10 Ways to Grow Your Optical Practice
At OptometryMarketing.com, we’ve helped grow optical and optometry practices across the world (literally). In the article below, we give you a very high level overview of the tools and tactics that you can use to grow your practice.
(By the way, if the below is overwhelming, reach out to our team. We’ll help you develop a digital marketing strategy that finds unique opportunities in your business and your geographic region.)
The optical industry is constantly changing. Customers are more demanding, online opticals are competing on price and quality, and national chains continue to drive down costs and drive up competition. To stay ahead of the competition and attract new customers, it’s important to continually find new ways to grow your optical practice.
This is where the optical marketing comes in handy! If you’re struggling hard to build up your new optical business or trying to extend your local business to generate more revenue prospects, an optical marketing strategy is the way to go.
However, this is not the whole story! There is a lot more to do in order to grow your optical store. In this post, we’ll share 10 powerful marketing strategies that can help you boost your small business. Read on to learn more.
What is Optical Marketing?
Optical marketing is a method of promoting and selling eyewear and other optical products while building a strong brand’s personality. It typically involves the use of eye-catching displays, special promotions, and targeted advertising to attract more optical patients. Optical marketing can be an effective way to drive sales and raise awareness in your local area. However, it is important to carefully consider your target audience and objectives before embarking on an optical marketing campaign. Otherwise, you may find that your efforts are not as successful as you had hoped.
Catch on our latest articles here
5 Most Common Mistakes Optometry Practices Make with their Marketing
Common Email Marketing Pitfalls (Make sure you don’t fall victim)
How to Plan a Successful Optical Marketing Strategy
If you’re thinking about launching an optical marketing campaign to increase average revenue, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
- First, it’s important to identify your target audience so you can pick the right outreach programs with the right engagement patterns. Are you trying to reach people who wear glasses or contacts? Or are you hoping to appeal to those who don’t currently wear any corrective eyewear? Once you know who you’re trying to reach, you can start to develop a marketing strategy that will appeal to them.
- It’s also important to think about what type of products you’ll be promoting. Do you want to sell sunglasses, prescription glasses, or both? What kind of price point are you hoping to target?
- Keep in mind that people are often more likely to purchase items they perceive as a good value for their occasional purchases. Therefore, it’s important to offer products that are affordable and appeal to your target audience.
- Finally, you’ll need to decide how you’ll promote your optical products. Will you use print advertisements, television commercials, or online ads? Each type of marketing has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the one that will work best for your business.
- Remember, the goal of optical marketing is to increase awareness and sales. Therefore, you’ll want to select a promotion method such as optical newsletters, attractive frame-fitting appointment ads, targeted ads, or notice boards that will reach targeting audiences as many as possible.
You can develop an effective optical marketing campaign that will help you achieve your business goals and improve your optical store performance.
Just remember to target your audience carefully, offer products that are of good value, and use a promotional method that will reach the largest number of people possible. With a little planning and creativity, you can launch a successful marketing campaign that will bring new customers to your door.
Proven Marketing Tactics to Improve Your Optometry Practice
1. Evaluate your current marketing efforts
The first step to growing your optometry practice is to take a close look at your current marketing efforts. What’s working and what’s not? Take some time to review your marketing budget to see where you can make adjustments.
The main thing you’re looking for is untrackable and underperforming marketing investments. Do you know how well that ad is working in the local circular? How many bookings are you getting from those Facebook ads?
If you can’t track it, then you don’t know an ROI. Your marketing materials need to work for you, not just exist.
2. Create a targeted marketing plan
Once you’ve evaluated your current marketing efforts, it’s time to create a targeted plan for growth. This plan should include specific goals and strategies for reaching new patients.
3. Invest in digital marketing
In today’s digital world, it’s important to invest in digital marketing tactics that will help you reach more patients. Some of these tactics include creating a strong optical website, using social media, optimizing search engines and social sites, and developing targeted online advertising campaigns to stay connected with your ideal patients.
4. Focus on word-of-mouth marketing
In addition to digital marketing, don’t forget about the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Make sure your current patients are happy with your services and that they’re spreading the word to their friends and family.
5. Offer incentives
One way to encourage patients to choose your subtle optical brand is to offer incentives. This could include discounts, free services, or loyalty programs.
By following these marketing tips, you can help grow your optical shops and reach more patients.
6. Focus on Email marketing
Using an email marketing strategy for your Optermry practice is important for almost any business, and drip campaigns are a really useful tool within that umbrella.
Avoiding some of theses email marketing pitfalls when it comes to email marketing can also help your practice succeed in the long run
Bring More Clients to Your Optical Store with Help from Us!
We know firsthand that running an optical shop is not a cakewalk! But that is why we exist!
We, at Optometry Marketing help the optical industry to grow consistent with our one-of-its-kind. Our dedicated and advanced technology-backed digital marketing solutions are catered to meet the specific needs of the optical industry. We do all for you, from managing your SEO and PPC campaigns to ranking your Google My Business profile – all so you can focus on business core requirements without the stress of also managing all your marketing.
