Outreach to Veterans
Have you reached out to veterans in your area? Not only do many veterans return home in need of services but they have access to benefits and may not be sure how to use them. For example, more than 900 thousand veterans received disability compensation for hearing loss and more than 1 million received compensation for tinnitus in 2014.
Who are veterans?
If you think all veterans are older, you would be wrong. There are many veterans leaving the military who are under age 35. Just like older veterans there are some similarities, such as loyalty to certain brands, especially those who employ or support the military in any way. This can often be the key in reaching out to veterans. They also respond better to products and services that are within their means and needs. For example, a discount on a Ford car or truck will go further with veterans than a discount on a Mercedes.
Where are veterans looking?
When veterans leave the military, an estimated 48 percent of those younger than 35 visit military websites and 46 percent read military related magazines. They are also heavily engaged with any military pages on social media.
How should you reach out to them?
Knowing where veterans are and how they respond to brands, reaching out to them should communicate certain key messages such as your business:
- Appreciates their military service.
- Supports the active duty and/or veterans and their families with certain services or discounts.
A great way to reach out to veterans would be to match one of your practice’s services with their needs. We’ve already identified that veterans often leave the military with hearing loss. Offering a free hearing screening to veterans and even their family members along with a discount on hearing devices would be a great promotion just for them. This offer could be placed on social media or in a local media such as newspapers, radio or magazines. Just be sure to check how much of the audience is made up of active duty personnel vs. veterans, and whether they are interested in or searching for military topics.