Clinical Trial Promotion and Subscription via mHealth providers

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SMS and Email Subscriptions: A Case Study

SMS has the ability to considerably increase email signups served by mHealth providers. At least, that’s what a Zettasphere case study reviewed by Tim Watson, independent email marketing consultant, showed late last month.

In the study run in the United Kingdom, Deal Monster created an ad for £5 off of a first purchase. This ad was placed in a local newspaper for a few weeks, and either stated that the deal could be claimed via web signup link or by texting an email address to the number ‘84101’. By the end of the study, SMS created 3.3 times more signups than the web link.

Watson believes that the reason for the shining SMS performance is clear: “Time and time again I see that making processes simpler, faster, and more immediate improves conversion.” SMS does just that.

SMS Promotion and Subscription in Clinical Trials

SMS provides a direct, concise, and easy way to relate to another person. It is always available, trustworthy, and convenient. This is why SMS is so vital in clinical trials: SMS allows patients to easily access trial information, including sign-ups and prescreening questions. Imagine if your sign-ups for a trial increased more than threefold… Your recruitment would be outstanding!

There is a clear benefit to having SMS as an available option for potential research patients. In his article, Watson provides suggestions for using this “SMS-2-subscribe” approach by using offline touch points. These points provide exposure so that potential patients are able to ‘subscribe’, or sign up, to receive trial information. Watson’s suggestions include printing on receipts, posters in waiting areas, exhibitions, auditoriums, live screens, and print materials. The idea is to provide as many avenues as possible to get future patients connected with your site via SMS, a mobile technology that is used at least daily.

Increasing offline touch points to drive home subscriptions via SMS can only benefit a research site. With the simplicity and immediate connection that SMS provides, trial recruitment could be increased significantly! How do you think that your recruitment numbers could change?

Want to know more about using SMS in clinical trials? Head over to http://www.mosio.com/research for more information and a free consultation/quote.

Author: Emily Waller holds an Honors B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, has worked on numerous clinical trials, and as a medical & technical writer. She writes to promote innovative ideas in healthcare, technology, and research within the online community. She also loves photography, neuroscience, and household DIY projects.

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