When doctors and health practitioners get into digital marketing, they create a website and set up social media accounts. That’s it.

What gets missed? Email.

Email remains one of the most effective (and often overlooked) ways to stay connected with prospective and existing patients.

With 4.37 billion global email users in 2023 and 93% checking their inboxes daily, it’s a channel you can’t afford to ignore.

Also, unlike websites and social media pages, email gives you a direct line of communication to your patients. This helps you stay top of mind, boost patient engagement, and grow revenue for your medical practice. 

Getting started with email marketing is actually easier than you think, once you know the steps to take.

This guide will cover everything you need to know—how to build an effective email strategy, what types of emails to send, and how to track and improve your results.

Why Trust Me?

Kawusara Salley has three years of experience with email marketing, working on side projects and volunteering to help businesses with their email projects. She’s also a passionate technical writer who enjoys deep research and sharing her unique insights in plain, simple language.

Table of Contents

• Why Email Marketing is Essential for Medical Practices

  • Enhancing Patient Communication

  • Building Trust and Patient Loyalty

  • Driving Patient Engagement and Action

  • Boosting Your Return on Investment (ROI)

• Setting Up an Effective Email Marketing Strategy for Doctors

  • Build Your Email List

  • Segment Your Audience

  • Craft Personalized and Relevant Content

  • Ensure Compliance With Privacy Regulations

• Tips for Creating Engaging and Effective Emails

  • Write Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines

  • Design Readable and Visually Appealing Emails

  • Send Emails at the Right Pace and Time

• Measuring and Optimizing Your Email Marketing Efforts

  • Tracking Key Performance Metrics

  • Implementing A/B Testing

• Closing Thoughts

Why Email Marketing Is Essential for Medical Practices

Many doctors assume email is a marketing tool for only E-commerce brands, tech companies, bloggers, and YouTubers. That’s far from the truth.

Like any other business, your clinic can also use email marketing and reap benefits like:

Enhancing Patient Communication

Let’s say you want to inform patients about a new service at your clinic, an upcoming screening event, or a limited-time sales offer. 

You might post it on social media or update your website. But will your patients see it? Probably not.

Social media algorithms are unreliable and your post can easily get buried. As for your website, very few patients will visit just to check if anything’s new. Calling each patient to share the news or update them isn’t realistic either.

That’s where email comes in.

With one email, you can reach hundreds to thousands of patients directly in their inbox. And because people check their emails at least once a day, they’re likely to see, open, and act on your message.

Building Trust and Patient Loyalty

Email gives you an easy way to stay in touch with patients between visits. 

When you consistently send helpful, relevant content to patients—like wellness tips, answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), and links to useful articles—patients start seeing your practice as a trusted source of health info and support.

When patients rely on you for guidance, they are more inclined to seek your care when they need it.

Personal touches such as birthday greetings, wellness check‑ins, and post‑visit follow‑up emails deepen this connection and make patients feel appreciated and cared for.

Over time, these efforts translate into stronger loyalty.  

As a result, they’re more likely to follow through on future appointments, recommend your services to friends and family, and stick with your practice long-term.

Driving Patient Engagement and Action

Want more appointments? More product sales? More webinar signups? More blog post views? 

Email makes it easy—add a link or a button in your email to guide patients to take your desired action. 

Even better, email lets you segment your audience and send targeted messages. 

For example, you can promote skincare products to your patient segment who have visited for dermatology appointments and recommend supplements to another segment focused on weight management.

Boosting Your Return on Investment (ROI)

According to a 2019 Statista survey, nearly 3 out of 4 of in-house marketers rated email as “excellent” or “good” for ROI. And it’s easy to see why. 

Email allows you to reach and convert a large number of patients without blowing up your budget, leading to an ROI of up to $40 for every $1 spent on email marketing.

Sure, you won’t get these results instantly like with paid ads. 

However, once you have a good email strategy in place and your email list continues to grow over time, you’ll get closer to seeing an impressive ROI value for your medical practice.

Setting up an Effective Email Marketing Strategy for Doctors

Getting started with email marketing means having a clear plan in place. 

You’ll need to think about how to grow your email list, what types of emails to send, and how to stay compliant with privacy regulations. 

Here’s how to get started:

Build Your Email List

An effective email marketing strategy starts with a permission-based email list.

That means no buying email lists of people who’ve never heard of you and probably don’t want to.

