8 Ophthalmology Business • December 2016
by William B. Rabourn Jr.
How potential patient research
improves your LASIK marketing
different concerns, interests, char-
acteristics, and resources than those
in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Part one used the demographic and
socioeconomic data collected from
Medical Consulting Group's 2015
eight-market LASIK online survey
(funded by CareCredit) to illustrate
how multi-market surveys can be
used to familiarize a practice with
its market(s) and to optimize its
LASIK message (read part one in the
September 2016 issue of Ophthalmol-
ogy Business). Part two uses the same
data to provide a second option for
marketers who are more interested in
generating leads by zeroing in on one
specific market.
• The assumption that the target
LASIK audience is between 25 and
54 years of age
• The assumption that average myo-
pia patients are around 40 years of
age, while hyperopia patients are
estimated to be about 50
• The assumption that patients turn
first to friends and family for LASIK
information
These messages and assump-
tions fail to acknowledge the change
in economic conditions and the
increased use of information tech-
nology to connect with health care
professionals more conveniently.
Many practices have lost touch with
the wants and needs of their poten-
tial patients. Today's patients have
Part two:
Benefits of local
market surveys
P
art one of this se-
ries, "Benefits of
multi-market sur-
veys," introduced the
dangers of stagnant
LASIK marketing tactics in a chang-
ing market. It discussed the outdated
trends from the early 2000s that still
permeate practices' LASIK marketing
messages and strategies. These trends
include:
• Messages touting the efficiency
and effectiveness of modern LASIK
technology
