Doctors, dentists, chiropractors, hospitals, clinics and offices are competing among each other. Yes, they provide services that are needed by everyone, but they aren't benevolent organizations that don't care about making a profit. The fact is, without making a buck here and there, they'll soon go out of business. They are a business just like an automobile dealership or an antique store. Their primary goal is to stay in business.You Need An Edge
Since competition is so fierce, anything that might give them an edge over their competition is very valuable. Word of mouth is a great advertising medium, but it cannot be controlled. Wireless media is effective, but it is very expensive. Fewer and fewer people are reading newspapers today, so the print media are not the answer. One method of getting the word out is through direct mail campaigns. Bulk mail/direct mail advertising is one of the most cost effective marketing ideas that a health care facility can employ. Your Return On Investment is the greatest with direct mail.
The Secret
Paper inserts and postcards have been the staple of direct mail since its inception, but recently there has been a new product released that has expanded on that success. It consists of an attractive postcard mailer with a business card style magnet attached to it. The secret is the magnet. The old paper mailers don't seem to have any intrinsic value to them. They're 'just paper.' The magnet that comes on this new product, on the other hand, does seem to have some value. It's not a throw-away item like a piece of paper. It gets stuck on the refrigerator at home or on a cabinet at work.
Works
Once the magnet finds its home, it gets viewed over and over by everyone in the home or workplace. It is well known within the marketing world that repeated exposures to an advertisement is the only way to influence the potential customer/patient. Paper mailers get looked at for a few seconds and then tossed in the trash. Magnetic mailers are seen thousands of times a year as people get food from the fridge or go to the place at work where it is displayed.
Which do you think you want to use in your advertising budget?
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Robert is currently working for Healthy Promotion, a supplier of top quality magnetic promotional products for the Health Care Industry & Business.
