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Thread: New office looking for advice

  1. #1
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
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    Iowa
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    Optical Retail
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    New office looking for advice

    Hello all!
    I have been in and out of the optical field for almost 10 years, but this is my first time in a brand new practice. I am the only employee. Two doctors came from chain stores to create their own practice. The office is gorgeous, and in a great location in a growing community. We've been open about five months, and are looking for suggestions on how to increase our patient base. The clientele they were seeing previously is not likely to follow them to this practice, due to distance and difference in insurances accepted. So far they have not spent much money on advertising, as I think they fear not seeing a return. We have done a grand opening, a block party with the businesses nearby, and social media. I think part of it will just take time, but would like to know what has worked for you to increase business? Thanks for your input!

    -Sherri

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    PA
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    Dispensing Optician
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    1,607
    Kind of old school, but if there are any large businesses nearby that you know of, drop in some flyers. Have the flier note if you take their insurance and that you are close by. If you don't take insurance, enclose a coupon just for their business and allow it to be transferable. Maybe do a special discount for local businesses.

  3. #3
    OptiBoardaholic
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    Sep 2012
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    space
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    275
    I'm in an office that is experiencing this as well. I think you need to find a way to advertise what you're good at:

    so...

    Super affordable?
    High-end?
    Take a lot of insurance?
    Unique brands?
    Expert doctors?

    I think that, if you have the money, it might be a good idea to hire a marketing company. Doctors and staff a lot of times get very very very wrong ideas about how to advertise themselves. This usually leads to low-res "fashion-eyewear" shots of one of the doctors wives (taken with some terrible android phone that's seven years old) on facebook that gets like three likes (one from the doc, one from the wife, one from who knows). DO NOT be those guys. It will only come off as corny and desperate.

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Feb 2013
    Location
    PA
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    1,607
    Do you have a local nursing home? Stop by and let them know how close you are. Do you do free adjustments, minor repairs? Let them know. You can get a lot just from that. I used to be in an office close to an amusement park. When people would loose their glasses on the coaster, they would come to use because we had a lab and could make replacement ones quickly.

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    usa
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    989
    In my mind if you are the only employee, the only way to make it work is higher dollar, lower volume, and private pay. How is the office positioned itself?

    Let's lay out a best case scenario, and the exam books are full. I'll be conservative and say 2 doctors full books is 15 exams a day total. How on earth is one employee going to handle that? Not to mention all the other stuff you will be required to do, answer phones, clean and dust, order jobs, cut jobs if you are edging in house(which you should be), manage inventory, schedule appointments, take out the trash, etc. I don't see how 2 doctors and one employee works, unless they are already financially set and only work a couple days a week each. Either you have a manageable workload and they are twiddling their thumbs, or they are busy and you get overrun. If you throw insurance and VCPs into this mix, you will be ordering Jack Daniels by the truck load.

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