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03/28/2024 08:47:49 am
8 Reasons To Have A Wellness Newsletter or Ezine
By: Jasmine Samrad "Coach Jaz"

Having an online wellness newsletter (or "Ezine") is one of the best follow-up marketing strategies a wellness professional can implement.  At HTH we believe this simple yet effective strategy is a must-have for any helping or healing private practice.  Here's why...
 
Ezines are a proven marketing tool for any service-based business, but they are especially perfect for promoting a private wellness practice.  (It's simpler to do than you think!)  Here are 8 Ezine Benefits to get you motivated to start up your wellness ezine today!

1.   It serves as a "Keep In Touch" marketing piece.

Otherwise known as relationship marketing, this is one of the most important parts of a successful and sustainable marketing system.  In the HTH PracticeBuilders program we teach you how to create a sustainable marketing system by building a "Marketing Train."

You can learn all about the Marketing Train by downloading our FREE marketing class - see link above.   Briefly, the Caboose is the the third essential component of your 3-part Marketing Train.  The Caboose is the special car at the end of the train, and it's function in your Marketing Train is to prevent people from "falling off your train!"

When your Marketing Train exposes your work to prospective clients (through an Engine activity like, say, speaking), they'll probably pick up a card or brochure or flyer (the "Cars" of the train, or passive marketing).  That's fine, except most of these people won't be ready to start working with you yet!
 
Studies show prospective clients need an average of SEVEN exposures to your message before they make a decision to "buy" (make direct contact with you.)  In wellness it can be even longer, because the helping relationship is so important and it takes time to build your credibility and trust in a client's eyes.
 
Therefore, you need a way to keep in touch with the people who meet you and your message.  You need to continue to build a relationship with them. so that when they have a true need and are ready to get help YOU are the one in the front of their minds.
 
This relationship-building is especially important with the wellness client who often needs a high degree of motivation for change before seeking help.  The ezine is an excellent way to stay in touch and build this motivation and a trusting relationship with prospects.
 
2.   It builds your credibility and professional image.
 
Having an ezine by its very nature conveys professionalism and that you are fairly established in your field.  Think about the times you've learned someone puts out a regular ezine... doesn't it instantly grant them an aura of greater professionalism and success?  
 
Having an ezine also sends the message (important for healers and helpers) that you care enough about your clientele and are successful and knowledgeable enough to put together a regular, monthly (or so) publication on a specialty wellness topic.
 
It puts you in the role of community educator and tells people you have a unique expertise to offer.  And obviously, when they actually receive your informative, professional newsletters month after month, it builds your credibility even more!
 
3.   It gives people a chance to experience you and your program.
 
A regular publication in your own words and style gives people a good window into what it would be like to work with you.  This is especially important with wellness clients who are often scared, skeptical, or just plain stuck and want to know they'll be in good, warm hands when they finally get up the courage to seek help and create change in their lives.
 
Through an ezine people can experience your unique personality as a healer or helper, your general wellness philosophies, and most importantly, the all-powerful HOW or wellness methodology or program you'll use to help them.
 
By the time they contact you for an appointment or an Intro Session, they will be "pre-sold" on working with you, AND self-selected for compatibility with your philosophy, style and system.  In other words, they will be better, more committed, more consistent clients!
 
4.   It helps people buy in bite-sized pieces.
 
One secret we share in the HTH PracticeBuilders system is the importance of respecting the client's buying process.
 
You can't expect someone to plonk down $500-$1200 a month for your wellness services cold turkey, especially when many people have some doubt, insecurity, anxiety or skepticism.  This doubt and anxiety is usually about the client's own motivation, but unfortunately it often manifests as skepticism about the effectiveness and value of many wellness modalities like therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, energy work, etc.
 
Your ezine can help build up the credibility of you AND your art, and moreover, gently nudge your client to commitment to invest in their wellness.  To do this, you need to give your prospective client several incremental steps before that big commitment of time and money that solid wellness work usually entails.
 
For example, you can run a free wellness talk.  At the talk you offer your Intro Session and a free newsletter.  Some bold folks sign up for the Intro Session but most sign up for your newsletter.  In the newsletter you offer a free or low-cost Intro Session.  After a few issues many folks will feel ready to try your Intro Session.  The end goal is to run the Intro Session so you build the client's commitment (we teach you how in Classes 3A and 3B).  
 
Voila! ...you have a committed new client.  If you break the client's decision up into bite-sized commitments like this, each step will be easy to take (vs. one big one) and the client is more committed and gets better results at the end of it all.  The free wellness ezine is a perfect "bite-sized" commitment for this incremental, relationship-oriented buying process!
 
5.   It allows you to repeatedly promote your practice.
 
A corollary of the bite-sized commitment process is that people often need to hear an offer multiple times before they'll take you up on it.  Remember - experts say it takes 7 exposures to a marketing message or offer before the client is ready to move and make the call.
 
