Transcript of a WebSavvy chat on website conversions and wellness newsletters
Q (Jumpy): Leslie, I’m the marketing manager for my company. We have three family wellness centers outside Minneapolis. We mostly work with families where the kids have issues – ADD, obesity, disordered eating, social anxiety, and similar things. We do have support groups specifically for ADD, ED, and two other conditions. We also do “community events” where we invite all of our families.
What are your ideas on getting articles for our newsletter? We just want to keep in touch with our families, encourage community and support – mostly articles about ADD, childhood obesity, etc. That’s about it so far. We’ve been doing the newsletter about six months.
A: If your goal is community and support, I’m not sure “current events” type links do much. What if you did things like interviewing one of your families to get their thoughts on their journey to wellness? Or, even just fun stuff. You know, “Family X reports a great time at Thanksgiving…”
Q (Jumpy): We thought about that, but won’t they feel like we’re invading their privacy?
A: Good point. The key to avoiding privacy issues is to ask permission before including them, but lots of people are happy and even flattered to share information about themselves. And, especially when they are dealing with tough issues they often feel like they’re helping others when they share challenges – even if they have not overcome them yet.
You should also announce the support groups and ongoing events in your newsletter.
Look for chances to include photos of your families from the groups and events. Again, with permission and where appropriate – sensitivity counts, but I don’t need to tell you that! You could also include relevant local info versus stuff that your families will see all over the web. For example, if you have families dealing with kids and eating, you could include a heads-up on upcoming freebie seminars that local hospitals or charitable organizations, etc. are offering. That’s news that your readers probably won’t see elsewhere…gives them a reason to scan your newsletter.
Q (Healer): We are an integrated medical clinic (DO, acupuncture, chiropractics, medical massage, etc.). We want to get people who visit our website to come in for a free consultation. Any ideas? Right now nothing much seems to happen from the website. We have a coupon for the free consultation on our website. From the main page, you click on “Programs”, then “Services”, and that takes you to the coupon page.
A: Move the coupon to the home page, for sure!
There are a couple of possibilities – people aren’t that thrilled about what they’re seeing on your site, so they don’t want a free consultation. Or, maybe they are interested, but something about the free consultation process is too burdensome. You could try focusing the consultation on the most common problems – i.e., “get a free consult on back pain that keeps you awake” versus just “get a free consult”.
You might also consider setting a block of time each week (month, whatever) for drop-in free consults – that encourages spur-of-the-moment visits. Or, sweeten the free consult offer – “come in for a free consult, get a gift”. But, I’m not as thrilled with that idea. If you have to buy their interest that much, it makes me think there’s a bigger problem with your web content in general.
Also, are the logistics clear for exactly what they should do next if they want the consult? Like:
1) Call this number between 9 and 5.
2) Ask for Diandra and she will schedule your appointment with either Bob or Sue.
3) Wear loose-fitting clothing.
Explain how parking works if there’s any doubt and then a link to a really good map to your place. Make sure the tone is really friendly and approachable and encourage folks to call with any questions at all, any time. Your goal is to lower any intimidation factor or uncertainty about visiting your business.
One other thought – watch your web statistics and see how many people are really visiting your site. If no one’s visiting the site, obviously they aren’t going to bite on the free consult, either.
Go to How To Take Your Website’s Vital Statistics. Read that and then email us if you have any questions.
