The situation
M&N Physio is an owner-operated physiotherapy practice in Wellington with a strong reputation, a steady stream of returning patients, and a list that had been collected diligently over years. Email was being sent, but irregularly, often months apart, and built ad hoc each time. There was no automation, no welcome sequence, and no consistent voice. The practice owner knew email mattered. There was no time to run it properly.
What we did
We started with an audit. The list had healthy engagement but high inactive segments. Deliverability was sound. The bigger issue was structural: no rhythm, no plan, no automation underneath.
We rebuilt the program around three things: a monthly campaign aligned to the rehabilitation calendar, a four-step welcome sequence for new patients, and a re-engagement flow for dormant contacts. Every send is planned a fortnight in advance. Copy is written by us, reviewed by the practice owner, and scheduled.
What changed
Within three months the open rate moved from the high twenties to the mid-forties. By month six, email-attributed bookings had tripled, and the welcome sequence alone was generating consistent first-appointment inquiries. The practice owner stopped writing emails entirely and got that time back.
Why it worked
The work isn’t novel. It’s just done. Consistent monthly contact, a few well-built automations, and copy that sounds like the practice: direct, plain, and useful. Email in healthcare doesn’t need to be clever. It needs to show up.