Crafting an Email Strategy for Health E-commerce Businesses
If you are a doctor, HIPAA makes email a tricky marketing tool…
Depending on your practice and health services, it can still be very useful. But it isn’t the best use of time, energy, and investment for every healthcare provider.
That said, if you:
Are NOT a doctor
Do NOT have access to private patient information
Do NOT need specialized patient portal systems (like MyChart)
Help customers, not patients
Are an e-commerce business
And simply sell products that help people stay healthy
Then you 100% should have a robust healthcare email marketing strategy.
In the competitive health and wellness industry, connecting with your audience is everything. Email marketing offers a direct line to your customers, allowing you to build relationships, promote offers, and drive sales in a way that other channels can't.
Email Marketing Context You Need to Know
Quick disclosure…
I started writing an all-encompassing, super-duper, ultimate-list of email marketing for health and wellness. But then something happened:
I WAS BORED OUT OF MY MIND.
And if I was bored out of my mind writing it, then you, dear healhcare reader, were sure to be bored to DEATH.
So I changed gears; I want this post to be ONLY about the nuances and specifics of writing email for the healthcare industry. If it is about email marketing and relevant to only health and wellness, then I want it in this post.
While that immediately pulled me from bored to interested, it brings another problem:
Lots of email marketing information that is relevant to ALL businesses are ALSO relevant to health and wellness businesses.
With that and mind, below are some other blog posts I have written that address some of the fundamentals behind email markeitng:
Ways Amateurs Mess Up Email Marketing (will be posted soon!)
How Much is Too Much? The Importance of Finding the Right Email Frequency
HIPAA Compliant Email Marketing (if relevant to your business)
Why Segmenting Your Subscribers Yields Results
What is Personalization in Email Marketing?
What Should I Email My Subscribers?
Email Marketing Pitfalls to Avoid
The health and wellness space is booming, which brings both opportunities and challenges for your email marketing. With increasing competition, it's essential to create messages that stand out and provide real value, rather than just adding to the noise in your customers' inboxes.
If you are convinced that email is the bee’s-knee’s, I need to now give you a reality check. Because you should not just start sending emails from your personal email address. Because if email is done poorly, it goes from being the best ROI to another money-eating marketing tool that just wastes your time.
Here are a few things every health and wellness commerce business needs to be aware of:
If you use promotional buzzwords like “free”
Writing content that captures and holds attention.
They need to be able to easily unsubscribe
Moving beyond generic messages to truly connect with subscribers.
However, these challenges present clear opportunities. By focusing on value-driven content and personalization, your brand can build significant trust. You can position your business as a go-to resource for wellness information, distinct from a formal medical care provider. Since your e-commerce business doesn't handle protected health information, your main concern is respecting customer data privacy and following standard email regulations, not navigating complex healthcare compliance like HIPAA.
Building Your Health E-commerce Subscriber List
Your email list is your most valuable marketing asset. It’s a direct line to people who have actively shown interest in your wellness brand. Building a high-quality list isn't about getting the most email addresses; it's about attracting the right subscribers who are genuinely interested in your products and content.
Offering valuable incentives can significantly increase sign-ups from potential customers. The goal is to create a community of subscribers who look forward to your emails, whether they contain educational content, product news, or exclusive offers related to their wellness journey.
Ethical Lead Capture and Opt-in Best Practices
Building your email list must be done ethically to foster trust from the very beginning. This means always getting explicit consent from users before adding them to your mailing list. Never purchase lists or add emails without permission, as this violates trust and can harm your sender's reputation.
To build a compliant and engaged list, focus on clear and secure methods. Best practices include:
Using secure opt-in forms on your website and landing pages.
Including a clear privacy policy that explains how you will use customer data.
Providing an easy and obvious way for subscribers to unsubscribe at any time.
Being transparent about what kind of emails they will receive.
While you are not a medical care provider, customers may still have sensitive questions. It's best practice to provide clear contact channels, like a phone number or a dedicated support email, for specific inquiries rather than encouraging detailed personal health questions through general marketing email replies. This manages expectations and respects customer privacy within a commercial healthcare context.
Incentives That Attract Quality Subscribers
What makes someone want to give you their email address? The answer is a compelling incentive. The right offer can attract high-quality subscribers who are genuinely interested in your wellness products and philosophy. Think about what your target audience values most and offer it in exchange for their subscription.
These lead magnets should provide immediate value and give a taste of the quality content they can expect from your brand. For example, a business selling nutritional supplements could offer a guide to understanding vitamins, while a yoga accessories brand might provide a free video on beginner poses. This approach attracts an audience that is already engaged with the topics central to your products.
Common incentives include exclusive discounts, free educational resources, or early access to new products. The key is to align the incentive with your brand's core offerings to attract the right people.
Incentive Type
Example for a Wellness Brand
Discount
"Get 15% off your first order of organic supplements."
Free Guide/eBook
"Download our free guide to morning mindfulness routines."
Exclusive Content
"Sign up for early access to our new line of eco-friendly yoga mats."
Quiz
"Take our quiz to find the perfect wellness product for you."
Audience Segmentation Strategies for Maximum Impact
Sending the same email to every subscriber is a missed opportunity. Audience segmentation is the practice of dividing your email list into smaller groups based on specific criteria. This allows you to send highly relevant, personalized messages that speak directly to the recipient's interests and needs, boosting engagement and sales.
For a health and wellness e-commerce brand, this is particularly powerful. You can tailor your content based on what you know about your customers' behaviors and preferences. This is a different approach than the segmentation used in clinical healthcare systems like MyChart, as it relies on commercial data, not protected patient information.
Segmenting by Customer Interest and Purchase Behavior
The foundation of effective segmentation is understanding your customers. By analyzing their actions, you can create targeted campaigns that feel personal and relevant. This practice greatly improves engagement because you are sending content that aligns with what each customer has already shown they care about.
For example, you can group subscribers based on their purchase history, engagement levels with past emails, or the types of products they’ve browsed on your site. This ensures that someone interested in vitamins doesn't receive emails focused solely on fitness accessories.
Some powerful segmentation strategies include:
Purchase History: Grouping customers who bought specific products, like vitamins versus skincare.
Engagement Level: Separating highly active subscribers from those who haven't opened an email in a while.
Website Behavior: Targeting users who viewed certain product pages but didn't make a purchase.
Stated Interests: Using quiz results or preference center data to segment by wellness goals.
Personalizing Messages for Wellness Consumers
Personalization goes far beyond simply using a subscriber's first name. True personalization involves using the data from your segmentation to deliver dynamic content. This means different parts of an email can change based on who is viewing it. A returning customer might see a different offer or product recommendation than a brand-new subscriber.
Imagine sending an email where the main banner promotes a new yoga mat to a customer who previously bought yoga blocks, while another customer who buys supplements sees a banner about a new protein powder. This level of personalization makes your audience feel seen and understood, strengthening their connection to your brand.
This strategy enhances the customer experience and drives more engagement. While you don't have access to deep clinical data like a healthcare provider using MyChart, you can leverage purchase history and browsing behavior to create a highly personalized wellness journey for your consumers. This shows you're paying attention to their unique needs.
Writing Emails that Drive Engagement and Trust
Once you've built your list and segmented your audience, the next step is to craft emails that people actually want to read. The content of your emails is where you build trust, establish authority, and guide subscribers toward a purchase. Your goal is to provide value in every message you send.
Effective emails in the wellness space are educational, inspiring, and authentic. They should feel less like a sales pitch and more like helpful advice from a trusted friend. This approach fosters a strong relationship with your audience and encourages them to engage with your brand long-term.
Tone, Language, and Content Tailored for Wellness Audiences
The language you use in your emails is critical for connecting with a wellness-focused audience. Adopt a tone that is authoritative yet approachable, professional but not clinical. Avoid complex medical jargon and use simple, clear language that everyone can understand. Your voice should reflect your brand's personality—be it calming, energetic, or motivational.
The content itself should always offer value. Instead of just pushing products, educate and inspire your readers on their wellness journey. This positions your brand as a trusted resource, not just a retailer. A study by Invespcro found that 61% of consumers feel better about a company that delivers custom content. [2]
Consider incorporating a mix of content types to keep your emails fresh and engaging:
Wellness Tips: Share practical advice for a healthier lifestyle.
Product Spotlights: Explain the benefits of a specific product with testimonials.
Behind-the-Scenes Stories: Introduce your team or share your brand's mission.
Educational Content: Break down topics related to nutrition, fitness, or mindfulness.
Addressing Sensitive Topics Without Risking Confidentiality
As a wellness brand, you operate in a space that can touch on sensitive subjects. However, it's vital to remember you are an e-commerce business, not a medical care provider. You must avoid giving personalized medical advice or making health claims that could be misconstrued. Your role is to educate and support, not diagnose or treat.
When addressing topics related to health, focus on providing general, value-driven educational content. For instance, you can write a blog post about the benefits of meditation for stress and link to it in your email, rather than trying to advise a specific customer on their personal stress levels. This approach allows you to address customer interests without crossing into the territory of regulated healthcare advice.
Always maintain a clear boundary. Ensure your privacy policy is accessible and you are transparent about how you use customer data. Because you are not handling protected health information, you are not subject to HIPAA, but respecting customer confidentiality and privacy is paramount to building and maintaining trust in the wellness industry.
Conclusion
In conclusion, crafting an effective email strategy is essential for health e-commerce businesses looking to connect with their audience. By understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within the health and wellness sector, brands can build a responsive subscriber list while ensuring ethical practices. Audience segmentation allows for personalized messaging that resonates with consumers, enhancing trust and engagement. Moreover, writing emails with a tone that reflects the values of wellness can significantly improve open rates and foster strong connections. As you embark on this email marketing journey, remember that maintaining communication with your customers is crucial. If you're ready to elevate your email marketing efforts, get a free consultation to explore tailored strategies for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly should I expect a response after emailing a wellness business?
For general inquiries to a health e-commerce business, a response within 24-48 business hours is standard. Unlike platforms like MyChart which may offer faster clinical responses, e-commerce support handles commercial questions about products, orders, and general wellness information.
Are there any confidentiality concerns when communicating with health e-commerce businesses via email?
Yes, but they differ from clinical settings. E-commerce brands are not covered by HIPAA and you should not share protected health information. These businesses must protect your personal data (name, email, purchase history) according to privacy laws, but communication is not medically confidential.
How can health brands write emails that boost open rates and engagement?
To boost engagement, write compelling, non-clickbait subject lines. Personalize content using audience segmentation based on interests and past purchases. Most importantly, provide genuine value in every email, whether it's through education, inspiration, or an exclusive offer.
Citations: [1] https://dma.org.uk/uploads/misc/marketers-email-tracker-2019.pdf [2] https://www.invespcro.com/blog/content-marketing-statistics/
Key Highlights
Email marketing is a powerful tool for health and wellness e-commerce brands to connect directly with customers.
Building a high-quality, consent-based email list is the foundation of a successful strategy.
Audience segmentation allows for personalized campaigns that resonate with specific customer interests and behaviors.
Crafting value-driven content builds trust and positions your brand as an authority in the wellness space.
