Contact Lens Business
Affordable Marketing Strategies
Letting patients know that you offer contact lenses is crucial, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

An ophthalmologist I know often fits his patients with contact lenses. Recently, he told me that he recommended contact lenses to a patient, only to have the patient ask, "Where do I go to get them?"

If you offer contact lenses to your patients, don't wait for a wakeup call like this. For contact lenses to be a significant part of your practice -- which is essential in 2001 -- patients must know:

• that you fit contact lenses
• that you're good at it
• which lenses you fit
• what's involved in getting contact lenses from your office.

In other words, you need to market yourself and the contact lens part of your practice. But fear not: Marketing doesn't have to require large sums of money. In-house marketing, in particular, can be very cost-effective.

EDUCATING YOUR PATIENTS

In-house marketing refers to strategies that can be carried out inside your office. This kind of marketing entails almost no expense and can be a part of almost any budget. Here are a few simple strategies that will go a long way toward making your patients aware of your contact lens experience and offerings:

• Have the person who answers the telephone ask patients about any possible interest in contact lenses. (If a patient already wears contacts, he should be told to bring them along when he comes in for his appointment.)
• Mention your contact lens offerings in your on-hold message.
• Include contact lens questions in the questionnaire your patients fill out when they arrive at your office.
• Place posters or notices (prepared by your office or supplied by your contact lens manufacturers) in different parts of the office. This is a good way to promote specialty lenses.
• The pamphlet center in your office should offer contact lens brochures. You can design these yourself, or use those that are available from the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists or the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

WHEN THE PATIENT COMES IN

When first meeting patients, both you and your technician should ask about past or present contact lens wear:

• Which lenses have they worn?
• Which lens care techniques have they used?
• Have they had any problems wearing contact lenses?

In a patient has never worn them, don't be afraid to ask if he or she would be interested in trying them. You'll be surprised how many patients will say that they always wanted to, but were told they couldn't because they have astigmatism or need bifocal correction.

DON'T FORGET YOUR WEB SITE

The recent explosive growth of the Internet makes it a natural contact lens marketing medium. However, making your practice's contact lens information available on your Web site will require frequent maintenance:

• Make sure someone in your practice is in charge of monitoring the site on a regular basis to keep your contact lens information current.
• Be sure to highlight new lenses or information updates so visitors don't miss them.
• Make sure that patients have an easy way to e-mail questions to your office through the site -- and put someone in charge of checking messages every day, so that all messages receive a prompt reply.

WHY WAIT?

Of course, more traditional external marketing methods may be perfectly appropriate for your contact lens offerings. But either way, there's no reason not to take advantage of in-house marketing and the Internet.

Dr. Weinstock practices at Canton Ophthalmology Associates in Canton, Ohio. He's also a professor of ophthalmology at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine.