marketing Options in optometric practice

what are the key strategies of marketing in optometric practice.
key points about marketing that every optometrist should know

1. ZERMINA NASEEM ROLL# O-1930 PRESENTATION: MARKETING IN OPTOMETRIC PRACTICE

2. MARKETING:  The total of activities by which the provision of services and transfer of materials from optometrist to patient are effected. ADVERTISING: The art or practice of calling public attention to ones product, service, needs or related matters especially by paid announcements in newspapers and magazines or over radio, TV or other media.

3. Surveys of optometrists revealed that 27% of patients choose their optometrist  or ophthalmologist on the recommendation of relatives or friends and for an established practice more than 65% of patient flow is derived from previous patients.  Therefore advertising could be used only to compete for remaining 10% of patients.

4. EXTERNAL MARKETING MOST commonly used external marketing technique is advertsing . ADVERTISING: Aim of advertising is to influence consumer choice. Exposure opportunity: Number of people who might see advertisement Message opportunity: Way an advertisement communicates via a particular medium

5. REACH Number of people who see or hear advertisement at least once FREQUENCY Average number of times each person is reached TARGET REACH Number of people within a specific audience who have seen the advertisement

6. ADVERTISING MEDIA TELEVISION; Provides high exposure Offers most complete message oppurtunity Most striking communications medium in world today

7. RADIO: Good for targeting various geographic, age, or interest groups. Most limited medium NEWSPAPERS: Lower exposure than tv or radio Reach a higher percentage of areas they cover.

8. MAGAZINES: Less exposure than tv radio or newspapers Highly selective with respect to audience interests DIRECT MAIL Most selective of all media Disadvantage off being easily discarded

9. PRINTED MATERIALS TO KEEP OPTOMETRISTS NAME VISIBLE TO PATIENTS Brochures and pamphlets American optometric association literature Letters and mailings News releases Practice newsletter Personal letters Telephone listings

10. COMPONENTS OF MARKETING PLAN Statement Goals  Strategies

11. MISSION STATEMENT: Describes basic purpose of practice And what the optometrist seeks to accomplish through it MARKETING GOALS: Before a practitioner decides on marketing goals, current marketing situation must be analyzed.

12. MARKETING STRATEGIES: Strategies are the way that a practitioner meets the goals that have been set.

13. INTERNAL MARKETING Involves the dissemination of information to an existing patient population to educate them about services, ophthalmic materials, new developments and related matters.

14. PATIENT PERCEPTIONS Patient can perceive changes Most common: when practitioner decreses time spent with patients. The key to successful internal marketing to treat patients in same way as we would all wish to be treated.

15. HOW TO OBTAIN PATIENT REFFERALS Satisfied patient is one who gets what was  bargained for. Satisfied patient provide best form of advertising - recommending practitioner to family and friends – which results in patient refferals.