Marketing and Selling Your Lenses to Eye Care Professionals

Marketing? • To communicate a consistent intended message to a specific intended audience. • Marketing is NOT just advertising. • Marketing is NOT just PR. • Marketing is NOT just sales. • Marketing helps CREATE the sales opportunity. • Successful marketing develops long-term relationships © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

B2B Marketing Spending (in Billions of dollars – 2008) • Trade Shows/Events -- $17.3 • Internet/Electronic Media -- $12.5 • Promotional Support -- $10.9 • Magazine Advertising -- $10.8 • Publicity/PR -- $10.5 • Direct Mail -- $9.4 • Dealer/Distributor Materials -- $5.2 • Market Research -- $3.8 • Telemarketing -- $2.4 • Directories -- $1.4 • Other -- $5.1 © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Healthcare Marketing Trends • One word :: Choices – Consumers in charge of healthcare decisions – Self-Diagnosis is on the rise • Google trying to outdo the CDC this flu season – “Doctor says” no longer the force it was – Consumers have more disposable income – Insurance / HMO / Flex Account / etc • The idea of Customers vs. Patients © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

HIPAA • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act • You may not be affected by HIPAA, but your docs are • Must have prior written authorization to communicate for marketing purposes except for face-to-face encounters or communications involving promotional gifts • Not considered “Marketing” or excepted – Educational Communications – Treatment Options – Communications about products & services – General health announcements like health fairs, mammogram reminders, organ donation, etc – Patient/doctor face-to-face communication – Nominal value gifts • Cannot sell lists of patients to 3rd parties © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Most prevalent marketing mistakes • “Me Too” Competitive and following fads • Campaigns designed around cutesy or non- relevant centers • Marketer trying to reach themselves • Money Issues – Focus on costs rather than effectiveness – Thinking that $$$ = Success – Accepting proposed prices • Forgetting multiple media maximizes the message • No marketing plan © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

A Marketing Plan... • Defines Marketing Costs • Shows Marketing Value • Defines Mission / Provides Focus • Written Game Plan • Evolving Document A Marketing Plan is On Paper…On Purpose © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Elements of a Marketing Plan • At a minimum...a Marketing Plan should include the following: – Who/where you are (BRAND) – Where you want to go – How you’re going to get there – Budget – Summary of Strategy – Timetable of Actions • Less is (sometimes) more © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Developing a Target Market • Marketing Truths – Not everyone loves you – No one cares about your marketing • If you try to be all things to all people, you will be nothing • Target market should be as specific as possible © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

What is a Brand? • Your single most valuable asset • A promise that past performance will indicate future results • Your target’s experience with you • Faces vs. personalities • Perception IS reality You have a brand even if you don’t have a brand strategy. © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Brand Consistency • Touchpoints – All interactions with the target • Messaging – Slogans / Taglines – Advertising • Design – Logo / Identity – Packaging – Colors / Fonts • Pricing © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Budgeting #1: Strategy • Is this marketing initiative a priority? • What is the LONG TERM goal? – More customers? – More exposure? – More credit? • How much of the pot should this get? • What’s the needed ROI? © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Budgeting #2: Segmentation • Who are we really trying to talk to? • Stop wasting money / time / resources: – firing canons instead of rifles • Figure out who is making the decision and find the best / cheapest / quickest way to reach them at the right time © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Budgeting #3: Leverage • Use current customers to gain new ones • Word of mouth • Cross - promotions • CRM: always collect e-mail addresses and other contact info (and follow up) • Use the web • Let viral and other networks grow the investment exponentially © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Budgeting #4: Measurement • Measure actual ROI as well as responses • Measure satisfaction and “stickiness” as well as the actual numbers • Use the info to make adjustments You can’t manage what you can’t measure © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Low Cost “Guerilla” Marketing • #1 Method - Word-of-Mouth / “Buzz” – Referrals from customers, friends, vendors, etc • Brochures / Posters / Printed Literature • Build marketing into current paper trail – Business cards, fax sheet, letterhead, e-signatures • On-Hold Message • Community Events / Trade Shows • Articles / Publishing • Ad Specialties / Gifts • Cross Promotions / Alliances • Networking • Seminars / Workshops • Public Relations - Press Releases - Media Show © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Keys to selling to docs • Databases – Lead generation systems • Get their attention immediately – Don’t build to a big finish • Have a great offer • Have a USP • Add value to their practice and their life © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Great Medical Reps • MUST be personable • MUST be persistent • MUST speak the language • Understands the importance of STAFF • Know how to sell • They know how to get the meeting (without you) • Have objectives and can report results Great medical reps win confidence personally and technically © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Opportunity: Presbyopia • 76 million Baby Boomers will be / are holding things at arm’s length • Generation driven by consumerism and will pay for things they want • Have a strong self image of an active and healthy person © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Opportunity: Orthokeratology • LASIK and other forms of refractive surgery have settled into a plateau • No blades! is an attractive option for some patients • Lets ODs have their cake and eat it too. (create a vision correction practice while still keeping co-management $ from OPHs) © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Fundamental E-Marketing • Online Spending – Budget for Website – Banner Ads – Contextual Search Advertising – SEO – Search Engine Optimization • E-mail Marketing – Phishing / Spam – Permission-Based • Blogs / Social Media © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

The Website • Cannot just be an online brochure • Must be dynamic and change constantly • Content is King • Simple is best – Just because you can – doesn’t mean you should • When was the last time you visited your own website? © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Email Marketing • Anticipated, personal and relevant messages delivered to people who actually want to get them • PERMISSION – Sign-ups – Opt-outs • Keys to success – The List – Subject and “from” – Permission © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

What do you mean by Social Media? • Blogs • Wikis • Microblogs • Photo – Twitter – Flickr • Video – Photobucket – Google & YouTube • Virtual reality – Revver – Second Life • Social Networks • Social / News Bookmarks – MySpace – Digg – Facebook – Reddit – Del.icio.us Community / user generated content © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

We’re not finished… • Biggest opportunity for FAILURE is right after the marketing begins • Inform all your touchpoints – Everyone who is associated with your organization • Develop a tracking system © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Tracking / Effectiveness \"I know that half my advertising works. I just don't know which half.\" John Wanamaker (1838- 1922) If you can say the same thing, STOP advertising (marketing). © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Thank You • Your Turn Marketing… • Begins with the PRODUCT – Questions • Driven by the MESSAGE – Comments • Nurtured by the RELATIONSHIP – Problems Chris Houchens – Rants Blog :: ShotgunConcepts.com – Raves Website :: ChrisHouchens.com E-Mail :: chris@shotgunconcepts.com – Complaints These slides are available for free online: www.slideshare.net/shotgunconcepts © 2008 - www.ChrisHouchens.com

Marketing and Selling Your Lenses to Eye Care Professionals

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