In 2020, 33% of ECPs told Eyecare Business they did not communicate office safety protocols with patients. Problem? In our debut column of this new series, practice management thought leader Jerry Hayes, O.D., lays out 3 ways to reenergize your communications.

WHY A PRIMER ON COMMUNICATION, NOW?

In today’s pandemic era, consumers say that communication—especially focused on changes to services and products—is critical.

In fact, in a recent consumer survey conducted by customer engagement expert Twilio, more than half of respondents (52%) said they viewed this type of information from the companies that they do business with as essential. Next on consumers’ wish list for communication from businesses (37%) was messages with inspiration and information on how to stay safe.

Still, last year, a surprisingly large number of eyecare professionals revealed that they neglected to communicate with their patient base and community—in many cases because energy was devoted to staying afloat amid a pandemic. According to the 2020 EB Market Trends Study, a full 33% of eyecare professionals revealed they made no effort to inform patients of their new office safety protocols.

That includes no emails, texts, direct mail, website updates, or social media posts.

THE GOOD NEWS: In EB’s 2020 Reader Focus Group Study, ECPs also told us that fast-tracking proper patient communication in 2021 was a top priority.

Which is exactly why EB is debuting this 2021 series—Communication Masterclass—which will appear regularly this year to help you hone your communication skills.

It’s not too late to reopen dialogue, says renowned practice management expert Jerry Hayes, O.D., who draws inspiration from his five decades in the industry. Here, the founder of Hayes Marketing, Hayes Center for Practice Excellence, and other revered optical ventures, kicks off the inaugural Communication Masterclass with three essential strategies to help eyecare professionals successfully kick-start the conversation.

#1 DO! Be Proactive. Specific. Targeted.

Pandemic-fatigued consumers remain bewildered about what’s going on with local businesses.

Be proactive contacting patients, Hayes urges, because silence ignites the imagination “‘Is this office even open? I haven’t heard from them. Maybe they quit, afraid of seeing patients. Maybe they retired. Hey, maybe they went broke.’”

A direct-mail piece targeted to your patient base—not the whole universe—will resonate and does not have to be pricey, he shares.

Be specific outlining office safety protocols, step by step, so patients know what to expect before they arrive. Make sure the office looks the part. Dingy carpet, dust bunnies, and stained upholstery do not convey “clean.”

Hayes invokes words from famed author Tom Peters about the airline industry: Coffee stains on the flip-down tray mean poor engine maintenance.

#2 DO! Model the Message.

“The doctor has to model the behavior he or she wants. That is big,” Hayes says. Consistency is critical.

If the practice’s message is “sanitized/safe haven,” then ECPs must wear masks (properly), no exceptions.

If the message is “friendly/welcoming,” then there can be no under-the-breath muttering from the doctor when a problem patient steps in the door as that gives staff license to be disrespectful, which defeats the message.

#3 DON’T! Slip into Autopilot.

“The big ‘don’t’ in patient communications is: You cannot put this on cruise control. You cannot sit down, have one meeting with your staff, and say, ‘This is how I want you to treat patients. This is what I want you to say’—and wash your hands of it,” Hayes says.

Practice marketing demands care and feeding, especially with always-on social media. “If your staff was rude to the pain-in-the-butt patient, guess who’s most likely to go on social media and give you a one-star rating?”

A communications style that resonates best is genuine and reflects your culture. Don’t be boilerplate, Hayes urges. “Be more like Southwest and less like Delta.”

DENISE POWER is a Chicago-based writer whose business journalism career started in optical before stretching into all retail verticals, covering innovations in technology, marketing, and digital. Her work has appeared in fashion trade journals Women’s Wear Daily and Daily News Record, Supermarket News, and Executive Technology, among others.