Are you trying to grow your veterinary practice through promotional marketing? It’s not easy — at least, writing promotional messages to your clients isn’t easy.
Think about how many dental cleaning appointments your clinic sees in February. The only way your clients know (and remember) is through your promotional outreach. Email and in-app messages are your only two existing marketing channels for promotions. With that in mind, can you afford to send poorly worded messages that result in lost client interest? Bad messaging practices can hurt your clinic’s bottom line.
You don’t want to sound “salesy” and you don’t want to come off as unprofessional. Between these two extremes exists promotional copy that grabs your clients attention, educates them about your offer, and compels them to take an action. That’s what you want!
To help you along the journey to writing great promotional offers, we’ve made a short list of tips that will boost response from your veterinary clients. Below are a few guideline rules to standby, followed by examples of promotional content.
In-App and Email Messaging
In your dashboard, you have the ability to send custom messages directly to your client’s phone and email. These messages show up in both of your client’s PetDesk app under the Messages tab and in their email inbox. While direct messages are typically used for post-surgery updates, you can also use the mass message feature to notify your clientele about upcoming promotions you’re offering.
For in-app and email messages, here are a few best practices to follow:
- Clear and concise: There is a 1000 character limit on in-app messages. There’s a good reason for this: We have short attention spans. Honestly, we recommend keeping it under 500. Clear and concise copy in your message is the way to go!
- Keep it personal: Personality goes a long way. Even though your blast may reach thousands of clients, write it as if you’re reaching out to a single client that you personally know (and like). The difference in tone and voice will be evident and will immediately have a positive impact on your reception.
- Tangible offers: There’s a difference between 25% off and $75 off. One is an arbitrary figure to most, the other is a concrete figure. Think of dental cleanings — 25% off vs $75 off. Which sounds more appealing? Enticing, tangible offers will resonate with your clientele.
Another important consideration is location. Email and in-app messages are, for the most part, read on your client’s smartphone. That’s an incredibly small screen. These days we tend to scan content on smaller screens. Dense blocks of copy are difficult to read on small devices. Short snippets of bulleted content will do just fine.
Now that we’ve got some ground rules in place, let’s see it in action.
Let’s use the routine senior exam and blood work combo:
First off, not a bad start here. We typically see something similar to this when clinics start with writing promos to their clients. It’s fairly direct, offers a benefit to the client, and maintains a professional tone throughout.
What’s lacking? There isn’t a tangible, direct benefit for the client. How much is 20% off a senior wellness and blood work examination, anyway?
There’s also a call-to-action centered around an attached flyer. We’ve seen this before. If your client opens the message on their PetDesk app, they won’t be able to see an attached image. Rather than rely on attached content, use the message itself to get the point across. Don’t make the client take unnecessary steps here — you might lose their interest.
Now, let’s take a look at another example:
It’s personable, direct, and uses a bit of humor to get the point across. The benefit is tangible and the call-to-action is clear. The subject line is interesting and compelling. The viewer is likely to take an action.
Also, there’s a certain charm here that’s similar to the bedside manner of most veterinarians. Try to show that charm when messaging clients.
In the next few weeks, we’ll dive deeper into the art of writing great promotional content that gets your clients back in the door. For now, remember to write brief and concise copy, keep your messaging personable, and use tangible offers that have real value to your clients.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more about the PetDesk dashboard and how mass messaging can benefit your veterinary practice, be sure to request a demo!
