Wendy S. Myers
Seminar Overview
An effective newsletter can help you educate clients, increase repeat visits and market your professional and ancillary services. This seminar includes everything you need to know to get started—how often you should publish, tips on planning a budget, creating your mailing list, and developing content and design that captures clients’ attention.
What you’ll learn
How a newsletter can market your professional services
Ideas for articles that educate and entertain clients
Tips on graphic design
Why you need an effective newsletter
Educates clients about medical services, such as ultrasonography, senior care, laser surgery and new drugs
Strengthens client relationships
Positions your practice as the primary source of veterinary information
Getting started
1. Decide how often you’ll publish
Most clinics choose quarterly
2. Create a budget
Printing
Design
Writing
Mailing
3. Create your mailing list
Active clients (visiting within the past 12 months)
Phone shoppers
4. Consider an online version
Post each issue on your hospital website
E-mail a shorter version to clients
Let clients search past articles by subject
5. Hire a professional designer
Ask for references and work samples
Collect newsletters from other practices to decide what design and format you like best
Contact companies that specialize in newsletter design for veterinary hospitals
6. Choose your format
Number of pages and size
Self-mailer
Ink and paper colors
Consider a bulk mail permit
Use of graphics, clip art and photos
Plan your content
1. Feature a case
Show photographs of the patient
Describe how doctors arrived at their diagnosis
Explain the quality of care and compassion your team provided
Share the "happy ending"
2. Write about seasonal topics
Flea and tick control
Exercise in hot or cold weather
Holiday hazards (tinsel, poinsettias, etc.)
Heartworm prevention
3. Create interactive tools
Photo contest
Pet-health quiz
Did you know…
True or false quiz
Coloring contest (see www.aahanet.org for images)
4. Profile new staff members
Associate veterinarians
Specialists
Practice manager
Technicians
Client service team
5. Provide recognition
Welcome new clients
Thank referring clients
Profile a staff member and describe his or her expertise
Describe doctors’ continuing education
6. Educate clients about new services and products
Laser surgery
Visiting specialist
Doggie daycare
Post-surgical home visits by a nurse
Pet loss counseling
New drugs
Vaccination guarantees
Therapeutic diets
Advances in flea control
Shampoos and retail items
7. Keep a file folder of ideas
Articles from veterinary journals
Pet-health alerts
Preventive care tips
Articles from pet magazines
Vendor brochures and web sites
8. Use web sites as a resource
www.healthypet.org
www.avma.org
Sites of veterinary colleges
Sites of veterinary foundations
Breed-specific sites
9. Balance information and entertainment
Avoid medical jargon
Use case studies as examples
"Ask the Vet" Q & A
Pique clients’ interest so they will call or make an appointment (i.e. list signs of hypothyroidism, arthritis or diabetes)
10. Refer clients to your web site
Search past articles by topic
Feature a "Case of the Month"
Publish your web address and e-mail in every issue
11. Memorialize deceased pets
List pets’ names
Include a short poem ("Rainbow Bridge")
Mention your donation in memory of the deceased pet (Morris Animal Foundation, AVMF)
12. Toot your horn
Community or veterinary awards
Staff members’ and doctors’ CE
Team member anniversaries
Going the extra mile
Keep extra newsletters in your reception area
Insert in new-client welcome letters
Provide copies after hospital tours
Include in your open house goodie bag
Wendy S. Myers is the former editor of Veterinary Economics. She owns Communication Solutions, a Denver-based consulting firm that helps practice owners and managers improve client service, marketing, newsletters, web sites and communication tools. She lectures at veterinary conferences nationwide on customer service, marketing and practice management. You can reach her at (720) 344-2347 or wmyers@mycommunicationsolutions.com.