Medical Mailing Lists
Medical mailing lists are often assumed to be the same as healthcare mailing lists but this isn’t quite the case. Medical mailing lists are more refined, so tend to be smaller than healthcare related lists and often more targeted.
The business need for medical mailing lists stems from the fact that according the latest research, hospitals and similar institutions in the US spent over $1.7 billion in 2003, which equates to almost 15% of the US GDP. Unfortunately these are the latest stats we have, but as economies contract in these difficult times, the percentage of GDP spent by the medical industry is going to substantially increase.
So that businesses can gain immediate information on where the hospitals and practices that are spending this money can be found, it is always useful to have access to medical mailing lists. A medical mailing list contains complied information of the various contacts of hospitals and private practices where medical products and services are needed.
It would wrong to assume that it’s only hospital workers that are included in medical mailing lists. Scientists and lab technicians are also included, as are alternative therapy practitioners. It’s this broad base of people at different organisational levels that attracts marketers to these lists, and if used correctly they can yield a great return on investment.
The medical profession is highly regulated which means that most of the people who work within it have to belong to associations in order to practise. The data held by these organisations is highly detailed and often forms the basis of the medical mailing lists that are available to purchase on the open market. Information that is commonly available on such mailing lists but not in other lists such as residential lists are:
- Speciality of the physician
- Level of certification
- Type of practice
- Demographic
- Level of education
Because of their targeted nature and the spending power of those that they target, medical mailing lists to tend to be more expensive than standard mailing lists. When dealing with a direct mail broker, make sure they have a good track record in this field and ask them to provide references to back up any claims made. All good brokers should be happy to do this, and if they aren’t, walk away immediately.
As with most things in life, if something appears too good to be true it probably is, so if a broker offers you a great deal far cheaper than anything else you’ve been offered, be very sceptical. In these hard economic times, it’s important that every marketing dollar works hard for and brings a decent return. Don’t be hoodwinked by rogues; make sure you get a high quality mailing list even if it costs slightly more for it as it will pay for itself many times over.
