March 28, 2018
Cultivating a personal brand provides a powerful competitive edge, whether you practice in an independent or corporate setting, say Bridgitte Shen Lee, OD, and Maria Sampalis, OD, in an ROB interview. Connect with your community and serve it well, they say, then watch as your community pays you back over time.
Optometry is Optometry, Corporate or Private |
Brand Yourself & Your Practice Benefits |
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FIND NICHE. The age-old frictions between independent and corporate ODs are not as relevant today. Optometry is optometry. It’s all about what you specialize in, and how you differentiate yourself from competitors. COLLABORATE. Network with other ODs to learn from one another and create reciprocal referral relationships. GROW MEDICAL MODEL. Use relationships with other ODs to learn how to better serve medical eyecare patients, and to possibly even share testing equipment.
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CULTIVATE YOUR BRAND. Use personal experiences, like being a mother, to build bonds with patients and families. SHARE PERSONAL STORY. Tell patients about your own eye health and vision challenges, and your own family experiences. They will open up to you, if you open up to them. BE CONSISTENT. Use consistent imagery, and messaging, in marketing. If you’re a practice that emphasizes care for the whole family, show scenes in advertising with both parents and children, and showcase children’s frames.
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Bridgitte Shen Lee, OD, co-owns Vision Optique in Houston, Texas. To contact her: drbshenlee@iTravelCE.com
Maria Sampalis OD, practices at Sampalis Eye Care in Warwick RI. She is also the founder of Corporate Optometry on Facebook. Dr. Sampalis is also founder of the new job site corporateoptometrycareers.com and www.corporateoptometry.com. She is available for practice management consulting. To contact: msampalis@hotmail.com
