One of the biggest mistakes I see podiatry business owners make is chasing bigger email lists instead of building better ones.
A list of 10,000 patients who barely know who you are is far less valuable than a list of 500 patients who open your emails, read your content, and look forward to hearing from you.
If your goal is long-term business growth, stop thinking about the size of your list and start thinking about the quality of your audience.
Give the Right Patients a Reason to Subscribe
Nobody wakes up thinking, “I hope another business emails me today.”
However, patients will gladly give you their email address when asked, if they know they will receive something valuable in return.
It might be a helpful guide, a checklist for future shoe purchases, a short video with practical exercises, a webinar or access to exclusive tips, which may be delivered via your newsletter or an email blast.
The important thing is that it’s going to solve a real problem your ideal patient is possibly thinking about right now, or sometime in the future.
Creating tips, guides, videos, etc. all take time, which is why the content you create should always be targeted towards your ideal patient.
Keep Showing Up
Building an email list isn’t about collecting addresses. It’s about building trust.
Every newsletter you send should educate, entertain or inspire your audience. If every email is simply asking people to buy from you, they’ll soon lose interest.
They will unsubscribe.
Instead, share stories, practical tips, lessons you’ve learned and ideas your audience can put into action immediately.
The more consistently you provide value, the more your email list will look forward to hearing from you.
Think Long Term
Growing a quality email list isn’t a race. It’s an investment.
If you’re doing a presentation at a local sporting or community organisation, Rotary, or something similar, make sure you give everyone a reason and an opportunity to give you their email address for further information.
Focus on attracting the right patients, consistently delivering value, and earning their trust. Do that well, and your email list becomes one of the most valuable assets your business will ever own.
Free Downloadable Offer
Everyone knows that if you request a downloadable book, whitepaper, or information sheet, you will be added to an email list, which is why you should have something people can download.
And people will stay on your email list if they get good value afterwards…but if they do unsubscribe, then that is great news because you now know they are not a good fit.
I actually smile when podiatrists unsubscribe from my newsletter.
Final Thoughts
Algorithms will change. Social media platforms will come and go. Advertising costs will continue to rise.
Your email list, however, is an asset you control.
Build it patiently, nurture it consistently, and always give people a reason to stay. When you focus on relationships instead of numbers, your email list becomes much more than a marketing tool. It becomes a community of people who genuinely want to hear what you have to say.
If you have any questions about creating email lists, newsletters or other forms of marketing, please reach out to me at tf@tysonfranklin.com, and I will help you where I can.
Or, if you just want to make more money in podiatry, we can talk about that as well.
But if you’re still not sure about scheduling a time to talk with me, that’s okay. Feel free to keep browsing my website.
You may even want to buy my book: It’s No Secret…There’s Money in Podiatry.