Eight tips to grow a laser vision correction practice
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
LAS VEGAS — Happy postoperative patients are the most valuable asset to grow a vision correction practice, according to a presentation during Refractive Subspecialty Day at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting.
From 2018 to 2020, Blake Williamson, MD, grew his laser vision correction practice, Williamson Eye Associates in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by 78%. From 2020 to 2021, it grew by 181%. In his presentation, he gave eight tips for growing a laser vision correction practice.
1. Social media. Williamson said he uses the HHTT rule: humor, heartstrings, tech and telling a story. Whenever he posts to social media, he uses one of these angles to boost engagement.
2. Advertising. Although social media is an important tool, Williamson said it is important not to ignore traditional media such as radio, TV and billboards. In fact, he said he has gotten more LASIK patient from ads run through a local ESPN radio host than anywhere else.
3. Hire a marketing professional. Even if a dedicated marketing director is financially out of reach, there are opportunities to work with industry partners who can help promote a practice.
4. Text campaigns. Williamson said two-way texting and social ads are critical for reaching younger patients who may not want to talk on the phone.
5. Virtual consults. During the shutdown for COVID-19, Williamson said virtual consults become practice savers. Since then, they have become practice growers, with 79% of virtual consults converting to in-office workups compared with 60% for phone consults.
6. Find the influencer. Williamson uses well-known patients in his community, such as local athletes, to tell his story for him.
7. OD collaborative care. Williamson builds relationships with local optometrists by operating on them and their families. He then works with them to share their experiences with potential patients.
8. Happy postoperative patients. Because of the success of LASIK and refractive cataract surgery, Williamson said it is easy to become numb to that success.
“We all know we have these magical moments every week in our OR,” he said. “Let’s not numb to them. Let’s harness them and share great, magical content like that with our community, with our staff and with our referring doctors. If you follow these eight tips, my hope is that you can grow your refractive practice as well.”
Collapse
Williamson B. How to grow your laser vision correction practice. Presented at: American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting; July 23-27, 2021; Las Vegas.
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts