Should Old Acquaintances Be Forgotten in Your Chiropractic and Healthcare Practice?
- Ed Petty
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Tips for Your Patient Newsletter
You are in the relationship business.
Remember this definition:
A practice is a network of relationships that's created and sustained
through service and communication.
If you aren’t communicating with your patients – active and inactive - you won’t have much of a practice.
A newsletter, among other things, helps nurture and maintain these relationships. It extends what happens in your office, including the great customer service and outstanding patient outcomes, to your present and past patients' households.
A good newsletter keeps the personal communication between the doctor and the patients active. It also shows the office as a friendly and inviting space to visit, to seek health, and even just to hang out.
It improves chiropractic and healthcare patient retention and referrals and can be a powerful marketing tool. It is very inexpensive. Unfortunately, however, it is usually overlooked -- or delegated to a company that makes pamphlets.
There is some art and skill to it, no doubt. Good copywriting and experience based on what works helps. We provide this as a bonus for some of our clients. But expertise takes a back seat to just doing it!
So -- When in doubt, just get it out!
But below are some helpful tips:
Keep it simple. The entire newsletter should be less than 600 words. A few paragraphs from the doctor, maybe a fast health tip, an appealing recipe, and a promotion.
Keep it personal. This is your informal “Table Talk.” Don’t use AI anymore than you would use to adjust your patients. It is from you, the doctor. Include something you might say to a patient during a visit. It could be a story or anecdote about how you helped someone with a particular condition, or encouragement to use a lumbar cushion or drink more water or keep their visits. A staff member can record and transcribe your thoughts, and you edit them. Think of a recent issue with a patient or healthcare subject, write it out conversationally as if you are talking to one patient, and that's it.
Informal. The newsletter is a check-in with your patient. It is a reach-out: "Hey, how ya doing? Here's what's happening over here with us" kind of a message. It's something you might say to a distant family member, or a neighbor, or an old friend.
It shows interest. You are genuinely interested in your current and past patients. And their family. And their friends. You are also really truly interested and engaged in the subject of your profession: chiropractic and how it works and why. Talking about a case history can demonstrate this as can a patient testimonial.
Be authentic. Be real. People don't want fake! And they can smell it a mile away. Spam and phishing and click-bait criminality is pervasive. It IS THE OPPOSITE of Artificial Intelligence or a brochure on how to chew spinach.
Frequency. Once per month is great, but more frequently wouldn’t hurt.
Newsletter Coordinator. I would consider handing it over to your manager and have them take on the role of Newsletter Coordinator, or have them delegate it to another team member!
Checklist: Include any and all of the items on the checklist below.
Keep communicating with your patient community.
And stay Goal Driven,
Ed
Newsletter Checklist
____1. Letter from the doctor – Friendly, upbeat letter or note from the doctor continuing the Table Talk. This is the most important part of the newsletter. It should include a photo of the doctor. The letter should be personal, written as if you are writing to just one patient. You can tie it into an upcoming event, a case success, or a health tip.
____2. Office News – What's new? What's going on? Have you attended any recent seminars? Have any of your patients been in the news? Are there any new services or equipment in the office?
____3. Upcoming Events – This is your promotional section. Do you have any upcoming events? How about a “Headache Awareness Week,” Patient Appreciation Day, Food Drive, Care to Share program, 5K Walk Run, and so on. Even if your patient is not interested, they may know someone who is. It also shows that your office is alive and sets you apart from all the boring other offices!
____4. Patient Testimonial – Written or video of patient's success.
____5. Recipe – Keep it down home and add a healthy recipe. People love these. Include a testimonial of why this recipe is a favorite: "This is my Sicilian grandma's favorite spaghetti sauce."
____6. Health Tip (Optional) – You can add something here to help your patients improve their health, but it must be relevant, simple, original.
____7. Email. Send it out using an email service and not from your computer or email client.
For a printable copy of the checklist click here.
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If you have any questions about creating a Goal Driven Business, just schedule a call or reply to this email.
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