Lenses: TOUCHPOINTS AND INTERNAL MARKETING
Think globally, act locally? When it comes to updating your internal lens marketing strategy, think locally, act internally
By Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC
Investing wisely, if frugally, in advertising and marketing, especially internal marketing, can help your practice pull ahead of the pack. Many of these internally driven efforts involve product and brand touchpoints. Traditional advertising and marketing formats can also be renewed for more effectiveness. But the key is to differentiate your practice by expanding business parameters in unexpected and effective ways.
GETTING IN TOUCH(POINT)
The essence of touchpoint is that you make the most of every interaction with every customer, every time, especially concerning recommended products. This means taking the time to explain lens options in a simple, concise way to each and every customer, regardless of how busy you are or how much you think the patient can spend. Focus on the lens benefits first, and explain how those benefits are tailored to what the patient can really use.
Creating a touchpoint "map" can be helpful to direct employees. Bullet-point the benefits of each lens the practice offers for easy reference. Another simple way to make the most of touchpoints is by utilizing print materials in your presentations, including lens brochures and dispensing mats. Demonstrating lenses, such as using an AR or polarized demo unit, is a proven-effective sales tool.
Touchpoint outreach like mailing recall cards with new lens information and/or brochures with recalls is another way to get the lens message to patients. And the practice website can be a powerful tool to reach patients and potential patients with lens branding and information.
Combined with email alerts on new lens options, the Internet can keep you and your patients in touch and in mind.
Touchpoints are effective only if used consistently by the entire staff. Tailor your touchpoints to each patient's individual needs and focus on effectively detailing—in consumer-friendly terms—lens materials, designs, and brand points that will work well for them.
INTERNAL MARKETING
The key to a new you is researching demographics and psychographics and then getting a handle on which you're serving and want to serve before changing the way you do things.
Source: Consumers. Contact key patients who are willing to help you, and offer them lunch or dinner or perhaps a complimentary pair of eyewear in exchange for their insights on your practice.
Your patient panel can meet every six months or once a year to discuss key issues about the practice from their point of view. If they are reluctant to give you bad news, they can anonymously write in their feedback. And if certain panel members have time conflicts with meetings, garner their input via email.
Another approach is to provide "How are we doing?" postcards along with eyewear at dispensing, asking patients to fill them out and mail the prepaid postcard or drop it in the provided message box in the office.
Telephone calls to patients about two weeks past dispensing to see how they're doing with their new glasses shows care and concern from the practice while also garnering information on how to do better.
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Customer Relations Builders Implement these effective approaches for better customer relations and satisfaction: 1. Create and distribute discount or dollars-off coupons that are distributed with every warranty job. If a patient comes in for warranty work, this coupon is given to them with thanks for coming in and using your practice's services. Track when and how the coupons are utilized to see how warranty work has been used to make a future sale. 2. Don't advertise price. Do advertise 100 percent guaranteed satisfaction instead, and give discount or dollars-off coupons to valued customers. 3. Resell eyewear at dispensing to ensure patients understand and appreciate the quality of their new eyewear. "What you say and what you do at the time patients pick up their eyewear will most likely be what your patients remember," says Carole Bratteig, professional development manager, Transitions Optical. "Be sure to tell patients the brand names used in creating their custom eyewear since brand names reinforce confidence that a good purchase decision was made." 4. Resell the practice at dispensing. "Dispensing great eyewear to a happy patient is the perfect moment to resell yourself, and the practice, too," Bratteig says. "Ask a happy customer for a referral. After all, who better to take care of their families and friends than the ECP and practice that made them see and look so wonderful?" 5. Prescribe, don't just recommend, from the chair. "I write down what I recommend," says Brian Woolf, OD, of Woolf & Woolf Optometrists in Baltimore, Md. "Then we take an organic approach. Rather than having a structure to the conversation, we ask about each patient's lifestyle and keep it simple: ‘Do you want a line or no line?’ ‘Do you want the lenses to change color or not?’ And, we AR almost every pair. If there's price resistance, we show patients what's included. Keep it simple: No one wants to get into a long discussion; we respect our time and our patients' time." |
Source: Optical laboratories. Several optical labs have revamped their entire look, including logos, print materials, and websites, and have revamped their customer service protocol. Take a new look at your lab or check out other labs as a resource for training and education, new product branding, and in-office programs that may appeal to your staff members and customers.
Source: Lens manufacturers. There are a lot of lens manufacturers with an often overwhelming array of products. The key is to get to know who you do business with intimately, admit who you're happy and unhappy with, and look for fresh programs and new companies that get your staff members energized and customers enthused.
Another must is differentiating yourself from other ECPs in your area. That means stealth calling and secret shopping to find out what brands they carry and how they position and price them, then bringing that information to the table to forge your new direction.
Source: Doctors. "The most powerful marketing initiative our new office has initiated is the recommendation of Dr. Lyons," says Shirley Earley, optician at Ritter-Hagee Doctors of Optometry in Deer Park and Mainville, Ohio. "He stays up on technology and makes recommendations to patients, who trust the doctor."
The practice also offers brochures that offer additional information about the lenses the doctor recommends and proactively provides product demonstrations.
"In our new office, all of the sunglasses we've sold have been polarized because patients look through a nonpolarized and polarized lens and compare what they see out of the demo," Earley says. "In addition, they've been equipped with product knowledge from the doctor, reinforced by staff members." EB
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