Let us build your optical emperor without denting your budget. Connect with our elite team to discuss your repeat business needs, challenges, and future goals. You choose us; we will do the rest for you! Connect with us via (970) 999-1531 or get in touch online! We are excited to have you on our client board.
Proven Ways to Expand Your Optical Marketing Business
Once you have a solid marketing strategy in place, you’ll now need to think about the logistics of expansion.
Below are a few of the challenges and opportunities you’ll face once you have sales and revenue coming in. We outline things to think about and ways to expand your reach even further.
1. Get involved in your community.
One of the best ways to grow your optical store is to get involved in your community. There are many ways to do this, such as joining local chambers of commerce or Rotary Clubs. You can also participate in community events or sponsor local youth sports teams. Getting involved in your community or local events will help you get your name out there and build goodwill.
2. Invest in marketing.
One of the most proven marketing ideas to improve your optical store is to invest in marketing. There are many different ways to market your business, such as online advertising, print advertising, or direct mail. You can also use word-of-mouth marketing by asking your satisfied customers to refer their friends and family to you.
Needless to say, advertisements provide online users everything that they need to choose you over others. And when we talk about the best advertisements strategies, social media will always be on the top of the shortlist. Social media channels are just one of the most potent ways to unlock the exponential growth of success not in years but in months.
According to recent stats, more than half of the world is active on social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and so much more. On top of that, more than 75% of Facebook users and 60% of Instagram users check their social media account daily.
Such immense big stats can provide your impressive click-through rate to generate more business effortlessly. Just make sure, your all marketing materials share the same brand messaging & business information.
You can target more potential customers, expand your business globally, and generate double ROI organically with effective social media marketing — that too without disturbing your overall marketing costs.
3. Offer free services.
Free is a word that excites every one of us. People love being rewarded and gifted. This is the reason it is the fastest and most effective way to grab eyeballs in your initial business days. Therefore, a third way to grow your local businesses of optometry practice is to offer completely free services. This could include things like free eye exams for children or seniors or discounts for new patients.
Offering free services is one of the finest marketing ideas to attract new customers and show them that you care about their needs. Plus, if you upsell them correctly, free can actually be quite profitable.
4. Expand your services.
A fourth way to grow your optometry practice is to expand your services. This could include adding new services such as contact lens fittings or low vision examinations. Expanding your optical website services will give customers more reasons to come to you and will make you more competitive in your market along with more customers.
5. Leverage the power of technology.
A fifth way to grow your optical patients visits is to use technology. Technology is an effective and instant method to lift your dead business drastically.
There are many different marketing ideas to do this, such as using an electronic medical record system, implementing an online appointment scheduling system, or offering online refractions. In addition, using technology will make your practice more efficient and easier for patients to use. So if nothing is paying you back, technology won’t disappoint you in growing your optical shop.
Plus, did you know that among the top five methods for recommending a business, word-of-mouth ranks first, followed by Facebook, Google, and Twitter (source). Thus, showcase your best online reviews to win trust at first glance.
The impressive part, the optometry marketing costs are so easy to your pocket that it won’t feel you extra burden.
6. Join professional organizations.
A sixth way to grow your optometry shop is to join professional organizations. This could include the American Optometric Association or the American Academy of Optometry. Joining these organizations will give you access to resources and networking opportunities that can help you grow your business.
7. Attend continuing education courses.
In addition to propelling your business agenda over multiple marketing channels, one of the finest ways to grow your optical shop is to attend continuing education courses. This will help you stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in optometry and will give you more knowledge to offer your patients.
8. Hire new staff.
An eighth way to grow your optometry practice is to hire new staff. This could include hiring additional optometrists, ophthalmologists, or optometric technicians. Hiring new staff will allow you to serve more patients and provide a higher level of care.
You can also use your social media pages to find the best potential talent for your optical shop.
9. Implement a management system.
A ninth way to grow your optical shops is to implement a management system. This optical marketing strategy works wonder to grow your business not in years but in months.
This could include things like implementing an electronic medical record system, adopting a lean management approach, or using Six Sigma methodology. Implementing a management system will help you run your practice more efficiently and effectively.
10. Expand your facilities.
A tenth way to grow your optometry practice is to expand your facilities. This could involve things like adding additional examination rooms, expanding your optical dispensary, or building a new office. Expanding your facilities is one of the most successful marketing ideas
and will allow you to serve more patients and provide a higher level of care.
Implementing these techniques will help you grow your optometry practice and achieve your goals. But remember that it takes time and effort to grow repeat business. So be patient, work hard, and don’t give up on your dreams.
Final Take Aways
So, if you’re looking for ways to grow your optical practice, we hope the ideas in this post will provide some valuable food for thought. Remember, it takes hard work and dedication to succeed in any business endeavor, but with a clear plan and some effort, you can see growth in your optical practice.
By following these simple tips, you can start seeing results right away. Remember to keep track of your progress and revisit these ideas often to continue growing your business.
Are there other methods that have worked well for you? We would love to hear from our readers about their own experiences developing optical practice – please share in the comments below!
