![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/7-16-14nguyen.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nOct. 28, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n Millennial patients have specific likes, dislikes and expectations. Meet needs, exceed expectations and build for the future.<\/p>\n IDENTIFY & NOTE DIFFERENCES<\/strong>. Millennials are comfortable with technology andappreciate cutting-edge technology in the exam room and optical. They expectto fill out forms online ahead of time.<\/p>\n COMMUNICATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA<\/strong>. Establisha Facebook page andan Instagram account, and respond in a timely manner to reviews on Yelp. Build your social media presence.<\/p>\n GIVE BACK TO COMMUNITY<\/strong>. Participate in local charities, and let patients know about your good works.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Millennial patients, those born between 1980 and 1995, are now the largest segment of the population. Fully understanding their needs enables you to build a practice primed for growth. Here are the lessons I learned about serving this newest generation of patients.<\/p>\n Dr. Nguyen says Millennials want to support brands that give back to their community. In July 2015, Nike released a video<\/strong><\/a> about a young boy with cerebral palsy that inspired them to design a special pair of shoes. Lebron James then presented these special shoes to the boy. If a company such as Nike has a unique story about its charitable causes, and you carry Nike eyewear, post or tweet out that story.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Millennials are now between 20 and 35 years of age. According to the Census Bureau, there are 80 million Millennials in the U.S., compared to 65 million Generation Xers and 74 million Baby Boomers.<\/p>\n Not only do they outnumber previous generations, Millennials think and behave very differently. They are the first generation with internet access in their formative years. They don\u2019t know a world without instant information 24 hours a day and social media at their fingertips.<\/p>\n From a healthcare perspective, Millennials are the generation more likely to ask \u201cDr. Google,\u201d or their Facebook friends, for medical advice before they see a doctor in a traditional office.<\/p>\n I am a Generation Xer. The technology that my generation created to make our lives easier has created a world where Millennials don\u2019t ask for technology and convenience; they expect it. <\/p>\n What a Millennial patient thinks about you actually starts before they even set foot in your office. Is your web site optimized for mobile viewing? Do you have a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter account for your office? Can they schedule an appointment online? A Millennial patient has read your Yelp reviews. They know what other patients have said about you, and they know if you have responded. Once they have chosen you and your office, they expect to enjoy the atmosphere and customer service. A Millennial will appreciate things like free WiFi and less paperwork. <\/p>\n Smartphone Eye Exams: How Will ODs Adapt?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Personalize the Patient Experience with Individualized Care<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Zappos Service and Culture–Applied to the OD Practice<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Brand recognition is more important to the Millennial than it is to other generations. When they believe in a brand, they are more loyal. They become ambassadors for that brand, and they are more vocal in recommending it to their friends and family. Millennials want to be able to like and follow the brands they choose on social media, as well. Practices have to make the brands they provide known. Post ads and pictures to your Facebook page showing your most popular brands, and other patients wearing those brands.<\/p>\n Millennials want their brands to represent their individual style, but they also want their brands to be accepted by their peers. Before purchasing, they want to be able to get an opinion from their peers. Do you allow your Millennial patient to take a quick selfie of themselves in the glasses they are considering? Better yet, do you jump into that picture or is your office logo in the background?<\/p>\n Millennials expect to be in control of all aspects of their lives. They want what they want, when they want it. They are the \u201ctry before you buy\u201d generation. They want to customize their world, and fashion is the same. They are also more focused on keeping up with the latest fashions and being unique. A practice that wants to market to Millennial patients may have to keep their frame boards stocked with unique styles, but change those styles regularly to keep up with fashion trends.<\/p>\n Vision Mondayhas launched the VM Millennial Project: Resources for Defining a Generation that Defies Description<\/a><\/strong>, a series of resources on aspects of the Millennial generation, including how practices can best market to, and serve, this young generation.<\/p>\n Click HERE<\/strong><\/a> to access VM Millennial Project: Resources for Defining a Generation that Defies Description<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n According to the Vision Council in 2014, only 7 percent of Millennials purchase their eyewear online, but that is higher than the industry standard of 4 percent. Millennials tend to gravitate toward certain online vendors not just for a deal, but for the brand recognition and the instant gratification. They want to be able to shop for their purchases any time they want, with a push of a button on their mobile devices. Millennials don\u2019t want to wait weeks for what they want. They want to have a customized experience, and they want to receive their product quickly.