Running a medical practice is about more than treating patients. Between care delivery, staffing, billing, and scheduling — marketing often falls to the bottom of your to-do list.
The good news? You don’t need to be a marketing expert to attract new patients. With direct mail, you can reach people in your community, increase appointment bookings, and grow your practice — without a big investment of time or money.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create a successful direct mail campaign for your medical practice.
Step 1: Choose the Right Type of Direct Mail
There are two primary ways to send postcards:
Personalized (Addressed) Mail
Send postcards directly to a specific list of households. Great for:
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Reaching target demographics (e.g., seniors, families, high-income earners)
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Staying in touch with past or lapsed patients
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Promoting high-value services like wellness programs, elective procedures, or specialty care
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)
Send postcards to every home in a neighborhood — no mailing list required. Perfect for:
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New patient promotions
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General awareness campaigns
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Targeting ZIP codes near your office
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Tip: EDDM is ideal for introducing your practice to the community or promoting offers like a $49 physical exam or free consultation. Use personalized mail when you’re targeting specific patient types with focused services.
Step 2: Define Your Target Audience
Marketing without a defined audience is like prescribing without a diagnosis — ineffective.
Identify Your Ideal Patient:
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New Movers – Often looking for a new primary care provider or specialist
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Families with Children – Promote family care, pediatrics, or immunizations
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Adults 40+ – Highlight screenings, chronic care, or elective services
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Uninsured or Budget-Conscious – Promote affordable care plans or first-visit specials
How to Target Them:
- Personalized Mail – Use a mailing list filtered by age, income, homeownership, or household size.
- EDDM – Use tools like Mapfire to find routes near your office where people match your ideal patient profile.
Check out these helpful articles for more info:
What Does Audience Targeting Really Mean?
Identifying Your Target Audience: A Beginner’s Guide
Step 3: Decide How Many Postcards to Send
Start with what your budget allows, then scale as needed.
- Test run: 1,000–2,500 postcards to one or two nearby routes
- Growth phase: 5,000+ postcards across multiple zip codes
- Ongoing branding: Mail every 4–6 weeks to stay top-of-mind
Reminder: Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Most patients won’t respond to the first postcard — but familiarity grows with repeated exposure.
Step 4: Design a Postcard That Gets Saved (Not Tossed)
Your postcard should be clear, welcoming, and action-oriented. Patients want to know: “Why should I choose you?”
Must-Haves:
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Headline: “New Patient Special – $49 Physical Exam”
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Offer: A compelling reason to schedule now (e.g., “Free Consultation for First-Time Patients”)
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Contact Info: Phone, website, and a QR code for easy online booking
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Visuals: Images of your team, facility, or happy patients
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Credentials: Highlight your specialties, experience, or certifications
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Call to Action: “Book your visit today” or “Scan the QR code to schedule now”
Pro Tip: Taradel offers free dental postcard templates that are pre-sized and USPS-approved. Just drop in your details and you’re ready to go.
Step 5: Print, Mail, and Let It Work
With Taradel’s All-Inclusive Direct Mail, you create the design, approve it, and we handle everything else — printing, targeting, mailing, and delivery.
Prefer a hands-on approach?
With EDDM Retail, you can:
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Print your postcards
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Bundle in stacks of 50
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Fill out USPS paperwork
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Drop them off at your local post office
Need guidance? Our full EDDM Retail Guide walks you through every step.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a marketing agency or massive budget to grow your practice. A smart direct mail campaign helps you:
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Reach new patients nearby
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Stay visible in your community
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Promote offers that drive appointments
Whether you’re new to marketing or looking to level up, direct mail is a proven way to keep your schedule full and your practice growing.
Ready to Launch Your Campaign?
Get started today with Taradel’s free tools and healthcare postcard templates. No commitment, no pressure — just better marketing made easy.
Reach the right patients. Grow your practice. All from their mailbox.
