The Defiance Optometric Group office. All photos courtesy of Elaine DeLeon.
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Reliable marketing partner brings many benefits to established practice
Jan. 5, 2026
Defiance Optometric Group has a longtime history in Defiance, Ohio, serving the community for more than 75 years. Many patients trust in the practice for their eye care and eyewear needs. That’s why it’s essential that the practice has reliable partners that it can trust in to deliver quality products and a superior experience.
Elaine DeLeon, office manager at the practice, says that it’s an easy decision to trust in Walman Optical, to help them excel in these areas. “Walman Optical’s high quality products and services help our practice provide the best care for our patients,” she says. “With offering the best products, our patients can then achieve optimal vision and comfort with the products they receive at our practice.”
The relationship between Walman Optical and Defiance Optometric Group has grown over the years thanks to the value the company brings to the table. What started as a lab partnership has become much more, DeLeon says. She details the many products and services that benefit the office today from this trusted partner.
QUALITY PRODUCT AND A RELIABLE REP
Representative Brian Green has been a familiar face in the practice for many years. He visits several times a year and is a valuable resource, DeLeon says. “Those in-person visits really stand out for a lab,” she says. “He helps us with our questions. If he doesn’t know the answer, he gets one for us.” She appreciates that the lab team is there to help with troubleshooting and suggestions, as well, if they ever need a second opinion.
The staff is more confident in conversations, inside and outside of the optical, thanks to training opportunities.
Green’s training has helped get new staff up to speed more efficiently. He also provides educational sessions on new products and features for the entire team—not just the optical staff. “Patients come in and ask the front desk staff lots of questions. Learning AR materials and how they work helps them have a better understanding during those conversations,” she says. “We feel confident to be able to answer our patients’ questions about new technology with the training that Walman provides us.”
SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES, SIMPLIFIED BILLING
As a member of ADO Practice Solutions, DeLeon says that the practice has used the buying group to secure discounts from several vendors including ABB Optical Group, Walman Instruments and several frame manufacturers. The new equipment has helped to improve the office’s efficiency, allowing them to see more patients per day.
The frame vendor rebate programs have provided rebate dollars and marketing dollars which help the bottom line, she adds. This year, the office joined the PEAK Loyalty Program for even more savings. “Being part of the PEAK Loyalty Program as well as the frame rebate programs gave us access to marketing rebate dollars which helped offset the cost of branded materials and minimize the cost to our office,” DeLeon says. As a PEAK Loyalty Program member, the practice has yielded $10,300 in rebates as of December 2025. “These little cost savers really add up, and the quality of the material is excellent.”
DeLeon appreciates that the billing is consolidated with one report, offering a great visual of the discounts and how they add up. For example, from participating in the ADO Free Frame Shipping Program, the practice has saved nearly $10,000 in shipping costs the past year. “Our long-time relationship with Walman and ADO and the benefits they bring helps us to continue to work with them as opposed to different options in the market.”
PARTNER MAKES MARKETING EASY
Custom marketing materials keep the practice on patients’ minds in between visits.
The practice started working with DONE4YOU® Marketing around the time that DeLeon became office manager. She remembered that the previous office manager spent a lot of time on marketing initiatives, most often on social media. She knew it wasn’t an efficient routine. “We needed to free up that time to focus more on patient care and other office responsibilities,” DeLeon says.
It’s been a smart move to let DONE4YOU® Marketing take the reins on social media and the practice’s website presence. Its team has delivered, developing and posting custom content to keep their audience engaged. The Defiance Optometric Group staff can spend their time more present in the office, directly with patients or other administrative tasks. The added website functions for patients to pay their bills or order contact lenses online have been tremendous assets, as well, DeLeon says. “This all takes a big load off of the staff.”
DONE4YOU® Marketing also has created in-office marketing materials, such as educational brochures for patient education and other printed marketing flyers, promotional pens and lens cleaning cloths. The practice saves significantly on these items thanks to their rebate savings.
“The doctors are really excited to have these branded materials, such as flyers to educate patients about glaucoma and pens with the office name on it,” DeLeon says. They often use the branded notepads with the practice’s name and phone number to write down specific instructions for patients.
KEEPING THE PRACTICE ON PATIENTS’ MINDS
It’s a simple gesture that allows the patient to take a little bit of the practice home with them. These consistent branding touchpoints keep Defiance Optometric Group top of mind between appointments. That steady visibility strengthens patient relationships and encourages repeat visits, turning marketing into measurable returns for the practice.
Read another article on working with Walman Optical and ADO Practice Solutions.
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Elaine DeLeon is the office manager at Defiance Optometric Group in Defiance, Ohio. She’s been with the well-established practice for 15 years. To contact her: eyedocs3@bright.net |
