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Don’t get left
behind—more ECP’s than ever before are plugging into the worldwide web.
With nearly 75 percent of our nation’s population accessing the worldwide web, it’s become more important than ever for successful eyecare practices to have an Internet presence. While it may seem intimidating, you don’t have to be tech savvy to get up and running. We spoke with several different ECPs who have launched or are in the process of launching a site, about why they did it and what’s involved. |
“In today’s world people are using computer search engines more and more as their first choice in locating doctors,” says Therese C. Deschenes, OD, Deschenes Eye Associates in Trooper, Pa., who at press time was in the midst of developing an interactive website. “Websites are available for people to browse at their own leisure. You can convey so much more information through a website than in a printed ad or even a phone call.”
Joni Schrup, owner, Discerning Eye in Iowa City, Iowa agrees. She says it was her kids that pushed her to get on the web. In fact, her son Sam was responsible for creating her site, before her eyecare practice even launched in December 2005. “Talking to my kids, I realized their generation doesn’t even know how to operate a phone book,” she says. “We’re based in a college town and I think it’s made me a little more aware of the fact that younger crowds no longer use the Yellow Pages. So it was always important for me to have a good online presence, from the very beginning.”
Visibility is definitely one key benefit of being online, but a website is also a way for patients to get a feel for your practice before they even set foot through the door. It was important for Rachel Cohn, OD, optometrist and owner of Wink Eyecare Boutique in Potomac, Md., to have a catchy look to her site. “My boutique has a hip feel to it, and you get a sense of that from just visiting my website,” she says. “It was important to me that my site was completely reflective of my brand so everything from the logo to the colors we used and the photos on the site conveys that same feeling.”
Another, perhaps unconsidered, benefit of a website is making sales. While many ECPs think in terms of recruiting local patients through the Internet, Schrup says her website actually helped her make a sale with an out-of-state customer. “We just recently had a man from California call us because he was looking for a specific frame line and ended up finding it on our website,” she says. “He bought a pair of frames that we’re going to be mailing it to him.”
And a website isn’t the only way to get some web presence. For instance, Schrup created a
Facebook page for her practice. Staff photos and photos of frame reps are posted on the page regularly. It’s also a space for her to let existing and prospective patients know about events and happenings taking place at her practice. And of course, it’s yet another way that patients can get in touch with her.
Justin Bazan, OD, owner, Park Slope Eye in Brooklyn, N.Y., also makes use of various social media and networking tools, which are linked on his website. In addition to a Facebook page, he also uses Twitter. “Social media and networking gives us the ability to create more of a fan base,” he says. “And fans are exactly the type of patients we want to have here. We want people to feel an extreme loyalty to our practice and that’s something that can be generated through the interactions we have on these forms of online media.”
Through his Facebook page, Bazan posts interesting content in the hopes of generating discussion. It’s also an outlet for him to answer patients’ quick questions. He started the page in November and now has close to 500 “fans.” Patients looking for additional information can also log on to Bazan’s blog, which he updates regularly with educational content. “I look at the blog as more of an educational tool and put up posts that help our patients find useful medical information,” he says.
Getting Started
Your website’s content is definitely the first thing you should consider when launching a website. The most important items to include are where you’re located, what your hours are, and how to get in touch with you. Often times web visitors are only looking to pop on to your page to get some quick info, so it’s helpful to have these three pieces of information on your homepage. Some practices are even doing their scheduling through their website. This allows patients to go online and make an appointment 24/7, though it obviously requires upkeep from your end as well, making sure you are staying on top of appointments booked this way.
Besides the obvious, there are many other features and pieces information to consider adding to your site. For Schrup, highlighting some of the frame lines she carries was very important. Besides the fact that it helped her make a sale just by having the list online, it also helps her recruit new patients who are impressed by her selection.
Some information on the office staff is also vital so that the patient can feel more familiar with the practice. “I think it is very important for patients to be able to meet the doctor and view credentials and experience,” notes Deschenes. “Patient testimonials are also important, as is listing services offered and [the practice’s] specialized areas.”
When it comes to design, how barebones or fancy you want your website is entirely up to you. Linda Fain Hatton, OD and president of
Optix EyeCare and Gallery in Dallas, even includes
EyeCyclopedia™ on her website, giving patients an opportunity to look up eye conditions and definitions. She also has downloadable videos available. Bazan has a highly interactive site that has a bold color scheme and makes use of Flash with unique graphics and other features, allowing it to have a lot of impact on visitors. No matter what you decide to do, keep in mind that launching a site is a chance for you to be creative. Just don’t forget the type of message and the overall feel you want to convey to your visitors as you come up with ideas.
Once you determine what features and information you’re going to include, you’ll have to decide if you plan to create the site yourself using an Internet domain registrar. There are a lot out there, Go Daddy perhaps being one of the most well-known, most likely due to their flashy Super Bowl ads. Others choose to have a web developer do the work. This is a more expensive route, but can save a lot of time and ensures a professional look. Deschenes says she did her homework before settling on the developer she planned to use for her site. “I researched many web developers and viewed samples of their sites,” she says. “I also did price comparisons for the services that are offered.”
And Deschenes feels the cost is certainly worth it. “The cost of having a website for a busy practice should be an expected operating cost in this day and age,” she says. “Before it used to be the telephone book was the first resource for finding businesses or doctors. Simply reallocating those expenses to your website is very easily done. Web developers are very willing to help those whom are not very computer savvy. And it’s an investment that will definitely give a good return on your dollar.”
Creating a Facebook page or blog is often easier than launching a website since it walks you through the steps and is perhaps a good place to start out for the web newbies. The bottom line is that no matter how you go about it, creating an online presence is an excellent way to market your practice to new patients and make important connections with your existing patient base.
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