An ezine allows you to repeatedly promote that next "bite" in the decision process to your prospective client.  That way, they can get enough exposure to overcome their inertia (or fear, or whatever is holding them back) and take the next step.
 
You use your newsletter to add value, but also to promote (up to 7 times) an Intro Session, a free talk, an "open house", a program package, a wellness course, or whatever next step you want the prospective client to consider.
 
As you build credibility with them, you will also be building their motivation to seek out more direct contact and work with you!  Then, when they're ready, the "call to action", the next step of the path, is right there winking up at them from your newsletter.
 
6.   It's an attractive, low-key, helping-oriented marketing tool that's easy to offer and accept.
 
Offering your newsletter to lots of people is just plain natural and easy for most wellness professionals. And the people you meet will find it just as easy to accept.
 
Say you've just met someone at a party, and they of course ask you about your work.  Imagine this sample conversation:
 
YOU: Oh, I just LOVE my work.  I specialize in helping ___[insert your Who or target market__] with __[insert your What or niche - the problem you help people with]____  
 
(THEM: Oh wow how interesting. That sounds really valuable/rewarding... )
 
Yes, it's very exciting... i really feel I can help a lot of people.  In fact, I'm just launching a new monthly newsletter with free tips and resources on _[insert your Who/What again]__ so I can reach more people.
 
(THEM: How cool!)
 
Thank you, yes, the response has been very positive...  I'd love to add your name to the mailing list. (It's kept private, don't worry)... and if you know of anyone who can use the tips you can forward it to them." ...
 
And then get their card!  Now wasn't it easy to imagine yourself saying this?
 
The great thing is, most people will naturally be interested in getting on your list.  Or they might suggest someone else who might be interested (in which case, try to get that other person's info; don't just rely on your contact to forward the ezine.)
 
You want to be sure they seem somewhat intrigued by your Who/What before you offer the newsletter, of course.  You can also make it clear that you'll never spam or share their info, so they can feel safe giving their email out.  
 
Once you get this handy and very natural script down, it's a real treat to be able to go to any event and start beaming about your ezine!

7.   You can share it with referring providers.

If you want other providers to refer clients to you, you need to keep in touch with them as well.

Offering to share your ezine with other providers makes you look more professional in their eyes, gives you a way to build credibility with them over time, and gives you a great way to add value to their practice and their clients while keep yourself in the top of their minds for referrals.

The neurologist you just took out to lunch is much more likely to refer people to your migraine acupuncture program after she gets a handful of helpful newsletters on migraine acupuncture.  Or maybe she'll share them with her patients and they'll call you themselves!

And finally, last and definitely not least, reason number 8 why you want a wellness ezine...

8.   It makes you a better helper!
 
Imagine yourself writing a monthly ezine targetted to your Who/What (your target market and niche).  Imagine yourself describing one or more components of your wellness program (or "How" you help them) in each issue.
 
Now, can you see how this will make you a better healer or helper?
 
For one thing, when you're forced to write about your How (helping methodology or program), you will refine it more each time.  Then, when it comes time to serve your clients, you can easily articulate what you're doing and why you're doing it, and better track their progress.  Your client will feel more confident and committed to a well-articulated wellness plan, and confident, committed clients get better results.   
 
Furthermore, in order to inspire your writing, you'll seek out more information and inspiration. You'll tune in to clients on another level, and seek out more external resources.  This means you'll build your knowledge base and skillset faster.  
 
You'll also have a place to share all those additional resources like book or product recommendations, research studies, or helpful websites.  This helps you serve your existing clients and your network more fully.  You'll truly be stepping into your role as a wellness resource for your community.

SUMMARY

So there you have it - 8 powerful reasons for starting your Wellness Ezine today!  We hope this article inspires you to get your own wellness ezine written and launched.

It really does not have to be complicated or time-consuming!  We'll teach you our proven method for quickly launching a simple, professional ezine in the HTH Virtual U. workbook on Ezines.  In it you'll find:

  • More benefits of wellness ezines, and more details on the 8 benefits listed here.
  • Information on how to publish your wellness ezine, including length, content and technical tips
  • Do's and don'ts of successful wellness ezines
  • How to come up with great topics
  • How to build your list
  • How to naturally and effectively extend your ezine offer at talks, social events, and other places

Visit www.helpingthehelper.com to find out how to join and download the Ezines workbook right away, and what you get for your low membership fee.  Our great Ezines workbook is just ONE of many reasons to become a member of Helping The Helper today!

Jasmine Samrad (aka "Coach Jaz") is a former business attorney turned life coach.  She is Founder and Executive Coach of Helping The Helper, a popular practice-building program for acupuncturists, chiropractors, coaches and other professionals in the wellness and healing arts.  You can read more of Coach Jaz's articles and sign up for the free HTH practice-building newsletter by visiting www.helpingthehelper.com.

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Printed from Acufinder.com
http://www.acufinder.com/articles_building_detail.php?nid=8+Reasons+To+Have+A+Wellness+Newsletter+or+Ezine
03/28/2024 08:47:49 am