How Do I ... Use Premvet 5 to measure response to marketing schemes
I would like to run some marketing schemes and monitor the response what options are available?
Everyone has there own idea on how to run schemes like this, there is no one sure fire method. This will explain a couple of options that can be used. (Applies to Vet3000 and Premvet 5)
We will use as an example 'Geriatric Dogs'.
I would like to search the database to look for dogs over six, that are alive and under fourteen, that have been seen in the practice in the last 3 years. I want to send them a letter and 4 weeks later see what sort of response I have had.
Use the report generator to setup the selection (you can use client lists but the report generator is more flexible).
- Create the report
- Pick Create a new report.
- Select from the 1st screen what you want to printout.
Client Name, Animal Name and Address lines- Press <RETURN> through the Printout Format screen
- Do you want to sort - select <no>
- On the search criteria select: Species, Age, Last Seen, Status and Type
- For the search criteria use:
Species =CANINE I only want Dogs Age >7y,^<14y Older than 7 but less than 14 Last Seen >01.01.97 Seen in the last three years Status !DD Still alive Type =SA Small animal - Press <RETURN> through the Misc screen
- Give the report a meaningful name e.g. Old Dog Mailshot
- Run the report
- Pick Run a report.
- Press Return for the list, select 'Old Dog Mailshot'
- It is a good idea will all new report generator reports to run it on a sample set of records to ensure the criteria is correct, do so.
- When you are happy with the report select the Start/Finish Record
- Select 'Disk' as output type, followed by CSV then Comma - run the report.
- Use the resulting file to send the mailshot (the above example assumes you will be using Microsoft Word). If you are using the built in mail merge routine select 'Disk' followed by BDS.
- The summary page gives you details of the number of records found
- What next ?
There are two options I will explain here:
- Send the mailshot.
Create a Procedure 'OD Mailshot' and whenever a client appears as a result of the mailshot add this code to the card, at the end of the period look at the times used figures for that code and compare the figures with that on the summary page.
- This option is a little more complicated but the principle can
be used for followup's and more details analysis.
Send the mailshot
Re-Run the 'Old Dog Mailshot' report and as Output Type select 'Record'. This will keep a note of all the records that were selected. Keep the summary page safe you will need it later.
When you are ready to check the response go back into the report generator and create a simple report on 'Last Seen' date (use the date the mailshot was sent)
When you run the report leave the record number to start at blank. You will be asked to enter the Report File to use. Enter the report name from the earlier summary.
Run the report
What the above does is pass into the report generator just the clients that were sent the mail shot and report on those client seen in the last xx weeks. (It will not differentiate between those clients who came in as a result of the mailshot and those who came in for routine work/vaccination.)
While it is a little more complicated, you don't have to remember to enter a note on the card at the time of consultation. Also you can reverse the search and list all those client who have NOT responded and send them a followup letter.
Additionally, going a little further (premvet 5 only) you can, assuming this was to push a new product 'XYZ', scan the clinical records of those clients who responded looking for those that did/did not get 'XYZ' dispensed/prescribed and followup as required to find out if they liked it or why not.
- Send the mailshot.
The purpose of this guide was to show that the report generator is a great tool for marketing, the above example was for Geriatric Dogs, you can alter it to cover almost any search you require.
Have fun