marketing an optometric practice

Hossein Mirzaei

MarketingMarketingan optometric practicean optometric practice

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Msc optom

Too little attention and resources to marketing

sub-optimal financial performance.

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Marketing vs advertisingMarketing vs advertising

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WHAT IS MARKETING? WHAT IS MARKETING?

marketing encompasses all forms of patient communication that impact perceptions of the practice and produce a brand identity, including:

Practice positioning, name and logo The totality of the service process

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Product mix presentation and product merchandising

Visual imagery of the facilities, decor, doctor and staff appearance, practice website, marketing communications vehicles

Pricing and fees Promotional offers Advertising messages Social media presence

© South-Western Publishing

Marketing activities:Marketing activities:

Marketing during patient visits Patient recall Between-visit marketing

communications New patient marketing

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 Marketing During Patient Visits

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Key message:Key message:

“Here’s why you should continue to come here for eyecare.”

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Key message:Key message:

We provide therapeutic medical treatment for infections, dry eye, allergy and other ocular conditions

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Key message:Key message:

“A yearly eye exam is an important preventative measure to protect sight.”

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KEY MESSAGE: KEY MESSAGE:

Your insurance allowance covers basics only.”

Insurance coverage should never dictate the sales process.

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Product Mix Management:

The product mix a business offers determines the average transaction size.

Exceeding industry norms primarily happens through more effective product presentation, not higher prices and fees.

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Product dispensing ratios vary widely among optometric offices

Disparities in usage of individual product types, such as daily replacement contact lenses or anti-reflective lenses, always trace mainly to ECP preferences and habits and not to patient choice or demographics.

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Price Promotion:

new patients of independent ODs are seldom attracted by price incentives.

New patients choose indepenent ODs because they anticipate a higher level of personalized service

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consultants recommend the following exceptions to build revenue:

Spectacle Lens bundling Multiple Eyewear Purchase

Discounts Contact Lens Annual Supply

Discounts Special Event Discounts

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Practice brochure:Guidlines

Brochures should be professionally designed.

Language and photos should convey that the practice is a caring, friendly place

Provide a comprehensive listing of services offered.

Provide a brief biography of the doctor If advanced instrumentation? Then feature it.

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Signage and DisplaysAvoid display clutter. Feature products offering high

performance and premium profit margins

Only use signage that is tasteful, professional and has high production value.

Regularly refresh displays as new materials become available.

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Patient Recall:Every OD practice needs a consistently

executed recall system to reduce the interval between patient eye exams

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 Between-Visit Marketing Communications

Electronic communication is a very cost-effective method of communicating with patients between their office visits

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Some of the many uses of email to communicate with patients between office visits include:

Birthday greetings Compliance reminders Recall notices and eye exam reminders Opinion surveys

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Announcements of new services, significant new products, special events

Staffing change announcements Articles about eye health topics Product promotions Thank-you for referral

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Special EventsAnnounce the event two months in

advanceDo not conduct eye exams during the

eventOffer discounts to encourage sales

during the event.

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New Patient MarketingPractice Web SitesAttract prospective patients Communicate efficiently with existing

patients Contact information and office hours

should be found easily on the home page.

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Patient ReferralsReferrals occur only when patients are

extremely satisfied with the care they receive

A good indicator of the quality of patient service of an optometric practice is the percentage of new patients generated by patient referrals

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Referrals can be encouraged in the following ways:At the conclusion of each eye exam, ask

patients for referrals. Ask each married patient to refer their

spouse and each parent to refer their children.

Ask caregivers to refer aging parents. Offer incentives for patient referrals. Send a personal thank-you for each

patient referral. www.optiran.ir

Developing an Annual Marketing Plan

Every practice needs a simple marketing plan,

The chief reason to develop a plan is that it forces you to prioritize your marketing objectives, targets and messages.

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Increasing Practice Increasing Practice Net Income:Net Income:See more patients per day"Sell" more to each patient.Raise fees (or reduce discounts)Avoid costly errors.Reduce expenses

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Some usefull sites:Some usefull sites:

www.mba-ce.comwww.reviewob.comwww.optometricmanagement.com

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