Top 6 recommendations for email communications with healthcare professionals

Email communications marketing has evolved within the past decade, from spam messages to a marketing tool that helps build relationships with customers as well as communicating information and has rapidly secured itself as an important communication tool within the healthcare industry.

While a message can be shared on email with healthcare professionals (HCPs), this needs to be seen and heard above everything else that comes across their desk.

So how do you cut through the noise to engage with HCPs? Here, we’ve highlighted our top five recommendations that healthcare companies need to consider, when writing email communications that stand out.

1. Transparency

Before you even begin to think about your messaging and style, pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to make their identity transparent – even when the email is sent via a third party.

This means that even the email address from which your message is sent must be associated with the company you work for. Ensure that the name of your company, as well as clear contact information, is displayed within the email to ensure maximum clarity.

You must also include the reason for contact clearly and within the first paragraph of the email for HCPs to understand the purpose of your message.

2. Relevancy

Time is precious, but for HCPs it’s invaluable, therefore your messaging should be tailored towards your chosen recipients in a way that will catch their attention to encourage them to keep reading.

As well as content, the frequency of your contact should also remain relevant; we recommend getting in touch no more than four times per year when implementing email campaigns. Remember, it is quality, not quantity.

3. Permission

You need the right permissions from all your HCPs before you send them promotional emails.

Regulatory, educational and non-promotional emails can be sent to HCPs without prior permission but should only include information that is relevant to the recipient.

In order to send marketing materials, you will need to ask HCPs permission, this can be done with a friendly introductory email asking if they would like to receive marketing materials from your company.

These introductory emails are not classed as promotional, but if an HCP chooses not to opt-in, you cannot then contact them further.

4. GDPR

Back in 2016, the General Data Protections Regulation (or GDPR) was brought in under EU ruling, intended to protect the data of citizens within the European Union (EU).

Although some believed this would be the death of email marketing, it simply requires data to be handled more carefully. For more information, you can visit the ICO’s website.

But when it comes to email marketing and GDPR with HCPs, you need to target your prospects very carefully.

There must be a strong reason to claim that the HCP can benefit from the information, services or products that your email is offering. Moreover, your business activity should be logically connected with the business activity of your prospect.

5. Unsubscribe

Regulatory, educational, non-promotional and promotional email correspondence should allow the recipient to opt out. Make sure you remove unsubscribed emails from your mailing lists.

6. Content and Subject

We can’t reveal all our secrets, but no email to HCPs is complete without engaging content and an eye-catching subject line.

Content should be kept short and to the point with genuinely interesting information that your HCPs can use. By providing value, recipients will be more inclined to read through and continue to receive communications.

Appropriate imagery and punchy headlines interspersed throughout your mailer will also encourage your target audience to continue reading by breaking up large blocks of text.

Subject lines are your real time to shine, the difference between a good and a bad subject can mean the difference between your email being read and immediately put into the deleted folder.

Email Communications Management

Email communications can be confusing, that’s why we offer a budget-friendly menu of marketing communications packages designed specifically for SMEs and start-ups as part of our ThinkBig initiative.

If you have an email campaign requirement and need further assistance, our communications management package could be just the service you need.

Contact us to find out how we can help you with strategy, content, press and more, so you can realise your communications potential.