Client engagement outside the consultation room is one of the most important aspects of a successful veterinary practice. We define ‘client engagement’ as a combination of education and relationship building.
While you are educating your clients on how to look after their pets, you’re also establishing the closer connections that are the key to your continued business success. But what is the best method for engaging with your clients?
In the age of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, email can seem a bit ‘old hat.’ As an engagement platform, social media is still relatively new and exciting, offering closer connections with clients and the possibility of content ‘going viral.’ Email, on the other hand, has been around since the early-seventies and doesn’t quite have the same buzz.
This does not however mean that email is inferior to its flashy social cousin – far from it. While social media is still an important engagement tool – in particular for sharing short snippets of information and interacting with your clients in a more personal first-hand manner – email is still the most effective method to reach your clients and get your message out there.
Think of it as the difference between sending letters via the post vs training your dog to deliver them. While Postman ‘Pant’ is a big hit when he shows up on the front porch, he also loses his way, drops envelopes, and is easily distracted by anyone offering pats. The postal service on the other hand delivers most of the letters without incident.
When you post something on your practice’s Facebook page, it is estimated that only 5.2% of your followers (or ‘fans’) will actually see it in their News Feed due to the platform’s complex web of content algorithms and advertising.
In comparison, studies show that 89% of emails arrive in their intended recipient’s inbox. And, as you already have been given direct permission to contact your email database, you can include commercial offers and make more targeted recommendations for your services.
The long and short of it is that while your social media posts may have more of a personal impact on the reader, your emails are going to be seen by more of your clients and reach them more regularly – and regularity is key when you are trying to build a relationship of trust (in your expertise) and loyalty (to your business.)
So, if you have put all of your eggs in the social media basket, you might want to reconsider the humble email. This is where Pet Pack can help!
Our newsletters are created by the most highly-qualified veterinary content producers in Australasia, comprising a team of veterinary professionals and communications experts, who inherently know how to communicate accurate animal health information to your clients in a powerful, engaging manner.
VetSend, our newsletter delivery platform, is one of a kind in the global veterinary market, providing users with a variety of layout options within a modern and intuitive editing system.