BUSINESS

  merchandising

Contact Lens Strategies

Take a personal approach to merchandising your CL practice

GINA M. WESLEY O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.

The new year brings new strategies, of which I’d like to focus on the general awareness of your ability to fit contact lenses.

“What? I know I can fit contact lenses already,” you think.

Yes, of course . . . but do your patients? And I don’t mean just simple, straightforward “usual” fits. Even a toric fit can be complex in the eyes of many patients. Because you can excel here, let’s strategize how you can share this information internally and externally to merchandise your contact lens practice. Consider the following ideas.

Start with internal education

Internal education includes brochures, information in waiting room booklets, a blast on your Facebook page to “friends” of the office, a tweet about a new contact lens technology and exam room posters. But the most effective internal marketing strategy of all is simply telling your patients they can be fit in contact lenses.

After you have a conversation about their eyewear, sunwear and eye health, a simple, “You can be fit with contact lenses as well. Does that interest you?” is informative, opens a door the patient may not realize could be opened and, at worst, risks the patient saying, “No, thanks.” At best, you’ve garnered another contact lens patient with a no-cost one-liner.

Ask patients for testimonials

Who is a better referral than someone who has succeeded in her contact lenses, all thanks to you? Ask your patients to write a short statement about their experience in being fit and what wearing contact lenses has meant to them. Chances are the variety of experiences and thoughts will resonate with prospective contact lens candidates.

Remember, for many this is an “unknown” territory, even though it can seem second nature to us. Post these testimonials via the previously mentioned methods, and, once again, you have a low- or no-cost method of merchandising your contact lens practice.

Hold a workshop

You want one that includes inviting patients to the office to find out more about the types of fits and contact lenses you offer. Be creative. Make a video of yourself discussing the various types of contact lens fits and modalities. Feature each in a different section of your contact lens page on your website, post them on Facebook, and run them on a loop so you can select them in-office, thus serving as an extension of you. Or, set up a webinar for patients. Make it convenient for your patients to find out more about you. Record the webinar, and re-post it for anyone to watch anytime.

A personalized approach

Merchandising your contact lens practice doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money advertising or investing in expensive technology. Due to the complexities of contact lenses and the variability of what a patient can or should be fit in, a personalized approach works best. Garner trust via individual appeal, and watch your contact lens practice grow.

Best to you and yours in the new year. OM

DR. WESLEY PRACTICES AT COMPLETE EYE CARE OF MEDINA, A VISION SOURCE FRANCHISE, WHICH SHE OPENED IN 2008. SHE WAS HONORED AS MINNESOTA’S OPTOMETRIST OF THE YEAR IN 2011. E-MAIL DRWESLEY@CECOFMEDINA.COM, OR SEND COMMENTS TO OPTOMETRICMANAGEMENT@GMAIL.COM.