Window Shopping For A Doctor Or Pharmacist? Help Potential Patients Make A Good Decision

As a Health Care professional, you know that your office, clinic or facility requires more patients to stay in business. People rarely page through a phone book to find a health care provider, and even less often will you find someone 'window shopping' for a doctor, dentist, chiropractor or pharmacist. If they did, imagine this conversation. "Hey Dear, look at that doctor's office over there. Isn't it nice?" "Why, yes it is. Hey…let's go in and get an Echocardiogram!" Or if it was a pharmacy, do you think the couple might admire the store and say, "You know…I've been thinking about getting my heart medicine prescription filled one of these days. Maybe I'll go in here before these chest pains get even worse."

Sorry folks…that just isn't going to happen. People generally like to have at least a vague idea where they would like to go before their need becomes urgent. Obviously, if they are being hauled off by the paramedics due to a life-threatening situation they aren't going to be picky about where they go. Their only recommendation then might be anyplace that is 'close.' But in a matter where they have the option to elect their destination, they are going pick an office they are familiar with.

This is when direct mail promotional products take center stage. Advertising a health care facility is commonplace nowadays, but the methods vary, as does its effectiveness. One of the best-known methods of wisely spending your advertising dollar is through direct mail. It reaches thousands of homes and businesses for very little expense compared to electronic and print media. With newspaper and magazine subscriptions plummeting, why spend your money with them as their readership drops? Television and radio ads are prohibitively expense. Direct mail simply works.

One advance for the old, standard paper direct mail promotional product is the new magnetic mailer. It consists of an attractive postcard with an equally nice looking refrigerator magnet attached. Unlike the paper mailers that are often tossed into the trash seconds after they are received, people are curious about the magnet and peel if from the postcard. The magnet has an intrinsic value to it, and the recipient feels a bit guilty about throwing it away, so they stick it on their fridge. Once there, it is like a radio or TV ad that plays over and over. How many times does the average household member go to the refrigerator a day? I don't know, but it is a lot. Each time they go to get something from it, they'll see your advertising magnet Human nature takes over and they become familiar with your business information after seeing it so many times. Eventually they are going to need a doctor, a chiropractor, or a pharmacist. Instead of calling their friend or looking though the phone book, they will recall your direct mail magnet and wander to the fridge for the phone number.

You just gained another patient or customer.

By: Robert A. Barber

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Robert is currently working for ESP Promotions, supplying magnetic promotional products for the Health Care Industry.