Direct marketing can be used to gain rehab clients just as it is used to gain customers for any other type of business. It provides your alumni and prospective clients with tailored messaging via direct communication, helping you build and retain relationships.
What is direct marketing?
Direct marketing involves direct communication, such as text, social media, emails, and mail, with your target audience. It is direct because it eliminates the middleman, such as advertising agencies, and is personalized through the use of a recipient list or targeted audience method. The goal of direct marketing is for the recipient to take action; visiting your website, calling for more information, or enrolling in your facility.
Forms of direct marketing
Brochures
Social media ads
Google AdWords
Newsletters
Post cards
Emails
Targeted online display ads
Phone calls
Text messages
How to develop a direct marketing campaign
1. Develop a contacts list
This involves identifying who the campaign targets. If you are working with an email list, create segments to help with the tailoring of your messages. For example, you might create segments for:
Rehab owners- Engage other rehab owners to create a network in your field. This helps to build your professional reputation and can lead to referrals and information sharing.
Potential clients- These are people that have called or visited your website but not enrolled. There is a good chance if they are researching your services, they or a loved one will need it soon. Consistent contact can help convert them into clients.
Alumni- This group is great for referrals. Maintaining contact with alumni is also important because of the likelihood of relapse. By maintaining contact, you can continue the relationship with them. This group is also the most likely to give your facility reviews online.
2. Create your content
Target your content based on the segment you choose. Be strategic with your images, messaging, and call to action. Regardless of the segment or medium of your message, convey the uniqueness of your facility and use language that appeals to the segment.
3. Set up tracking
Direct marketing allows for tracking in ways that are unavailable with other marketing methods. If using email, be sure to use a system that tracks actions recipients take. If using social media, ensure that you are using the business tools and are able to understand the effectiveness of your campaign.
4. Launch the campaign
Once you have created your content and set up tracking, you can launch the campaign. Do some research into the best time and day to launch based on your segments.
5. Analyze the results
Measure how many actions or goals were completed for your campaign. This information can help you determine what works and what needs improvement.
Tips for direct marketing campaigns
You need a landing page
Create specific landing pages for your campaigns and target them to the exact needs of your segments in the same way you target your content. Do not use the home page of your website as a landing page.
Be creative with your goals
Think beyond converting clients and consider:
Driving traffic to your site- which helps increase your SEO efforts.
Maintaining rapport with alumni- which helps with their recovery journey and increases the chances of referral.
Networking with others in the field - which helps to expand your professional network and may lead to referrals.
Magnetic Marketing
“Magnetic Marketing” is a book by Dan Kennedy that discusses how to attract an abundance of clients using marketing methods. He outlines 10 rules for direct marketing and a direct marketing tool list:
Rule #1: There will ALWAYS be an offer or offers
Each time you create a marketing piece, it should ask the recipient to do something. Don’t talk about your business or offering vaguely, directly ask them to take an action.
Rule #2: There will be a reason to respond right now
Many people may be interested in your offering but fail to take action. Create urgency or scarcity with your request to help drive actions.
Rule #3: You will give clear instructions
Be clear with your messaging and tell the recipients directly and clearly what they have to do to get the offer.
Rule #4: There will be tracking, measurement, and accountability
Track every campaign for conversions. Use strict ROI on ad spend, i.e. purchases divided by spend.
Rule #5: Only no-cost brand building
Don’t spend money building your brand, as results are not guaranteed. Spend your money on your goals and treat brand recognition as a benefit.
Rule #6: There will be follow up
Every prospect has to be recorded. Capture their name, phone number, cookie them, etc. You pay for every touchpoint, so be sure to get their information so you can follow up.
Rule #7: There will be strong copy
"Yelling isn't selling." Don't spend money on an un-optimized campaign. Great sales copy is written backwards, from the customer's interests, desires, frustrations, fears, thoughts, feelings and experiences, and then tied to the solution your center offers. Write to the psyche of your clients, write emotionally and enthusiastically, and make huge claims.
Rule #8: It will look like mail-order advertising
Classic ads include a headline, presentation of the offering, and then a section for clear response instructions and a coupon. Online, a website should have the same format, with a form. Never pollute it with panels offering other options.
Rule #9: Results rule. Period.
Do split testing to test your campaigns. For online campaigns, you can use AdWords or different versions of your copy. Offline, try splitting a mailing list in half to test different versions of your mail-out. Review success factors and what needs modification.
Rule #10: You will be a tough-minded disciplinarian and put your business on a strict direct marketing diet
a) Purge your business of junk.
b) Decide on a new marketing plan.
c) Get good tools.
d) Start counting and measuring things.
e) Build your marketing mind muscle.
f) Be alert and resistant to fads and gimmicks.
Basic direct marketing tools list
Lead magnets: books, reports, seminars. They should establish your authority and promote your products.
Website: to capture contact info.
Main sales letter: to sell your core service.
Follow-up system: for unconverted leads, online and offline.
In-bound call script: to capture contact info for follow-up.
If you are interested in joining the ROC community, please complete this form for consideration: https://tinyurl.com/5btxe39z