Appointment Card Advertising - any experience?

hayley11

Hi

I've just been offered the chance to advertise on an appointment card at a large medical centre in my town, it's £6.50 a week which to a small business like mine is quite a lot and I would be tied in for two years.

Does anybody have any experience with this type of advertising?

It's a great opportunity but I don't want to commit without doing a bit of research first.

Thanks

borders_dude

hayley11 wrote: »

Hi

I've just been offered the chance to advertise on an appointment card at a large medical centre in my town, it's £6.50 a week which to a small business like mine is quite a lot and I would be tied in for two years.

Does anybody have any experience with this type of advertising?

It's a great opportunity but I don't want to commit without doing a bit of research first.

Thanks

Depends on what your business is? is it something that medical centre patients are interested in?

Depends on the audience size? How many people are issued with these business cards on a weekly/monthly basis?

Will any other businesses similar to yours also be appearing? Will any other businesses be appearing or would you be the sole business advertising?

What are your limitations on what can be printed? Can it be colour etc;

Who pays the design costs? If its you how much is it going to set you back

Who pays for the printing costs? its its you how much is it going to cost you

Basic questions I would be considering.

Could be a good opportunity for someone.

hayley11

borders_dude wrote: »

Depends on what your business is? is it something that medical centre patients are interested in?

I sell cakes, cupcakes etc.

Depends on the audience size? How many people are issued with these business cards on a weekly/monthly basis?

They told me 3500 per month, however since speaking to the medica

l centre, it looks like they don't use these appointment cards exclusively, they have NHS ones too.

Will any other businesses similar to yours also be appearing? Will any other businesses be appearing or would you be the sole business advertising?

I will be the only one with my kind of business on there.

What are your limitations on what can be printed? Can it be colour etc;

I don't print them, they do the printing. They said they would design a logo for me but I have one.

Who pays the design costs? If its you how much is it going to set you back

Who pays for the printing costs? its its you how much is it going to cost you

Basic questions I would be considering.

Could be a good opportunity for someone.

I would pay £6.50 a week for two years, that is all I would have to pay.

After googling it and speaking to the medical centre I think I am going to leave it, I was led to believe these were the only appointment cards given to patients but that isn't the case.

paulwf

This isn't targeted advertising (in fact in some ways its the exact opposite, you might as well advertise your cakes to the local Slimming World group as advertise them on doctors cards). Try and spend your advertising money in a targeted way, it will be 10 times more cost effective.

Don't get tied into any advertising with a 2 year contract. Firstly if it doesn't work you are stuck for 2 years in a dud contract. Secondly remain flexible, there may be times when you want to save money and others when you want a big promo push.

Savvy_Sue

paulwf wrote: »

This isn't targeted advertising (in fact in some ways its the exact opposite, you might as well advertise your cakes to the local Slimming World group as advertise them on doctors cards).

:rotfl: that was rather what I thought!

I was also going to say that I am amassing a nice collection of hospital appt cards, and apart from an ambulance chaser I couldn't tell you who else advertises on them. could not tell you the name of said chaser.

have just found one: has details for Sexual Health Centre (not an advert), Samaritans, the company trying to get businesses like yours to advertise, First Aid training and a Nursing Home group.

OK, that's a hospital not a medical centre but does it really sound like a good bet?

Plus I try to leave without a card - I don't need one, I have a diary!!! sometimes they insist and don't want to wait while I dig out the previous card, but I'm wise to that now!

hayley11

Thanks for the replies, it does seem a bit naff, glad i'm not the type of person just to jump into things like this!

I will definitely spend my time and money on advertising that might actually work.

Lorne

From my experience most young adults record their appointments on phones, diaries, etc and don't bother with appointment cards. There are definitely not as many cards handed out as there used to be, I would be very surprised if they were handing out 3500 a month, we were a huge practice of 25 GPs and 2 clinics and went through under 100 a day. Generalising, most of the people who take appointment cards are older people or people who want to prove they have booked appointments for benefits or their work. The companies I've seen previously advertising on cards have been pharmacies, nursing homes and mobility aids.

Savvy_Sue

a new and belated thought has occurred to me, and I'm possibly just being very very cynical because I know such appointment cards exist, BUT if anyone is ever tempted by such an offer, do make sure that the cards really are produced, in the quantities and for the purposes described, rather than a scam similar to those producing 'directories' for the 'police' / 'local charities' with nothing actually produced.