<\/p>\n Millennials don\u2019t love Warby Parker specifically, but it\u2019s the concept that they love. They appreciate the convenience and the charitable things that the company does. An independent office should always be striving to make things faster and more convenient. Are you sending text reminders or traditional recall cards in the mail? Are you responding when a patient asks a question via e-mail? Are you responding to online reviews?<\/p>\n Millennials have more student loan debt than Gen X\u2019ers and Baby Boomers, and they are more likely to be unemployed or under-employed. They are more likely to take a lower-paying job doing something they love compared to a higher-paying job they hate. According to the PEW research center, the good news is that Millennials carry less credit card debt than Gen X\u2019ers. They are more likely to use debit cards than credit cards.<\/p>\n Offices can offer value packages, but it may be more effective to understand what a Millennial patient is more likely to spend money on, and what makes a Millennial feel good about their purchase. Offer the convenience they want. Make your services and your office part of their community and their network. Millennials are more likely to spend money with a company, or a brand, they believe in. And they are more likely to avoid a good product if they don\u2019t feel good about the company, or brand, that sells it.<\/p>\n Millennials were brought up believing they can change the world. They expect companies to do the same. Millennials want to be a part of something bigger. They believe a company should do more to give back and make their community and the world better place. Has an office, or a doctor, volunteered their time for a good cause? Does that office donate old glasses to the Lions club or recycle packaging materials for their products? Does that office use products that are globally responsible? And if you do give back to the community somehow, are you getting your entire staff involved? Are you making it known on your social media?<\/p>\n If a small business cannot afford to donate millions of dollars, or millions of pairs of glasses to charity, are they promoting brands that can make a difference? For example, recently Nike released a video about a young boy with cerebral palsy that inspired the company to design a special pair of shoes. Lebron James then presented these special shoes to the boy with cerebral palsy. If a company such as Nike has a unique story about its charitable causes, and you carry Nike eyewear, post or Tweet out that story. Nike\u2019s story then becomes an extension of your office and practice brand. Millennials are more likely to spend money on brands that give back to the community or globally.<\/p>\n Millennials are the social media generation. Seventy-five percent have created a profile on social media. While Facebook is the most popular, Millennials are more likely to use multiple networks for instant information. They get their information from Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Pintrest, Reddit, Tumblr and Google Plus.<\/p>\n If a practice wants to target and communicate with Millennial patients, they have to use multiple avenues. Facebook alone may not be enough. Millennials use social media to communicate with their friends and family, but that is also how they learn and get news and information. For example, if they want learn how to cook a specific meal, they watch a YouTube video. If they need a good gift idea, they check their Pintrest. If they love their new glasses, they post a selfie on Instagram and Twitter #glasses.<\/p>\n Millennial employees are very helpful when it comes to communicating with other Millennials. And they are a great resource if you aren\u2019t a social media expert. Offices could see a surge in morale, creativity and productivity by hiring more Millennials. But it\u2019s not necessary to have employees of a certain age. It\u2019s about their mentality. Millennials don\u2019t want to be sold something. Your staff and opticians should believe in the brands you carry by wearing it themselves. If a patient compliments your receptionist\u2019s glasses, you better have that frame available to be purchased on the spot.<\/p>\n Because Millennials spend so much time on their digital devices, they are more likely to have technology-related vision problems. As eyecare providers, we should be asking all of our patients, but especially our Millennials, how many hours a day they spend on their phone or tablet or laptop. And this is where we can be proactive also. Why wait until they have developed symptoms of eyestrain and headaches? There are blue light filters such as Sharper Image\u2019s Tech Shield, and BluTech lenses, that we can prescribe to treat and prevent technology-related vision problems. <\/p>\n\n\nSYNOPSIS<\/h5>\n
ACTION POINTS<\/h5>\n
\n\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/10-28-15palsy.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIdentify & Note Differences<\/h5>\n
Millennials Know You Before You Know Them<\/h5>\n
\n\nRelated ROB Articles<\/h5>\n
Recognize Importance of Brands<\/h5>\n
\n\nVM Millennial Project
<\/h5>\nRecognize Millennials’ Affinity for Certain Online Brands<\/h5>\n
Give Patients Greater Flexibility in Making Purchases<\/h5>\n
Show Your Practice Gives Back to Community<\/h5>\n
Post to Social Media Effectively & Often<\/h5>\n
Hire Staff Who Relate to Millennials<\/h5>\n
Recognize & Treat Digital Eye Fatigue Syndrome<\/h5>\n