Instead, build your email list by asking people to join it, it’s as simple as that.

Start by collecting email addresses at every touchpoint: when patients visit your website, check in at your clinic, sign up through a patient portal, or go to your social media page. 

Also, when you speak at an event, appear on a podcast, or host a webinar, let your audience know about your email list and how they can join.

To encourage sign-ups, offer a clear reason to subscribe. Let people know the benefits they’ll get, like receiving health tips, appointment reminders, and exclusive updates.

For example, AmBari Nutrition features a simple signup form in their footer section, which is present across their entire website. Besides the footer, you can also add signup forms at the top of your homepage and throughout your site's sidebars.

Another way to encourage signups is by offering incentives, such as a downloadable free health guide or a discount on services and products.

Besides the newsletter signup form in their website’s footer, AmBari Nutrition uses a pop-up offering visitors a 20% discount on their first purchase in exchange for an email address.

An offer like this is just the push some people need to hand over their email and choose you over competitors.  

Segment Your Audience

Not all emails are meant for everyone on your list. 

Patients have different needs, interests, and health concerns. This means that you can put these patients into smaller groups (aka segments) and send them targeted messages that they’re likely to read and engage with.

According to a 2024 Litmus report, an impressive 90% of email marketers achieved better performance by using segmentation. Clearly, if you’re looking to get better results from your email campaigns, segmentation is a must.

Here are a few simple ways to segment your list:

1. Demographics: Age, gender, or location. 

2. Medical history: Past visits, existing conditions, or medication purchases.

3. User behavior: Type of freebie downloaded from your website, interests they ticked on your signup form, frequency of email opens, and link clicks in previous emails.

Segmentation doesn’t have to be complicated. Most email marketing providers like beehiiv have a built-in email segmentation feature to make this process super easy to implement.

Craft Personalized and Relevant Content

If every email feels like a sales pitch, your audience will stop paying attention.

Promotional emails are fine—but they’re more effective when integrated into a strategy focused on building trust and loyalty.

Your email list is made up of real people. Send messages that are useful, relevant, and show that you care about their health.

When patients consistently get value from your emails, they’re more likely to engage when you share something promotional.

Here are 10 email types to add to your strategy. You can start with the first three emails in this list, and expand as you get more comfortable.

1. Welcome Emails

When a new patient joins your list or books their first appointment, a welcome email sets the tone for the patient’s experience with your clinic.

It’s a great way to introduce your practice and its services, explain what to expect, and let them know what types of emails they’ll be receiving. 

Instead of a single email, you can send additional emails as part of a short welcome sequence. For example:

• Email 1: Welcome message

• Email 2: Helpful tips and resources

• Email 3: Testimonials and encouragement to book an appointment

2. Educational Newsletters

Newsletters are a great way to share helpful, actionable content that supports your patients’ health.

These could include wellness tips, healthy recipes, and links to your latest blog posts, videos, or podcast episodes.

Pick a consistent schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly), so patients know when to expect your emails. This consistency helps to build trust and makes them more likely to engage with your content, including future promotions.

For instance, Dr. Austin Perlmutter runs a weekly newsletter called The Better Brain Update, where he breaks down research on brain health into actionable advice that people can easily implement in their daily lives. 

This has allowed him to attract over 120,000 readers who regularly engage with his content.

3. Product Promotion Emails

If your clinic offers paid products like nutritional supplements, skincare items, medical devices, or meal plans, product promotion emails let you put a spotlight on them. 

A short email sequence promoting a product could look like this:

• Email 1: Introduce the product and its key benefits.

• Email 2: Share a patient testimonial or success story.

• Email 3: Offer a limited-time discount or bonus.

The same approach applies if you offer services like paid consultations, wellness programs, or cosmetic and aesthetic procedures.

4. Event Promotion Emails

Hosting a webinar, free screening, or in-person health seminar? Sending an event marketing email is one of the best ways to get the word out.

Your email should clearly explain:

• What the event is

• Why it’s valuable

• When and where it’s happening

Send one initial invite a few weeks in advance, followed by 2–3 reminder emails as the event approaches.

5. Re-Engagement Emails

Sometimes patients become unresponsive and stop engaging with your emails. 

If someone hasn’t opened or clicked on your messages in 6 to 12 months, you have two options: remove them from your list or send them a re-engagement email sequence.

A simple re-engagement sequence could be:

• Email 1 (“We miss you”): Let them know you’ve noticed their silence and give them the option to stay subscribed.

• Email 2 (“Here’s what you’ve missed”):  Share a few recent updates, helpful tips, a popular blog post, or maybe even offer a discount on a paid product.

• Email 3 (“We’ll say goodbye for now”): If they haven’t responded, let them know they’ll be removed unless they choose to stay.

If a subscriber responds (by opening, clicking, or replying) to any of these re-engagement emails, move them back to your main list to receive regular updates. Otherwise, it is best to remove them to maintain a healthy and engaged email list.

6. Birthday and Milestone Emails

Birthday and milestone emails are a simple way to make your patients feel seen and appreciated.

Send them a short message wishing them a happy birthday or marking their anniversary with your clinic. You can also include a small gift, such as a discount, a wellness freebie, or a shopping voucher.

These emails can be automated through your email marketing platform, so they’re sent at the right time to every single patient on your list—no additional work on your part required.

7. Appointment Reminders

These types of emails are super helpful for ensuring patients book their follow-up checkups, procedures, or prescription refills.

You can send a confirmation email right after they book, followed by one or two reminder emails—typically 24 to 48 hours before the appointment. 

For procedures that require prep, you can include instructions in the reminder email to help them come prepared.

8. Post-Purchase and Post-Visit Follow-ups

When someone purchases a product or completes a visit, follow up. 

A simple thank-you message goes a long way. You can also take it a step further with follow-up emails. 

These follow-up emails could include:

• How-to guides or usage instructions

• Tips for getting the most out of the product or service

• Personalized upsell recommendations

• Requests for feedback, ratings, or testimonials

Sending thoughtful follow-up messages enhances the customer experience and boosts loyalty and repeat business.

9. Survey and Feedback Emails

Patient feedback helps you understand what’s working and what could be better.

Send a short survey 1–2 days after a visit, procedure, or event. Keep it simple and short—multiple-choice questions work best, with optional open-ended ones for extra input.

You can also use these emails to ask what types of content patients find helpful and what topics they’d like to see more of in future emails.

10. Browse and Cart Abandonment Emails

If your clinic sells products or services online, browse and cart abandonment emails help to bring back potential buyers who didn’t complete a purchase.

• Browse abandonment: Triggered when someone visits a product or service page but doesn’t take action.

• Cart abandonment: Triggered when someone adds something to their cart but doesn’t complete checkout.

Both emails serve as gentle reminders to revisit what they were considering and encourage them to complete the purchase

Ensure Compliance With Privacy Regulations

As an email marketer in the healthcare space, you must adhere to strict privacy regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the U.S. and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.

So, as you execute the above steps, make sure to keep the following in mind:

• Obtain explicit consent: Make sure patients have clearly opted in to receive your emails before you add them to your list.

• Get written permission to use patient testimonials: Before sharing any patient stories or feedback in your emails, secure written consent to ensure you're staying compliant and respectful of their privacy.

• Protect sensitive information: Avoid including any personal health details in your emails unless the message is encrypted and fully HIPAA-compliant.

• Make it easy to unsubscribe: Every email should include a clear unsubscribe link. If someone opts out, stop sending them marketing emails right away.

Tips for Creating Engaging and Effective Emails

Sending emails is one thing—getting patients to actually open, read, and act on them is another. These simple tips will help you create emails that don’t get ignored.

Write Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines

Your subject line is the first thing readers see, and it often determines whether they’ll open your email. 

So, keep your subject lines simple, clear, and specific. You also want it to highlight a benefit or pique your readers’ curiosity to know more.

For example:

• 3 quick tips to help manage your back pain

• Reminder: Your free skin screening ends this week

• Get 15% off supplements—only until Friday

• Don’t ignore these 3 silent symptoms

• Mystery gift inside

If you struggle to come up with subject lines, subscribe to newsletters in healthcare (and other industries) to see how they write theirs. Save the ones that stand out in a swipe file to refer back to when you need ideas.

Most importantly, make sure the content of the email matches the subject line—no clickbait allowed.

Design Readable and Visually Appealing Emails

A well-structured email with a clean layout, simple everyday language, and relevant visuals makes it easier for people to keep reading all the way to the end.

To achieve this for your emails, you’d want to:

✂️ Keep it short and organized: Use short paragraphs, clear headings, and plenty of white space. 

🗣️ Write like you talk: Use a friendly, conversational tone like you’re writing to a friend. This makes your emails feel personal and relatable.

