EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/1160558
SEPTEMBER 2019 | EYEWORLD | 81 What should your comprehensive marketing team look like? In many cases, the first members on the market- ing team are the consultants that the ophthalmic business has contacted to help define marketing goals and audience. If needed, some of these experts can then connect you to the creative side of your team. This may include web devel- opers, digital marketing specialists, social media managers, reputation management specialists, graphic designers, videographers, medical copy- writers, and media buyers. What is the ultimate takeaway? The patient is king, especially to those utilizing the value-based model of care. Prioritize the conversation with those allowing you to practice eyecare, consider how to talk to patients about the unique value in your eyecare experience, build a smart marketing team to manage that conversation, consult with industry experts if needed to keep your strategy on track, and do not waste time doing it. Do not wait to start planning for next year. Take it from Benjamin Franklin who said, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." What is a comprehensive marketing strategy? Before building your team, understand your strategy. Comprehensive marketing does not mean you must use every single marketing medium and tool at your disposal (digital ads, social media, websites, web videos, eblasts, billboards, print ads, radio, television, press releases, reputation management software, etc.). Instead, it seeks to put your brand in front of as many current and potential patients as possible by targeting the mediums most heavily traf- ficked by your audience to maximize your bud- get. For example, if you are selling LASIK, it is smarter to target online mediums, where you will likely find your audience scrolling through social media feeds, leaving online reviews, and searching Google for information about the best LASIK surgeons near them. If cataract patients are your bread and butter, combining traditional methods such as television and print with online options is ideal. If your audience is made up of both groups (or others), your comprehensive strategy should be more even complex. In reality, most comprehensive strategies will appear complex, especially to those who do not specialize in medical marketing. That is why building a team made up of members with their own specializations is strongly recommended. I