’t write in the plural, even if your mailing is going out to thousands and thousands of people. You sit down and write the same way you talk to a friend over dinner explaining the advantages and benefits of the service you offer.

Start your letter with a compelling, benefit driven headline. Prospects will decide to continue reading by the headline. If your headline fails to capture their attention and to keep them engaged, your letter will quickly end up in the trash.

The most common mistake you can make is to put your practice name, big and bold on top of the letter. This is the worst thing you can possibly do. You see, every person is concerned with one thing: “What’s in it for me?” Your practice name does not show what, if any, benefits, the prospect will get from your letter. So put your practice name at the bottom of the page where it belongs.

Without an offer, your letter is doomed. Is not enough just to send out a mailing hoping people will call if they’re interested. You’ve got to tell people exactly what next step they should take, and if you don’t your mailing has failed.

The best type of offer is something that is non-threatening and completely irresistible. If you can offer anything for free this works best. Such as a free educational report, tape, seminar, consultation, service, etc. Try to come up with such an irresistible offer that anyone would be foolish not to take advantage of it. Plus by making a compelling offer you can then keep track of how many people responded to your mailing.

Why do doctors believe they can send out one mailing, one time, and all of a sudden become bombarded with new patients? It’s ridiculous to believe any one shot mailing is going to uncover everybody interested in having an office visit.

Think about your own life. You’ve probably received some offers that you were interested in but you never acted on. Perhaps you put it aside for phone call or maybe one of your kids came running in and distracted you, or any number of other reasons. Your prospective patients are the same way.

To overcome this, you’ve got to create a plan for multiple contacts. Also, this way you can take advantage of the “moving parade of life”. You are not selling to a standing army, but rather a moving parade of prospects. People will move in and out of different needs and wants as they go through changes in their life.

Here’s an example: let’s say you’re an owner of our furniture store and you sent me an offer for deeply discounted furniture. Well, you probably wouldn’t have much luck because my house is full. But what if when your second (or third or fourth) offer came, my wife and I had just bought a much larger house? Now, all of a sudden, I’m a very eager customer. That’s how timing can be exploited using multiple mailings.

With direct mail you have the precision to test any offer on the small group before mailing on a massive scale. Even if you think you have the greatest idea in the world for a letter, you can still test it to a few names and instead of mailing to 50,000 people. And if you get a good response, you can move on to mail a higher number of pieces because you know it will work.

Each letter campaign you send out gives you the ability to precisely track what your return on investment is. This way, you know to the penny if your marketing is working or not. Unlike many other forms of advertising you do to just “get your name out”, direct mail gives you an easy way to track your returns.

Subtracting your expenses (cost of postage, printing, and list rental) from how much business your direct-mail campaign brought you gives you your profits. You must keep track of each and every prospect calling from your letter and responding to your specific offer (secret #4). This way you can track your revenues and results from each mailing. Plus you get a clear handle on where your patients are coming from and which promotions are working.

Adding direct mail to your marketing is a surefire way to produce immediate results for your practice. But applying the settle seven little-known secrets, your next mailing can’t help but be more profitable and successful.