As a chiropractor, it’s important to have a steady flow of patients to keep your practice growing. And the best way to reach more patients? Text them.
Text message marketing is an effective, low-cost way to reach potential patients instantly and keep your current patients engaged. Learn five ways text messaging helps increase patient traffic to your chiropractic clinic and snag a few text messaging templates.
1. Appointment Reminders
One of the simplest and most effective ways to use text marketing for chiropractic clinics is to send appointment reminders to your patients. Patients will inevitably forget their appointments, leading to lost revenue for the practice.
Send automated reminders a day or two before each appointment to reduce the likelihood of no-shows and keep your schedule full. This not only helps ensure that you’re making the most of your time and resources, but it also shows your patients that you value their time and provide a high-quality experience.
Make each message personalized and concise, including a “call to action” (CTA) to encourage patients to reschedule if they can’t make their appointment.
Appointment reminder text example: Hi [First Name], this is [Dr. Name] from [Chiropractic Practice Name]. Your next appointment is at (time) on (date). We look forward to seeing you then!
2. Promotions and Discounts
Everyone loves a good deal. Text marketing is a great way to offer promotions on in-office products or share information on bundles to your patients. Texts enable you to reach your patients directly and instantly, which increases the chances of an appointment or purchase.
For chiropractors who run cash practices, send information about discounts on services and memberships, service bundles, first-time visit specials, time-of-service discounts, or other incentives that encourage patients to book an appointment or refer a friend. Or if you run a promotion on supplements or other products that you sell, use texts to make your customers aware of the deals.
Promotional text example: Hey [First Name]! Our practice is offering a (discount amount) on all initial chiropractic consultations booked by the end of this month. Call us at [Your Phone Number] or reply to this message to book an appointment.
3. Referral Programs
“Word of mouth” goes a long way for businesses, including chiropractic clinics. 88% of consumers trust word-of-mouth recommendations from people they know.
Text your patients to introduce and promote your referral program and encourage them to spread the word about your chiropractic clinic. Share the specific benefits of referring friends and family to your clinic. Benefits and incentives often include a discount on products or a free gift.
Referral program text example: Hey [First Name], did you know you can earn a $50 credit towards (in-office products, supplements, etc.) for every friend or family member you refer to (Chiropractic Practice Name)? Just make sure your referrals mention your name when they book their appointment.
4. Health Tips and Relevant Information
Every message you send should provide value to the specific recipients, so keep your patients engaged and informed by sending health tips via text message.
Send relevant blog posts, a link to your FAQs, tips for managing pain, videos about at-home stretches, or other advice that certain groups of patients might find useful.
Use the information that you know about each patient to write texts specifically for them. Send them tips that directly relate to the reason why they booked an appointment in the past, but don’t send out any confidential information to remain compliant with HIPAA.
Health tip text example: Happy Monday, [First Name]! Did you know that stretching in the morning can improve your flexibility and reduce risk of injury throughout the day? Start your week with these quick and easy stretches: (video or blog link)
5. Follow-up and Feedback
Text messaging is the best way to follow up with your patients after appointments to gather feedback. Showing that you value your patients’ opinions helps build stronger relationships and increases the likelihood of them returning for future appointments.
After a patient visits, send a thank you text and/or a request for feedback/reviews. When requesting specific feedback or reviews, include a link to a survey or review site to make it easier for patients.
In addition, use text messaging to follow up with patients who haven’t visited your clinic in a while. Remind them of the benefits of chiropractic care and encourage them to book an appointment. This helps keep your practice top-of-mind.
Feedback request text example: Hi [First Name], we hope you’re feeling great after your recent appointment at [Practice Name]. Your feedback helps us improve our services and provide the best possible care to our patients. We’d really appreciate it if you left us a review on Google (insert link)
Engage Your Patients Consistently to Keep Growing Your Chiropractic Clinic
Ultimately, text messaging allows you to engage with patients to show that you actually care about them and value their opinion. It’s the easiest way to reach patients consistently, keep them happy, and boost your revenue.
Start reaching your potential and current patients with Skipio — an automated two-way text messaging platform specifically built to help you engage potential patients and keep patients coming back.
