Best Practices to Follow-Up After a Patient Education Seminar
Putting together a successful patient education seminar is hard work. Then, once that work is done and the attendees are happy, you still have work to do. What are you doing for follow-up after a patient education seminar with attendees?
Whether you’re the doctor putting on the event or the organizer partnering with the medical professional, the follow up is vital to the overall success of the seminar.
If people come to your event and never hear from you again, have they really received the most value?
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After the event is complete, following up with further information and the opportunity to continue the conversation will help turn an average event into a stellar experience.
Below are a few tips to the follow-up process for your best patient education seminar experience.
Send a Thank You Note
A simple thank you goes a long way. Your grandmother may have taught you that at one point, and it holds true today, even in the business world.
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The great thing about automation tools is that you can put technology to work for you. One solution to thank you notes is send a postcard designed and set-up ahead of time so you don’t forget it.
You could include the event host information, a simple URL for more information about the product or services discussed and an easy way to stay in touch.
You could also take this to a new level and go with handwritten notes – provided you have the time. A handwritten thank you goes a long way in today’s machine focused world.
Best yet – combine automation with personal touches for a winning solution to a follow-up thank you.
Send Value-Added Information
Maybe your seminar offered a ton of great information, but you still have more to say. You could offer value-added information in a follow-up email, much like many public speakers do at conference.
Links to presentations, whitepapers or digital downloads, and a calendar link for digital office hours could all fit the bill for this offering.
Not only does a value-added follow-up help attendees, but it positions the host and organizer as helpful and trustworthy. You aren’t just sending a note to close a deal – you’re offering something valuable. The closed deal will come.
Email to Encourage an Appointment
Whether it’s a dentist with a new procedure or a doctor offering hope with a new medical device, encouraging seminar attendees to make an appointment helps take those interested and move them into the “decided” category of leads.
“We enjoyed the turnout and want to ensure those interested make their appointments right away, to get on the doctor’s schedule right away. You don’t want to miss the window!”
That gives attendees a sense of urgency without being spammy or pressuring. Encouraging a follow-up appointment as a call to action can help turn a mediocre seminar into a top-tier business development opportunity.
Set a Calendar Event for a 6-Month Follow-Up
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Coming off the excitement of a seminar, it may seem easy to close deals and bring in new business. But the reality is that not everyone is ready to make a decision right away. That doesn’t make them bad leads, just not ready “right now.”
It’s easy to forget who was in a seminar six months ago. Instead of letting attendees not interested right away whither on the “leads” vine, set a calendar notification for six months later to follow up. From here you could send a survey on how they liked it and what they remember, or you could encourage them again to make an appointment. Either way, be sure to remind them why they’re getting the message, and that you can help them.
Try Something Unique
It’s important to set ourselves apart in this busy, message-rich world. In addition to the above tips, how would adding a unique message – or delivery of said message – change the seminar experience for everyone involved?
Unique follow-up could include:
- Sending a branded gift
- Sending a local-flavor gift
- Offer a discount to the office or another special offer
- Put on a simple reunion event for further questions – and make it fun
However you decide to implement follow-up after your patient education seminar, be sure to think about the audience, what they want and what would really impress them, turning leads into new business.
