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“Do I REALLY need to market my practice?”

Why is marketing LASIK essential?

Most doctors – and patients – have only good only good things to say about LASIK. LASIK is the safest, most successful, and most widely studied elective procedure worldwide. A recent meta-analysis found that patients who receive LASIK have a satisfaction rate of 96.6 percent, a more favorable satisfaction rate compared to other elective procedures including liposuction, rhinoplasty and breast augmentation/reduction.

Despite its impressive success rate, LASIK isn’t always easy to sell. Prospective patients worry about complications, the cost, and the surgery itself. Because many of these patients are hesitant to pursue the procedure unprompted, if you offer LASIK, you must dedicate resources to marketing it.

Marketing? Like billboards and commercials?

When most people hear the word “marketing,” they think about newspaper advertisements, billboards and commercials. In reality, marketing encompasses much more than overt advertising.

Some examples of marketing include:

Patient education pieces include brochures, explainer videos, posters and other materials designed to provide information about the procedure. Patient education materials aren’t “selly” – instead, their goal is to answer questions and ease fears, making patients more receptive to the idea of pursuing LASIK. These patient education materials can be located in your office, shared on social media, or provided to partnering optometrists. Speaking of …

OD networking involves building strong, ophthalmologist-optometrist relationships. Optometrists who partner with your practice can educate patients about the services you offer, as well as refer individuals who may be interested in your services. While OD networking isn’t traditionally thought of as marketing, it can nevertheless significantly build and strengthen your patient base.

Social media can also be an excellent way to bring in new patients and engage with your current base. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can help your practice establish a distinct voice and personality, making it easier for your patients to connect with you. Well-executed social media will also help you stand out from the sea of other LASIK providers.

Facebook contests can also help ophthalmologists connect with their patients and build their base. During these contests, practices heavily discount or completely cover LASIK costs for a select patient. The contest encourages participants to share news about the contest on their Facebook wall, discuss the practice with friends and family, and engage with the practice’s social media.

What difference does marketing make?

In our experience at Sightpath Medical, marketing your practice can make a world of difference.

For instance, practices who work with our award-winning marketing program Sightpath Creative experienced an average growth rate of 23 percent from 2016 to 2017. Just adding two patients a month is enough to increase a practice’s monthly revenue by nearly 10,000 dollars. By approaching your marketing efforts with a methodical, clear-cut plan, you have the ability to expand your practice patient base, increase profits, and solidify your position as an expert LASIK provider in your area.

Marketing your practice may not be easy. We can help. Contact us today for more information on our comprehensive marketing solutions and how we can help you grow your practice. Sightpath Creative can help create interactions and energize a referral network to drive procedures, with ongoing practice development support on a variety of levels.