The reaction to news that Specsavers was awarded the Australian Defence Force contract for optical services in place of Luxottica wasn’t popular. mivision’s Facebook page, which hosts a social community of almost 30,000 people who are actively involved with the eye care profession and related industries lit up with vitriolic reaction when we posted the news with words like “disgrace” and “treachery” featuring prominently, some even accused decision makers of “treason”.
If we put aside the merits of the decision and the lack of a tender process,
the outrage creates an interesting case study. At the time we posted the item on Facebook we sent the news out in our bimonthly email broadcast newsletter.
That small three par news brief prompted more than 1,350 ‘click throughs’ to read the article within 24 hours. An extraordinary response rate, given that the average ‘most read’ article on our email broadcasts sits around 500 click throughs.
If I have a corporate in my suburb, to win that game, I only have to be the best in that suburb
In an interesting juxtaposition, a neighbouring item in the email broadcast on a new business building app for independent optometrists attracted only about 180 ‘click throughs’.
The ‘Next Contacts’ mobile app from Bausch and Lomb is free to patients via the App Store or Google Play, and available to optical outlets through subscription. The app helps people order contact lenses through their optometrists’ branded app or web store, then manage their contact lens wear. Given online contact lens sales are one of the major threats to an optical retailer’s revenue you’d think this news would have attracted greater interest. Instead, the focus was on who received the defence contract. mivision business commentator Mark Overton said there was a “lot of psychology” behind the reaction from the eye care community.
“For some it’s a concern, borne out of not knowing what to do about the constant barrage of corporate advertising and reach for market share, they fear would be detrimental on their own businesses,” said Mr. Overton.
Whilst corporates have a national focus the best marketing strategy for independents is to go local.
“If I have a corporate in my suburb, to win that game, I only have to be the best in that suburb. If I am the best locally, people will talk about their good experience and that word-of-mouth will spread. I should be aware of what others are up to on a national and local level, but I can’t do anything about it. All I can influence is what I can control,” Mr. Overton said.
Word-of-mouth referral is vitally important to the growth of an independent practice. The key is to work out your ‘value proposition’ and keep delivering on it – a combination of tangible, intangible and price factors that match customers’ needs and wants, as well as what they are prepared to pay – and then communicate and deliver that to patients, even before they walk in through your doors.
Never mind the multi-zillion dollar advertising campaign… let your customers spread the word.
