A clinic newsletter is one of the few marketing tools you own outright. Nobody can change an algorithm on you. But most clinic newsletters get ignored, either because they read like a brochure or because the first email arrives from a clinic the patient barely remembers.
Here is how to build a list properly, and what to write once you have one.
Get consent right first
Email rules are not optional, and a clinic can’t treat its patient list like a mailing list. Rules differ by country, and this is general information, not legal advice. Check with your regulator or a lawyer if you’re unsure.
Canada: CASL
Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) requires consent before you send a commercial electronic message, and the message must identify you, give your contact details and include an unsubscribe that works (the Act, section 6).
Consent can be express (the person said yes) or implied in certain cases. Implied consent from an existing business relationship covers a purchase within the two years before the message, or an inquiry within the six months before it. Once that window closes, you need express consent (the Act, section 10).
An unsubscribe request must be honoured without delay and no later than ten business days. The unsubscribe mechanism must keep working for at least 60 days after you send, and it must cost the recipient nothing to use (the Act, section 11).
The simplest approach is to get express consent, and keep a record of it: who, when, and how. Ask for it on its own, not buried inside terms and conditions. Don’t pre-tick the box.
United States: CAN-SPAM
The FTC’s rules do not require prior consent, but they set strict conditions on every marketing email (FTC compliance guide):
- No false or misleading sender, reply-to or routing information.
- No deceptive subject lines.
- Say clearly that it is an advertisement, where it is one.
- Include your valid physical postal address.
- Give a clear way to opt out, and honour opt-outs within ten business days.
- You are responsible for whoever sends on your behalf.
Even if you only need to follow CAN-SPAM, building the list with express consent is a better habit.
A US clinic that emails Canadian recipients is also subject to CASL. The UK and Australia have their own consent rules for marketing email, so check the current rules if you write to people there.
Patient privacy
An email list of patients is health-adjacent data. Don’t put anything in a newsletter that identifies why a particular person attends. Be careful with segments such as “back pain patients” or “pelvic health patients”. Mailing them separately can reveal the reason to anyone who sees the email. In the US, HIPAA governs how you may use patient information for marketing, so check what is allowed before you email patients about services. Ask your privacy officer, regulator or lawyer where the line is in your area.
Email provider rules
Gmail’s sender guidelines require all senders to authenticate their mail, and require bulk senders (about 5,000 messages a day or more) to use SPF, DKIM and DMARC and to offer one-click unsubscribe (Gmail Help). A small clinic won’t hit that volume, but a reputable email tool handles authentication and unsubscribe for you. Use one rather than sending from Outlook with everyone on cc.
How to collect addresses honestly
- At intake: a separate, unticked box: “I’d like to receive the clinic newsletter by email. I can unsubscribe at any time.”
- On your website: a short sign-up form near the footer, with the same wording.
- At reception: a card with a QR code that opens the sign-up form.
- From your booking software: many systems let patients opt in to marketing emails. Use that setting and keep the record.
Don’t add every patient you have ever seen. A smaller list of people who said yes will perform better and cause fewer problems.
What patients open
Think about why anybody opens an email from a clinic. It’s because they trust you and the message is useful or interesting for them. A few habits help:
- One idea per issue. One topic, one tip, one next step. A newsletter with nine sections gets skimmed and closed.
- A plain subject line that says what is inside: “A 2-minute stretch for desk workers” beats “March news!”
- A real name in the From line. “Sam at [Clinic]” beats “Clinic Notifications”.
- Short. Aim for 200 to 300 words. People read it on a phone, standing in a queue.
- A single link to act on: book online, read the full article, or reply.
- A reply address that gets read. Answer the replies.
A simple monthly template
- A short note from a clinician (two or three sentences, in their voice).
- One useful tip, with a picture or a short video.
- One thing about the clinic: a new team member, new hours, a local event.
- A single call to action: “Book online”, with the link.
- The footer: clinic name, address and an unsubscribe link.
Ideas for the first six issues
- Welcome, and what to expect from us (once a month, never spam).
- A simple desk-setup tip.
- What to do after a minor sprain, in general terms, and when to get it looked at.
- A local seasonal reminder, such as snow-shovelling or garden season.
- Meet one of our practitioners.
- How to book, and how to change a booking. Use the same link as on your website.
Also see our blog ideas guide for more topics. Anything you write for the blog can be turned into a newsletter.
What to avoid
- Sending too often. Once a month is plenty. Start there.
- Hard sell and countdown offers. They train patients to ignore you.
- Patient names, stories or photos without written consent.
- Health claims you can’t support. Your regulator’s advertising rules apply to email as well. See advertising rules for physio and chiro clinics.
- Hiding the unsubscribe. It’s a legal requirement and a courtesy. People who leave politely don’t report you as spam.
How to tell it is working
Look at three numbers each month: how many people opened it, how many clicked the booking link, and how many unsubscribed. Open rates are rough guides, because email apps can inflate them, so pay more attention to clicks and bookings. Ask new patients whether they get the newsletter.
Check it today
Look at the form you use to collect email addresses. Is the sign-up box unticked, separate from your terms, and clear about what people will get? Does every email have your clinic’s address and a working unsubscribe? If not, fix it before your next send.
If you’d like us to look at your sign-up form and website together, send us the links and we’ll tell you what we see, at no charge. Once the list is working, patient reactivation shows what to send to people who haven’t been in for a while, and a homepage checklist helps the sign-up box earn its place.