E-mailing reminders

[Richard Brekne]

    The second best way has been postcards.  It doesn't get near the
    response of
    phoning, but it is a good reminder.  It's a mass-marketing thing. 
    You have
    these postcards doing the work for you without your having to be on the
    phone.  People hang on to those cards for a long time.  They get put
    on the
    fridge or next to the piano.  If for no other reason to mail cards,
    it keeps
    your name in front of them.

I had a conversation with my chiropractor recently about this kind of 
thing.  She suggests that if you send cards out you do so including an 
appointment date and time and a large print footnote saying if the 
appointment is not a good time the customer must ring and cancel within 
24 hours of the appointment or they will be charged anyways.  Most 
dentists and doctors do this kind of thing over here.  I haven't tried 
it.... but if I was in need of marketing beyond the yellow pages (both 
internet based and catalog) I suppose I'd give this a whirl. 
Otherwise...in earlier times I've always found calling people and 
talking to them directly was the best way of fishing up more work.  
Usually got about a 30 % bite rate.

Cheers
RicB