Ally Stoeger, OD
I recently had a conversation with Jenna, a woman in her thirties. LensCrafters first started advertising in 1983, so Jenna grew up watching LensCrafters commercials. Through several moves she’s always been examined by LensCrafters doctors. Recently she had a friend recommend a local private practice optometrist and she asked me about it. My conversation with her yielded some surprises.
Jenna didn’t visit mall corporate-affiliated optometrists because she wanted to save money. It wasn’t even important to her that they were open evenings or weekends. She visited these locations because her perception was that because they advertised nationally, they must have more standardized care and quality control than private practice eye doctors.
This patient perceived eyecare the same way travelers perceive burgers. They know exactly what to expect from McDonalds and prefer to choose consistency even though they may be missing out on the world’s greatest burger at the local joint.
So, how does a quality private practice compete against almost 30 years of corporate advertising?
1. Don’t assume that just because you are a private practice, patients believe your quality control is better than the big box store or mall optical that does heavy price advertising. As you examine your patients, educate them about the quality control steps your practice takes to make sure results are precise.
2. Most corporate-affiliated optometrists do not have the same extended hours that their affiliated corporate optical does. Find out what hours the optometrists actually schedule patients and you may find it’s not that hard to compete.
3. Corporate-affiliated OD’s who practice in side-by-side states may have web sites that don’t emphasize the corporate optical next door. Patients don’t realize these are not private practices until they get there. I’ve seen 500-square-foot practices outfitted with 1950’s era equipment that have web sites that make them look great. And I’ve seen private practices with lots of sophisticated equipment that have awful (or no) web sites. A web site can make you look better than you really are or worse than you really are.
4. Pay attention to your online reviews and your online reputation. This is an entry point for many patients and when patients read a great review, (real or fake) they may not realize, and may not care, that this is a corporate-affiliated optometrist. If you are a private practice, ask your patients, especially your happy ones, to write reviews [caution – do not write fake reviews!]
5. When you see patients between the ages of 20 and 40, recognize that commercials have had a large role in creating their perception of eyecare. Find moments during your exam to explain to them the extra quality control steps, warranties and personalized care that your practice offers. Ask some of your younger adults why they chose your practice. Then congratulate them on their decision and tell them that you’d love to provide the same great experience to their friends. Because their friends grew up on LensCrafters advertising also.
There was a time when almost anyone with a private practice could succeed. In this competitive economic environment, it takes strategy to succeed. Knowing your competition is an important part of that strategy.
How does your practice compete with local corporate eye doctors? How do you incorporate messaging in your marketing campaigns that emphasize what consumers have to gain by choosing you over the optometric chain down the street?
Ally Stoeger, OD, is founder of www.RealPracticeToday.com and president of Consulting With Vision LLC, an optometry practice consulting firm. She was a founding and managing partner of a multi-doctor practice and is now in the process of opening a new private practice in Virginia. Contact: ally@realpracticetoday.com.