💬 Encourage replies: Treat email as a two-way conversation. You can invite them to ask questions, respond to questions you ask them, or just encourage them to say hello. 

📌 Highlight key points: Use bold text or bullet points to highlight the main takeaways. This helps readers quickly scan for the most important info.

🖼️ Add visuals: Images, GIFs, or short videos help to support your message and keep the email interesting—just don’t overdo it.

✅ Include one clear call-to-action (CTA): Every email should have one main goal. Whether that’s booking an appointment, purchasing a product, or reading a blog post, make it clear with a link or button. 

📱 Test for mobile: Most people check emails on their phones, so always preview how your email looks on smaller screens, especially if you’re using image-heavy templates.

Send Emails at the Right Pace and Time

When and how often you send emails is just as important as what you include in them. While there’s no universal schedule that fits every audience, there are some helpful guidelines to follow.

Aim to send your regular newsletters—whether weekly or monthly—between 9 AM and 9 PM. Weekdays typically see higher engagement, but it’s worth testing weekend sends to see how your audience responds.

If you’re thinking about increasing how often you email, do so gradually. Pay attention to how your audience reacts and adjust your approach based on their engagement.

Most importantly, stay consistent. When people know when to expect your emails and regularly find value in them, they’re much more likely to stay engaged over time.

For automated emails like welcome messages, birthday wishes, or thank-you notes, timing should be immediate. These emails should be triggered right after a patient takes an action, such as signing up for your list or completing a purchase.

Measuring and Optimizing Your Email Marketing Efforts

When it comes to email marketing, different strategies work for different people. The goal is to find what works best for you.

That’s why it helps to track and optimize your emails regularly, like once a month or quarter. This lets you double down on what’s working and improve what’s not.

Tracking Key Performance Metrics

Most email platforms include a built-in analytics dashboard to help you track performance. 

To get the most out of it, focus on these key metrics—they’ll help you understand how your emails are doing and guide you in refining your strategy.

1. Open rate

This is the percentage of recipients who opened your email. It’s a good indicator of how effective your subject lines are.

If your open rates are below the healthcare industry average (or significantly lower than your usual open rates), it’s time to revisit your subject lines.

Consistency also plays a big role. When patients consistently find your emails helpful and relevant, they’re more likely to open them regardless of the subject line. 

On the flip side, if your content feels overly promotional or irrelevant, even the best subject lines won’t help.

2. Click-through rate (CTR)

CTR measures how many people clicked a link in your email. This tells you how engaging your content and call-to-action (CTA) are. It’s typically between 1% and 3%.

If you aren’t hitting this average, ensure your CTA is visible and clear. Also, pair your CTA button or CTA link with action-driven phrases like:

• Shop now

• Grab your discount

• Book your appointment

3. Conversion rate

This is the percentage of recipients who complete your desired action (like booking a consultation, making a purchase, or signing up for an event) after clicking a link in your email.

Low conversion rates?

Take a look at your product or service landing page. Make sure it includes a clear CTA, highlights key benefits, and features testimonials from satisfied clients.

Implementing A/B Testing

A/B testing (or split testing) lets you compare two versions of an email to see which one performs better in terms of opens, clicks, or conversions.

For best results, test one element at a time. Here are some common elements you can experiment with:

Subject lines

• Emojis vs. no emojis

• Short vs. long

• Statement vs. question

CTAs

• Hyperlinks vs. buttons

• Red CTA vs. green CTA

• One CTA at the end vs. repeating the same CTA at the top and bottom

Send times

• Mondays vs. Fridays

• Weekday vs. Weekend

• Morning vs. afternoon

Email layouts or formats

• Plain text vs. fancy template

• Short vs. long content

• Images vs. GIFs

Over time, A/B testing helps you learn what resonates most with your patients, so you’re not constantly guessing what will work.

Closing Thoughts

Email marketing is often overlooked by doctors and health practitioners but it can become one of your most effective marketing tools when used well.

Websites and social media help build visibility. But once someone joins your email list, that’s where real connection happens. It’s how you stay top of mind, build trust, and turn patients into loyal, long-term customers.

Choosing the right platform makes the process easier. beehiiv is a great option—it has a clean, easy-to-use interface that makes writing emails feel simple and stress-free.

Plus, with built-in features like signup forms, audience segmentation, and automation, everything you need is in one place.

Start your free beehiiv account today!