Email marketing is often seen as another method of advertising, but to truly gauge the value of email for an organization we must look to its ultimate goal: communication.
Organizations need to share information both internally and externally. Proper internal communication allows more efficient operations, higher morale, and promotion of internal initiatives. Externally, ideal communication can be used to establish a strong brand image, ultimately creating meaningful relationships with all stakeholders.
So how can healthcare organizations use email and the Web to help accomplish these goals?
Internally there must be efficient communication across departments among hospital staff and administration. Externally, communications focus on the general public, patients and partner organizations. However, there are extra hurdles with medical organizations due to their unique structure and services, particularly long work hours, heightened customer expectations, and dependence on maintaining a rapport with private supporters. These hurdles change the way these organizations communicate. Through the use of email marketing software and services, many hospitals and other healthcare businesses have been able to overcome these challenges and run their organizations more efficiently.
Enhance internal communications
While most businesses benefit from the intimacy of a shared workspace and face-to-face communication, hospitals do not. This absence of a traditional internal communication avenue creates a need for a forum of shared information. In the hospital environment, company-wide announcements and large meetings just won't do. For Providence Medical Group, a 25-clinic physician group based in Beaverton, OR, internal email newsletters have proven to be a valuable solution.
Providence Medical Group's newsletter has enabled doctors to stay informed about hospital news and updates at his or her convenience. Similarly, Providence saw a need for information to be shared among those within a particular specialty. This led to the creation of specialty-specific newsletters. These newsletters have proven to be very effective, and have received read rates of 38.7% and click through rates of 55.2% per read and 19.8% per received. Additionally, Providence distributes location-specific newsletters that provide information related to the different Providence Medical campuses.
Notably, Providence found that the format of their emails mattered. Providence tested two emails (one HTML and one plain text) with identical subject lines to look at how format could impact user interaction. In an initial email send, they found that the HTML version drew a 42% per read click through rate in contrast to the 21.4% per read its plain text counterpart received. The HTML version also enabled a 5% increase of recipients that clicked 3 or more links, in comparison to the plain text version's 3.5%. It was clear that the HTML format encouraged more activity. Having nearly doubled effectiveness in this communication channel, Providence was realizing the value of using HTML email templates.
Optimize external communications
Additionally, beyond the hospital walls, email offers healthcare providers a way to strengthen relationships with patients and community members. Through newsletters, hospitals are able to offer useful information and resources for people's various needs and interests, as well as a surety in the diligence and level of care.
One way to structure an external email is to put all information in one place. This allows for its recipients to search through and decide for themselves what information is of interest. Providence established their “Wellness Watch” newsletter that focused on general medical education. In this newsletter, they offer articles by Providence experts on everything from heart health to general fitness and nutrition as well as information about upcoming classes and community events. “Wellness Watch” has averaged a 34.1% read rate and 37.3% click through rate per read. The newsletter also drew an above-average click-through rate of 14.3% (the average CTR per emails received stands around 6%).
Like Providence, Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) had a similar vision, using newsletters to establish a long-lasting relationship with patients. However, the 509-bed Portland, OR system went about it in a different way by creating a diverse family of newsletters on subjects ranging from transportation, to women's health, to information regarding their non-profit OHSU Foundation. Instead of putting out an email with information on a variety of topics, OHSU allows for individuals with specific interests to engage with them on that subject. Newsletter content filtering allows OHSU to send specific content to target audiences, thus eliciting particular responses from these groups.
Cedar Sinai Park, a non-profit long-term care community in Portland, OR, also benefits from email marketing. However, Cedar Sinai has further broadened the scope of email communication by extending it to broadcast information to board members and recruit new residents. Through their board member emails, Cedar Sinai provides relevant information the board needs in advising the business. Meanwhile, a recruitment email campaign opened communication with talented medical professionals seeking resident positions.
How can your medical organization use the Web and email most effectively? Try these ideas for starters:
- Patient retention. Provide consistent, valuable follow up information and communication that patients appreciate.
- Internal communication. Whether based on specialty, location or role, provide relevant content to employees and staff. Boost awareness and morale.
- Preventative / wellness. Offering patients wellness tips over email shows that your organization really cares.
- Engagement. Whether its sponsors, vendors or donors, stay connected with the individuals and groups that are important to your organization.
- Recruitment. Online and email is an ideal channel for finding top candidates to fill positions.
- Media relations. Through Web and email is a great way for your PR arm to let the media know about what's going on with your organization.
The email marketing success the above organizations have enjoyed is thanks to well-planned and executed campaigns. To be effective, e-mail marketing must take into consideration a multitude of content, design and deliverability factors. They must also address CAN-SPAM compliance issues and should employ personalized, clear and concise messages to segmented readers. Lastly, organizations must employ metrics to test their campaigns. In doing so, they can see how to improve and ultimately achieve the company's communication goals.
Dylan Boyd is vice president of sales and strategy of eROI, an interactive & email marketing agency in Portland, OR.