It’s virtually a given anymore that we should be sending out a welcome email to new patients or new subscribers to online portals we offer. Whether it’s to track where they came from to measure marketing effectiveness, or simply to kick off the relationship, we know it should be done. But what good is a relationship that ends after the first date?
Instead of sending just one welcome email, some organizations are now sending a more comprehensive welcome series to new subscribers – and they are reaping the reward. Cheetah Digital reveals in their quarterly email benchmark report, “Brands that extend a welcome program to a full series enjoy increased customer engagement throughout the welcome process at a rate that is nearly double the overall promotional email average.”
So, what might this look like in a hospital setting? One example would be to send a series that results in added touchpoints with the new enrollee:
Email #1: General welcome with pertinent login information
Email #2: Reminder to set up any additional profile settings (selecting a PCP, service line interests, communication preferences, etc.)
Email #3: Invitation to sign up for a newsletter or event
For all the advantages that can come from building a more solid relationship with your newest patients and customers, between May 2016 and April 2017, only 40% of brands were currently sending a welcome series over the more traditional single email.
If you’re not convinced that doing a welcome series is going to work for your organization, consider squeezing more out of your welcome email by sending it in real time. A first welcome message sent via real-time triggers can have a 10 times higher transaction rate than those sent as bulk messages. Setting up automated triggers for your welcome email may seem like a daunting task, but by integrating near real-time web data into your CRM, it may be easier than you think.
Need help setting up automated emails, or crafting an email welcome series? Contact the LionShare team at 1‑800‑928‑0712.
As an Account Manager on the Client Services team, Valerie strives to exceed client expectations. Prior to joining the LionShare team, Valerie built a solid foundation of communication and customer service focused experience through her work in the hospitality and marketing agency worlds. Valerie attended the University of Kansas to earn dual Bachelor degrees in English and Psychology, and has used that combination to meet the needs of her clients, and the patients and customers of those clients. With a passion for informing others, Valerie also contributes to the Social Media team at LionShare.
