BUSINESS

  MARKETING

MESSAGE RESISTANT

REACH CONSUMERS WHO ARE NOT EASILY INFLUENCED BY MARKETING

MARKETING IS most effective when it gets “in the mind” of the consumer and changes perceptions in a positive way. However, not everyone is easily swayed by the same marketing messages. Below are three simple strategies to include in your marketing plan to positively influence the types of consumers most resistant to marketing claims: skeptics, stalkers and cheaters.

SKEPTICS: DELIVER THE PROOF

Consumers are inherently skeptical of marketing claims. Sorry doc, but patients don’t always trust that you have their best interest in mind — especially when your recommendations come with a high price tag. How can you turn skeptics into believers?

From a consumer psychology standpoint, marketing is considerably more effective when you can deliver “proof of gain.” We don’t think of trial contact lenses and trial frames as marketing tools, but they are. So are in-office demonstrations, testimonials and educational videos. Once you’ve uncovered the patient’s wants and needs, use internal marketing tools to build trust and mitigate skepticism. Sometimes, marketing has to go beyond verbal claims. It’s not the science and research that sells weight loss supplements — it’s the before and after photos.

STALKERS: SHOW RAVE REVIEWS

Have you ever felt like you were being followed? Well, you are. Potential patients are “stalking” you on your home[page]. How can you convert these stalkers into patients?

Make “social proof” a part of your marketing plan. Consumers are more influenced by what others say about you than what you say about yourself. Encourage your raving fans to write a review on your Facebook page or an online review site like Yelp or Google Reviews. Collect video testimonials that you can post on your website or social media sites. Direct testimonials and word-of-mouth recommendations are the proof that trumps a “leap of faith.”

Win over those potential patients who “stalk” you on the Internet with a marketing plan that includes rave reviews from your fans.

CHEATERS: PROVIDE EDUCATION

“I thought this relationship was going somewhere, and then you left me for a cheap pair of glasses off the Internet.” Sorry, you’ve been used for your prescription pad!

When consumers perceive certain products and services as commodities, they default to price and convenience as their driving force behind the purchase. A good marketing plan should include strategies to continually educate and inform your current patients about new technologies, premium options and the value-added services you provide. Educate patients on value, and they will make better decisions.

USING DIGITAL MEDIA

Use email, newsletters, blogs and social media as a marketing platform to educate and inform your patients between exams. Your marketing content should help patients answer the question, “why should I pay more?” OM

STEVE VARGO, O.D., M.B.A., serves as Prima Eye Group’s vice president of Optometric Consulting. A published author and speaker with more than 15 years clinical experience, he is now a full-time consultant advising O.D.s in all areas of practice management and optometric office operations. To comment on this article, visit tinyurl.com/OMcomment.