Boosting Footfall and Basket Size: How SMS Marketing Is Transforming Medical Environments
Why SMS Works So Well in Medical Settings
Medical environments cater to diverse populations, including individuals with varying degrees of digital literacy. SMS is widely accessible and typically read within minutes, making it more immediate and effective than emails, which are often overlooked or left unread.
This immediacy and reach make SMS ideal for delivering timely, relevant information directly into the hands of patients or customers, ensuring messages don’t go unnoticed.
How SMS Drives Footfall in Medical Environments
SMS can be a powerful tool for encouraging patients and customers to act and visit medical environments in person. Here are several ways SMS can increase footfall through targeted communication.
Appointment Reminders & Rebooking Links - Missed appointments create significant inefficiencies and loss of revenue for healthcare providers. A simple reminder via SMS reduces no-shows dramatically, and follow-up links make it easy to rebook, ensuring steady traffic.
Vaccination & Health Campaign Notifications - From seasonal flu jabs to blood pressure clinics, timely SMS updates prompt patients to walk in when it matters most.
Prescription Ready Alerts - By notifying patients when prescriptions are ready for collection, pharmacies avoid delays and drive timely pickups, an essential part of maintaining health adherence and boosting daily footfall.
Growing Basket Size Through Targeted Messaging
Driving patient visits is only the beginning; SMS also plays a crucial role in enhancing the value generated from each appointment.
Cross-Selling Health Products - When a patient receives a text that their prescription is ready, an accompanying message could highlight relevant offers such as “Pick up your antibiotics and get 20% off probiotics.”
Health Check Reminders with Product Tie-ins - SMS can nudge patients to schedule health checks (“Is it time for your annual blood pressure screening?”) and pair that with discounts on related products, encouraging greater spend.
Membership & Loyalty Schemes - Promote loyalty programs via SMS and see basket sizes increase through repeat visits. SMS is ideal for sharing personalised reward updates and exclusive offers that encourage continued engagement. This direct communication helps reinforce brand loyalty by keeping customers informed of benefits and offers tailored to their preferences and purchase history
Designed for Medical Use:
Medical environments require communication methods that are both secure and fully compliant with GDPR regulations. Phonovation’s SMS solutions are specifically designed to meet these needs, providing seamless integration with existing systems, comprehensive message tracking, and strict adherence to data protection standards.
Want to see how SMS can transform your medical communications? Contact the team at Phonovation (sales@phonovation.com) to discover a communication approach that puts patients first, enhancing their experience while strengthening your practice.